Biochemistry 4th Edition by Christopher Mathews,Kensal van Holde, Dean Appling, Spencer Anthony Cahill

Exercise 5

Although the bond energy for the hydrogen bond in a vacuum is estimated to be about 20 kj/mol, we find that each hydrogen bond in a folded protein contributes much less-probably less than 5 kj/mol-to the enthalpy of protein stabilization. Suggest an explanation for this ditterence.