ABSTRACT
References.............................................................................................................. 172
Proteins are linear condensation products of various
α
-L-amino acids (a.a.), which differ in molecular weight, charge, and polar character (Table 6.1), bound by transpeptide linkages. They differ also in the number and distribution of various a.a. residues in the molecule. The chemical properties and size of the side chain, as well as the sequence of the a.a., affect the conformation of the molecule, that is the secondary structure containing helical regions,
β
-pleated sheets and
β
-turns, the tertiary structure or the spatial arrangement of the chain, and the quaternary structure or the assembly of several polypeptide chains.
