Final answer:
Covalent bonds (disulfide bonds), ionic bonding, hydrogen bonding, and dispersion forces are the types of bonds that can hold together tertiary and quaternary structures of proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
Tertiary and quaternary structures of proteins are held together by several types of bonds:
- Covalent bonds: Covalent disulfide bonds between cysteine amino acids can stabilize tertiary structure. These bonds form when cysteines that are far apart in the primary structure of the protein end up near each other in the folded protein.
- Ionic bonding: This type of bond forms between positively and negatively charged amino acids. It can contribute to the stability of tertiary and quaternary structures.
- Hydrogen bonding: Hydrogen bonds form between hydrogen atoms attached to electronegative atoms (such as oxygen or nitrogen) and other electronegative atoms. Hydrogen bonding plays a crucial role in stabilizing the folded structure of proteins.
- Dispersion forces: Also known as Van der Waals forces, these weak attractions occur between all atoms and molecules. They contribute to the overall stability of the tertiary structure.