Cterminalist

Cterminalist is a term used in molecular biology and biochemistry to refer to the end of a polypeptide chain that terminates with a free carboxyl group. This is in contrast to the N-terminus, which terminates with a free amino group. The sequence of amino acids in a protein is read from the N-terminus to the C-terminus. The C-terminus plays a crucial role in protein folding, stability, and function. It can also be a site for post-translational modifications, such as glycosylation or phosphorylation, which can alter the protein's activity. The specific amino acid found at the C-terminus can sometimes provide clues about the protein's origin or its functional domain. In some cases, the C-terminus is cleaved off by proteases during protein maturation or degradation. Understanding the C-terminus is essential for comprehending protein structure-function relationships and for developing therapeutic strategies that target specific proteins.