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  • Define Hydrogen Bond Biology

Define Hydrogen Bond Biology

Hydrogen, light gas, is the foundation of all things, and is most common in the universe. Hydrogen bonding is the most important interaction in the biological world.

Hydrogen bonding is the weak interaction between a hydrogen atom and an atom with strong electronegativity (such as nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine) after being connected by a covalent bond, and another atom with strong electronegativity. Although this effect is weaker than the covalent bond, it has a huge impact on biological systems.

The formation of the secondary structure of the biological macromolecule, the protein, is the formation of the α-helix and the β-fold, and the hydrogen bond is the main factor. The carbonyl oxygen on the main chain of the polypeptide chain forms a hydrogen bond between the amide hydrogen, which maintains the stability of this structure, so that the protein has a specific spatial conformation to perform its physiological functions.

And if the nucleic acid, the maintenance of the DNA double helix structure, the hydrogen bond between base pairs is indispensable. Adenine and thymine are connected by a dihydrogen bond, and guanine and cytosine are connected by a trihydrogen bond. This precise pairing ensures the accurate transmission and storage of genetic information.

Hydrogen bonds also exist widely between water molecules. Due to hydrogen bonds, water has specific physical properties, such as high boiling point and high specific heat. This property is of great significance in living organisms, providing a stable liquid environment for life activities, which is conducive to the transportation and metabolism of substances.

Overall, hydrogen bonding has a profound impact on the structure and function of biological systems, and is one of the key elements for the normal occurrence of life phenomena.