HYDROPHOBIC CLEFT Meaning and
Definition
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A hydrophobic cleft refers to a specific crevice or groove on the surface of a molecule or protein that repels or avoids interactions with water molecules. The term "hydrophobic" indicates an aversion or fear of water, while "cleft" suggests a narrow opening or indentation.
In the field of biochemistry and molecular biology, a hydrophobic cleft is typically found in enzymes or proteins and plays a crucial role in their function. These clefts are often lined with hydrophobic or nonpolar amino acid residues, such as alanine, leucine, or phenylalanine, which are inherently water-repellent. As a result, the hydrophobic clefts become regions that exclude water molecules and favor interactions with other hydrophobic or nonpolar molecules.
The hydrophobicity of these clefts allows them to bind to hydrophobic ligands, substrates, or partner molecules, while minimizing interactions with the surrounding aqueous environment. This unique characteristic helps ensure specific and efficient molecular recognition, catalysis, or other vital biological processes.
Understanding the structure and properties of hydrophobic clefts is important in various scientific disciplines, including drug discovery, protein engineering, and molecular modeling. By targeting or modifying the hydrophobic clefts in proteins, scientists can often design or optimize molecules that selectively interact with the target protein, enabling the development of effective therapeutics or materials.
Common Misspellings for HYDROPHOBIC CLEFT
- gydrophobic cleft
- bydrophobic cleft
- nydrophobic cleft
- jydrophobic cleft
- uydrophobic cleft
- yydrophobic cleft
- htdrophobic cleft
- hgdrophobic cleft
- hhdrophobic cleft
- hudrophobic cleft
- h7drophobic cleft
- h6drophobic cleft
- hysrophobic cleft
- hyxrophobic cleft
- hycrophobic cleft
- hyfrophobic cleft
- hyrrophobic cleft
- hyerophobic cleft
- hydeophobic cleft
- hyddophobic cleft
Etymology of HYDROPHOBIC CLEFT
The word "hydrophobic cleft" is composed of two terms: "hydrophobic" and "cleft".
1. Hydrophobic: The term "hydrophobic" is derived from two Greek words - "hydro", meaning water, and "phobos", meaning fear or aversion. It refers to the physical property of repelling or being non-reactive to water molecules. This term originated in the field of chemistry to describe substances that tend to avoid or repel water.
2. Cleft: The term "cleft" comes from Middle English and Old English, and it originally meant a split or gap. Over time, it developed the specific meaning of a fissure or crevice in anatomical contexts.
When combined, the term "hydrophobic cleft" refers to a narrow, slit-shaped opening or cavity in a molecule or structure that is repelled or non-reactive towards water.
