aminohappotähteissä

Aminohappotähteissä, often translated as amino acid residues, refers to the individual amino acid units that make up a polypeptide chain. When amino acids link together through peptide bonds to form a protein or peptide, the term "amino acid" is no longer fully accurate for the incorporated unit. Instead, the term "residue" is used to signify that a water molecule has been removed during the peptide bond formation, hence it's a "remnant" or "residue" of the original amino acid.

The properties of an amino acid residue within a polypeptide are crucial for the protein's three-dimensional structure and function. While the basic amino and carboxyl groups of the original amino acid are involved in peptide bond formation, the side chain, or R-group, remains intact and protrudes from the polypeptide backbone. These side chains vary in their chemical properties, being polar, nonpolar, acidic, or basic, and dictate how the polypeptide folds and interacts with other molecules. The sequence of these residues, known as the primary structure, determines the ultimate conformation and biological activity of the protein. Changes to even a single amino acid residue can have profound effects on protein stability and function.