Final answer:
The hydrogen bond is primarily responsible for holding together beta-pleated strands in a protein, stabilizing the secondary structure through interactions between amide hydrogen and carbonyl oxygen atoms of amino acids.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of bond that is primarily responsible for holding together beta-pleated strands in a protein is the hydrogen bond. These bonds form between the amide hydrogen of one amino acid and the carbonyl oxygen of another, which may be part of the same polypeptide chain or a different one when beta-pleated sheets are formed. This interaction is weaker than covalent bonds but is crucial in maintaining the secondary structure of proteins.
Several types of chemical interactions stabilize the tertiary structure of proteins, including hydrophobic interactions, ionic bonding, hydrogen bonding, and disulfide linkages. Although both ionic and hydrogen bonds play a role in the overall stability of the protein's tertiary structure, it is the hydrogen bonding that is significantly responsible for the formation and stabilizing of beta-pleated sheets, which are a type of secondary structure.