The primary structure of a protein is the sequence of amino acids linked together in a long chain.
Here’s a explanation:
- Made of amino acids:
Proteins are built from amino acids joined by peptide bonds. - Order matters:
The exact order of amino acids (like beads on a string) determines how the protein will fold and what function it will have. - Held by strong bonds:
The amino acids are connected by covalent peptide bonds, which are very strong and stable. - Example:
A short chain like:
Ala–Gly–Ser–Val–Leu
represents the primary structure.
In short:
The primary structure of a protein is the specific sequence of amino acids in its chain — the foundation for all higher levels of protein structure.