What is the Primary Structure of a Protein?

The primary structure of a protein refers to the linear arrangement of amino acids in the protein. In other words, it is the structure formed by the connection of each amino acid in the protein in a specific order.

 

Proteins are composed of 20 different amino acids, each with its unique side chain. These amino acids are connected by peptide bonds to form peptide chains. When we talk about the primary structure of proteins, we are referring to the exact order of amino acids on this peptide chain.

 

This primary structure is encoded by genes and is crucial for the function of the protein. Even a change of only one amino acid can lead to a significant change or inactivation of the protein function, which is reflected in many genetic diseases. For example, sickle cell anemia is caused by a substitution of one amino acid in hemoglobin.

 

Proteins also have more complex structures, such as secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures. These higher-level structures are formed based on the amino acid sequence of the primary structure and play a key role in the function of the protein.