Answer:
hydrophobic core or membrane spanning domain
Explanation:
Integral Membrane Proteins:
- Integral membrane proteins are a type of membrane protein that possess segments that are embedded in the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane.
- These are also called intrinsic proteins.
- Most integral membrane proteins, called transmembrane proteins span the entire phospholipid bilayer.
- Transmembrane proteins possess three domains:
- Cytosolic domain (hydrophilic ; the C-terminus)
- Transmembrane domain (hydrophobic core of the protein)
- Extracellular domain (hydrophilic ; N-terminus)
* The attached image illustrates the structure of a transmembrane protein, glyphorin A from RBC plasma membrane.
*Source: V. T. Marchesi, H. Furthmayr, and M. Tomita, 1976, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 45:667; A. H. Ross et al., 1982, J. Biol. Chem. 257:4152.
