What is meant by the term Denatured and what conditions cause this?

Answer 1

Denatured refers to when a protein loses its structure to become something akin to an amorphous blob. To really understand this though you must understand the structures of protein.

A protein is a long string or chain composed of amino acids all linked together. When proteins are formed by the body they must 'fold' themselves into a structure that is capable of work or doing a task. Once in this folded form the protein can go on to serve whatever function it serves.

Denaturing causes the protein to lose this shape and ultimately functionality. For the most part denatured proteins can be 're'natured by reversing the cause of denaturing. A familiar example of denaturing while is non reversible is cooking eggs. The egg white is rich in proteins and when heated causes the protein to lose it's form and harden. As stated this can't be reversed.

As explained above one way to denature a protein is by applying heat but also by any temperature change, pH change or even change in solvent (using formaldehyde or ethanol instead of water).

Answer 2

Denatured refers to the alteration of a protein's shape due to changes in temperature, pH, or exposure to chemicals, causing it to lose its structure and function. Conditions like high temperatures, extreme pH levels, or the presence of denaturing agents like urea or guanidine hydrochloride can lead to denaturation of proteins.