Oligomers

Oligomers Definition:

During the polymerization process, compounds constructed from just a few monomers.

Oligomers Explained:

The process of which converts monomers to macro-molecular complexes through polarization. The set of reactions leading to the native structure is the folding of the protein. The vast majority of proteins are oligomers which function only after the association of several copies of their chains. Homo-oligomers have chains with identical sequences and hetero-oligomers have chains with different sequences. The number of associated chains defines the quaternary structure of the oligomer, or its stoichiometry.