A researcher treats a purified protein solution with a chemical that specifically disrupts hydrogen bonds but does not break covalent bonds. Which levels of protein structure would be MOST directly affected?

Core Concept

Correct. Secondary structures like α-helices and β-pleated sheets are primarily stabilized by hydrogen bonds between backbone atoms. Tertiary structure is maintained by multiple interactions including hydrogen bonds between amino acid R-groups. Disrupting hydrogen bonds would therefore affect both levels of organization.