Another commenter pointed out that the general idea of denaturing a protein is interfering with noncovalent interactions, generally by interrupting the structur

Another commenter pointed out that the general idea of denaturing a protein is interfering with noncovalent interactions, generally by interrupting the structure that the complete sequence takes after the folding process. These structures give rise to the classic shapes that proteins take, the loops and sheets and clumps of atoms you see in renderings. The other commenter mentioned cooking, and this process is the same that happens when you cook an egg, the proteins in the egg white are denatured and turn into amorphous strands of protein. However there is a difference between a denaturing process and a lysing (breaking) process, meaning that the actual covalent, chemical bonds between the component amino acids that make up a protein are broken. This bond is called the peptide bond, and they are extremely stable, and to break them without enzymes requires some crazy conditions like strong acids or bases and high heat and long periods of time. There is a class of enzymes called proteases that catalyze and speed up this breaking-down process, which is what cells use to digest and break down proteins.