Question

Which of the following statements about α-helices and β-sheets are FALSE?

a. They are both incompatible with the amino acid proline.
b. They both interact with other protein elements through amino acid side chains that
stick out.
c. They both contain a recurring pattern of hydrogen bonds from one peptide bond to
another peptide bond.
d. They both give rise to similar tertiary structures.

Answer 1

The false statement is that α-helices and β-sheets are both incompatible with the amino acid proline, which is not true.

Step-by-step explanation:

The false statement about α-helices and β-sheets is (a) They are both incompatible with the amino acid proline. In reality, α-helices can accommodate proline residues at specific positions where the helix is interrupted, while β-sheets can contain proline residues as well.

Both α-helices and β-sheets interact with other protein elements through amino acid side chains that stick out, making statement (b) true.

Both α-helices and β-sheets contain a recurring pattern of hydrogen bonds from one peptide bond to another, which gives them their stable structure, making statement (c) true.

Lastly, α-helices and β-sheets can give rise to similar tertiary structures, making statement (d) true.