IV.

Interaction with Other Proteins

Polypeptide chains are sequenced and coiled in such a way that the hydrophobic amino acids usually face inward, giving the molecule stability, and the hydrophilic amino acids face outward, where they are free to interact with other compounds and especially other proteins. Globular proteins, in particular, can join with a specific compound such as a vitamin derivative and form a coenzyme (see Enzyme), or join with a specific protein and form an assembly of proteins needed for cell chemistry or structure.