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WEAK INTERACTIONS

Interactions between proteins and lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and also, small molecules belong to the category of weak interactions. Strong interactions form rather rigid structures, which would not allow molecules to have moveability, which is necessary for fulfilling various tasks by them. Weak interactions act in the same way also inside biological macromolecules.

The main kinds of weak interactions are:

• ion bonds;
• ion-dipole interactions;
• van der Waals bonds (dipole-dipole interactions):
  • orientation forces (electrostatic forces);
  • induction forces;
  • dispersion forces;
• hydrogen bonds;
• hydrophobic interactions.