Disulfide Bonds
One important determinant of tertiary structure in some proteins is the disulfide bond
. Cysteine residues in different parts of the protein can be linked by the oxidation of their sulfur atoms. For example, insulin (right), a molecule which directs the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream by cells in the pancreas, consists of two short protein chains (blue and green) linked by three disulfide bonds (yellow).
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