Peptide sequence
Encyclopedia
Peptide sequence or amino acid sequence is the order in which amino acid
residues, connected by peptide bond
s, lie in the chain in peptide
s and protein
s. The sequence is generally reported from the N-terminal end containing free amino group to the C-terminal end containing free carboxyl group. Peptide sequence is often called protein sequence if it represents the primary structure
of a protein
.
s. These databases may use various notations to describe the peptide sequence. The full names of the amino acids are rarely given; instead, 3-letter or 1-letter abbreviations are usually recorded for conciseness.
Several deductions can be made from the sequence itself. Long stretches of hydrophobic residues may indicate transmembrane helices
. These helices may indicate the peptide is a cell receptor. Certain residues indicate a beta sheet
area. If full-length protein sequence is available, it is possible to estimate the isoelectric point
of the protein. Methods for determining the peptide sequence include deduction from DNA
sequence, Edman degradation
, and mass spectrometry
.
Techniques in sequence analysis
can be applied to learn more about the peptide. These techniques generally consist of comparing the sequence to other sequences from sequence databases. Other sequences may have already been studied and determined to be significant. Findings about these sequences may be applicable to the sequence under investigation.
Amino acid
Amino acids are molecules containing an amine group, a carboxylic acid group and a side-chain that varies between different amino acids. The key elements of an amino acid are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen...
residues, connected by peptide bond
Peptide bond
This article is about the peptide link found within biological molecules, such as proteins. A similar article for synthetic molecules is being created...
s, lie in the chain in peptide
Peptide
Peptides are short polymers of amino acid monomers linked by peptide bonds. They are distinguished from proteins on the basis of size, typically containing less than 50 monomer units. The shortest peptides are dipeptides, consisting of two amino acids joined by a single peptide bond...
s and protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
s. The sequence is generally reported from the N-terminal end containing free amino group to the C-terminal end containing free carboxyl group. Peptide sequence is often called protein sequence if it represents the primary structure
Primary structure
The primary structure of peptides and proteins refers to the linear sequence of its amino acid structural units. The term "primary structure" was first coined by Linderstrøm-Lang in 1951...
of a protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
.
Sequence notation and applications
Many peptide sequences have been in sequence databaseSequence database
In the field of bioinformatics, a sequence database is a large collection of computerized nucleic acid sequences, protein sequences, or other sequences stored on a computer...
s. These databases may use various notations to describe the peptide sequence. The full names of the amino acids are rarely given; instead, 3-letter or 1-letter abbreviations are usually recorded for conciseness.
Several deductions can be made from the sequence itself. Long stretches of hydrophobic residues may indicate transmembrane helices
Transmembrane helix
Transmembrane domain usually denotes a single transmembrane alpha helix of a transmembrane protein. It is called a "domain" because an alpha-helix in a membrane can fold independently from the rest of the protein, similar to domains of water-soluble proteins...
. These helices may indicate the peptide is a cell receptor. Certain residues indicate a beta sheet
Beta sheet
The β sheet is the second form of regular secondary structure in proteins, only somewhat less common than the alpha helix. Beta sheets consist of beta strands connected laterally by at least two or three backbone hydrogen bonds, forming a generally twisted, pleated sheet...
area. If full-length protein sequence is available, it is possible to estimate the isoelectric point
Isoelectric point
The isoelectric point , sometimes abbreviated to IEP, is the pH at which a particular molecule or surface carries no net electrical charge....
of the protein. Methods for determining the peptide sequence include deduction from DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
sequence, Edman degradation
Edman degradation
Edman degradation, developed by Pehr Edman, is a method of sequencing amino acids in a peptide. In this method, the amino-terminal residue is labeled and cleaved from the peptide without disrupting the peptide bonds between other amino acid residues....
, and mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of charged particles.It is used for determining masses of particles, for determining the elemental composition of a sample or molecule, and for elucidating the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and...
.
Techniques in sequence analysis
Sequence analysis
In bioinformatics, the term sequence analysis refers to the process of subjecting a DNA, RNA or peptide sequence to any of a wide range of analytical methods to understand its features, function, structure, or evolution. Methodologies used include sequence alignment, searches against biological...
can be applied to learn more about the peptide. These techniques generally consist of comparing the sequence to other sequences from sequence databases. Other sequences may have already been studied and determined to be significant. Findings about these sequences may be applicable to the sequence under investigation.