Fundamentals / Note 01

What makes a peptide a peptide?

Learn how amino-acid residues and peptide bonds define a peptide, with a focus on chemical structure and laboratory research terminology.

Peptides contain amino-acid residues connected by amide linkages. The term “residue” refers to the portion of an amino acid incorporated into the chain.

Start with structure.

A description should identify the residue sequence and any terminal or other chemical modifications. The word “peptide” describes a chemical class; it does not, by itself, describe an experimental effect.