Peptides MEX / Glossary
Peptide bond: an amide linkage within a chain
Bond type and residue order belong to the chemical description of a peptide.
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The connection between units
A peptide bond is an amide linkage connecting a carbonyl carbon to a nitrogen of another unit. It forms part of the covalent connectivity of the chain. It differs from a temporary attraction between separate molecules.
Sources: [1]
Reading a structure without losing the order
Follow chain connections in a diagram instead of merely counting amino acid names. A mixture of free amino acids and a peptide containing those residues are different materials. Composition alone does not describe connectivity.
Sources: [1]
Questions about this reference
Is a mixture of amino acids already a peptide?
No. Peptide terminology requires the corresponding chemical connections between its units.
Sources and original reading
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