How is a Peptide bond formed?

Last updated on January 27, 2019

Peptides have many fold uses in drug designing and drug development. These are polymers of amino acids and known by the name of small protein. Before exploring the question how is a peptide bond formed? We have to go through the detailed description about amino acids and the peptides. Amino acids are the bipolar molecules which have carboxylic acid and amine base. Thus bearing two functional groups in both terminals these are very potent molecules two be linked together. Basically an amino acid has carboxylic group at one terminal, amine group at another terminal, hydrogen associated with it and when more than two amino acids are joined together they give rise to the peptide bond or peptides. (-COOH) group of one amino acid linked with the amine group of the second amino acid thus give rise to the amide bond.

Entire process takes place with the liberation of the water molecule. These molecules are very potent in nature and these will bear no side effects when used as medicines. Peptides are assessable as these can easily be prepared in the laboratory. Activity of the peptides are very low in the body thus these have the fewer side effects, and this is the most desirable characteristics of the drug. Other most desired characteristic of the peptide is site selectivity and the specificity. These peptides act on the specific site or target site, while most of the drugs act on entire body thus producing the side effects. In our body cells ribosome are the organelles which are responsible for the peptide formation and the process is called as translation.

Further these peptides are transformed in to 3 dimensional structures called the protein. These polymers are also used for the diagnose purpose also. Certain peptides are introduced in body and the samples are then taken under microscope. In the presence of certain disorders these peptides change colours thus can be used as diagnostic tools. These act as enzymes which can easily digest the complex molecules and thus these are used as the digestive enzymes. Peptides are used as hormones in order to regulate the main functions of the body; these controlled the numerous body functions. Thus these are very useful and being assessable these are widely used in preparing medicines. Peptides have now become the most effective tool in pharmaceutical companies. These are best suited to form different hormones and enzymes due to their less reactivity.