Biochemistry
Denaturation
The process by which proteins or nucleic acids lose their three-dimensional structure and thus their function, typically due to heat, extreme pH, or chemical agents.
Biological Context
Protein function depends on precise 3D folding. Denaturation unfolds proteins, destroying their active sites. Cooking denatures food proteins, making them easier to digest. Fever can denature pathogen proteins while sparing host proteins that tolerate higher temperatures.
Business Application
Organizational denaturation: when the structure that made a system work breaks down. Culture denaturation during rapid growth, skill denaturation from disuse, or relationship denaturation from neglect. Preventing denaturation requires maintaining the conditions that preserve functional structure.