ABSTRACT
For purposes of sequencing experiments, a protein can be considered as nothing more than a string of amino acids joined by peptide bonds, that is, a polypeptide. In a real experiment, of course, the values that are obtained will usually be fractional and will depend on the amount of material submitted for analysis. It is important to keep in mind the fact that hydrolysis can change the character of an amino acid. In a laboratory situation these would be resolved by chromatographic or electrophoretic methods, and each product would then be subjected to complete hydrolysis and amino acid analysis. A serious potential problem with the chemical methods is that the side chain amino group of lysine might react in the same way as the N-terminal amino group. A dipeptide, after hydrolysis and amino acid analysis, yields only glutamic acid. Hydrolysis and amino acid analysis of a dipeptide yields only alanine.
