What Are Peptides?Updated 9 months ago

Peptides play a crucial role in fundamental physiological and biochemical functions of life. For decades now, peptide research is a continuously growing field of science. Peptide is a molecule formed by joining two or more amino acids. When the number of amino acids is less than about 50 these molecules are named peptides while larger sequences are referred to as proteins.

The amino acids are coupled by a peptide bond, a special linkage in which the nitrogen atom of one amino acid binds to the carboxyl carbon atom of another. Peptides (proteins) are present in every living cell and possess a variety of biochemical activities. They appear as enzymes, hormones, antibiotics, receptors, etc.

Synthetic peptides may be useful in structure-function studies of polypeptides, as peptide hormones and hormone analogues, in the preparation of cross-reacting antibodies, and in the design of novel enzymes.