(verb. /dee-NAY-chur/)
By Mariah Jones
What does it mean?
To “denature” something means to change it fundamentally. In science, this word usually refers to the process of protein unfolding. Proteins often have to be folded in a certain shape to work properly. When a protein denatures, it loses its shape and becomes inactive. In the laboratory, different processes can result in “denaturation”, such as heating, addition of acidic/basic solutions, or cooling the sample. When we’re talking about DNA, as in this example, “denature” means to unwind the two DNA strands, resulting in two separate strands.
How do I use it in a sentence?
The denaturation step of PCR is important to ensure the new DNA strands can be synthesized.
Etymology
The word originates from Latin: de meaning from, and natura meaning nature.
History of usage
The word originally meant “to make unnatural ” (1812). The modern definition follows the 1878 adaption of “change the nature of”.
Fields of study in which this word is commonly used
Biology
Chemistry
Biochemistry
