Chemical conformation - Definition and Overview

In chemistry, the conformation of a molecule is its spatial configuration. Molecules in which atoms are linked together in the same way, but in which their spatial arrangment is different are called conformational isomers or conformers. (Imagine two identical chains. Adjacent links are 'bonded' together like atoms in a molecule. If one were to tie one of the chains in a knot, the links are unaffected, but the chain will have a very different shape. The knotted structure and the straight chain are 'conformational isomers' of one another.)

Conformation can have very important functional effects on the behaviour of molecules. It is an essential consideration in biological systems, where the way in which proteins are folded governs their function. Specific enzymes called chaperones are directly involved in maintaining protein conformation in cells. DNA conformation is maintained by another set of enzymes: the topoisomerases. Incorrectly folded proteins are responsible for prion dieseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, where misfolded proteins aggregate into insoluble plaques. Examples of cyclohexane conformations: