Hemoglobin is composed of two alpha and two beta chain proteins. These proteins are found in red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. The diagram below shows two different types of red blood cells, both of which have hemoglobin in them.

Question

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Which of the following is the best explanation as to why cells with the same type of protein in them look different?

Question 3 options:

The protein shape of the sickle cells is different because the fatty acid tails making up the phospholipids of the cell membrane are damaged.

The protein shape of the sickle cells is different because of a change in the amino acid sequence, causing the protein to have a different shape.

The protein shape of the sickle cells is the same as the normal cells, it's just distorted in this image as it is a drawing of the cells and not the actual cells.

The protein shape of the sickle cells is different because of a change in the sugars in the cells, causing the cells to form differently.

Answer 1

The best explanation as to why cells with the same type of protein in them look different is:

The protein shape of the sickle cells is different because of a change in the amino acid sequence, causing the protein to have a different shape.

This option correctly identifies that a mutation in the hemoglobin protein can lead to sickle cell disease, where a single amino acid substitution causes hemoglobin to polymerize under low oxygen conditions, resulting in the characteristic sickle shape of the red blood cells.