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[1] [2] A polypeptide is a longer, continuous, unbranched peptide chain. [3] Polypeptides that have a molecular mass of 10,000 Da or more are called proteins . [ 4 ] Chains of fewer than twenty amino acids are called oligopeptides , and include dipeptides , tripeptides , and tetrapeptides .
A dipeptide is an organic compound derived from two amino acids. The constituent amino acids can be the same or different. When different, two isomers of the dipeptide are possible, depending on the sequence. Several dipeptides are physiologically important, and some are both physiologically and commercially significant.
An oligopeptide (oligo-, "a few"), is a peptide consisting of two to twenty amino acids, including dipeptides, tripeptides, tetrapeptides, and other polypeptides. Some of the major classes of naturally occurring oligopeptides include aeruginosins , cyanopeptolins , microcystins , microviridins , microginins , anabaenopeptins , and cyclamides .
Protein sequence is typically notated as a string of letters, listing the amino acids starting at the amino-terminal end through to the carboxyl-terminal end. Either a three letter code or single letter code can be used to represent the 22 naturally encoded amino acids, as well as mixtures or ambiguous amino acids (similar to nucleic acid ...
[3] [4] The sequence of a protein is unique to that protein, and defines the structure and function of the protein. The sequence of a protein can be determined by methods such as Edman degradation or tandem mass spectrometry. Often, however, it is read directly from the sequence of the gene using the genetic code.
A polypeptide chain in the cell does not have to stay linear; it can become branched or fold in on itself. Polypeptide chains fold in a particular manner depending on the solution they are in. The fact that all amino acids contain R groups with different properties is the main reason proteins fold.
Protein secondary structure is the local spatial conformation of the polypeptide backbone excluding the side chains. [1] The two most common secondary structural elements are alpha helices and beta sheets , though beta turns and omega loops occur as well.
A codon table can be used to translate a genetic code into a sequence of amino acids. [1] [2] The standard genetic code is traditionally represented as an RNA codon table, because when proteins are made in a cell by ribosomes, it is messenger RNA (mRNA) that directs protein synthesis. [2] [3] The mRNA sequence is determined by the sequence of ...