Biology (11th Edition)

Published by McGraw-Hill Education
ISBN 10: 1259188132
ISBN 13: 978-1-25918-813-8

Chapter 5 - Membranes - 5.3 Proteins: Multifunctional Components - Inquiry Question - Page 96: 1

Answer

Integral membrane proteins must have R-groups, for the amino acids which are inserted in the membrane, that can interact with lipids. These would be hydrophobic R groups. Since the membrane crossing involves about 20 amino acids, look for that many hydrophobic R groups in a row.

Work Step by Step

The key here is to see the unique properties of membranes/their lipids. These are mostly hydrophobic, so the proteins inserted in them must have hydrophobic properties to exist in the membrane.
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