What term is used to describe the process that can render a protein nonfunctional by altering its structure?

The term that describes the process of altering a protein's structure, which can render it nonfunctional, is denaturation. Denaturation typically occurs due to changes in environmental conditions such as temperature, pH, or the presence of certain chemicals. When these factors disrupt the weak bonds that maintain a protein's structure, the protein unfolds and loses its three-dimensional shape. This loss of shape often results in the protein being unable to perform its biological function since the specific structure of a protein is crucial for its interaction with other molecules.

In contrast, hydrolysis refers to the chemical breakdown of a compound due to reaction with water, which is not specifically related to altering the structural integrity of proteins. Fermentation is a metabolic process that converts sugar to acids, gases, or alcohol in the absence of oxygen and does not directly pertain to protein structure. Condensation involves the joining of two molecules with the loss of water, typically forming larger biological macromolecules, but does not describe the process by which proteins may lose functionality due to structural alteration.