In proteins, amino acids are united through amide linkages between the α-carboxyl and α-amino functional groups of adjacent amino acid residues. Such bonds are called peptide bonds. Linkage of many amino acids through peptide bonds results in an unbranched chain called a polypeptide. Each component amino acid in a polypeptide is called a “residue” or “moiety”.
Proteins thus have a repeating backbone from which 20 different possible kinds of side chains protrude.
The peptide bond has a partial double-bond character, that is, it is shorter than a single bond and is rigid and planar. The bonds between the α-carbons and the α-amino or α-carboxyl groups can be freely rotated and this allows the polypeptide chain to assume a variety of possible configuration.
A peptide chain has directionality because its two ends are different. There is an N-terminal end and a C-terminal end. By convention, the direction of the peptide chain is always
N-terminal end S C-terminal end
The N-terminal end is always on the left, and the C-terminal end is always on the right.
Peptide bonds of protein