Why might a protein fuction incorrectly if its shape were changed?

Answer 1

short answer if the shape of a protein is changed it could change the function by the results in disruption of cell activity and possibly cell death.

Conformational change of a functional protein, also known as denaturation. Denaturation is a process in which proteins or nucleic acids lose their structure (tertiary and secondary structure) by application of some external stress or compound for example, treatment of proteins with strong acids or bases, high concentrations of inorganic salts, organic solvents (e.g., alcohol or chloroform), or heat. If proteins in a living cell are denatured, this results in disruption of cell activity and possibly cell death. Denatured proteins can exhibit a wide range of characteristics, from loss of solubility to communal aggregation. Communal aggregation is the phenomenon of aggregation of the hydrophobic proteins to come closer and form the bonding between them, so as to reduce the total area exposed to water.

Proteins are very long strands of amino acids linked together in specific sequences. A protein is created by ribosomes that "read" mRNA that is encoded by codons in the gene and assemble the requisite amino acid combination from the genetic instruction, in a process known as translation. The newly created protein strand then undergoes posttranslational modification, in which additional atoms or molecules are added, for example copper, zinc or iron. Once this post-translational modification process has been completed, the protein begins to fold (spontaneously, and sometimes with enzymatic assistance), curling up on itself so that hydrophobic elements of the protein are buried deep inside the structure and hydrophilic elements end up on the outside. The final shape of a protein determines how it interacts with its environment.

When a protein is denatured, the secondary and tertiary structures are altered but the peptide bonds between the amino acids are left intact. Since the structure of the protein determines its function, the protein can no longer perform its function once it has been denatured. Most biological proteins lose their biological function when denatured. For example, enzymes lose their activity, because the substrates can no longer bind to the active site, and because amino acid residues involved in stabilizing substrates' transition states are no longer positioned to be able to do so.

Answer 2

Enzymes are composed of proteins, and the thing to remember with pproteins is that they are very complex, and each structure of the protein (primary to quaternary) will determine the exact function. If there is a chance in shape, then the function of the enzyme will also change, so this would give rise the possibility of the enzyme not working.

Answer 3

because it would have different function