tripeptidy
Tripeptides are molecules composed of three amino acids linked by two peptide bonds. They are the simplest peptides whose activity depends on a defined sequence of amino acids, making their properties highly dependent on the identity of each residue. All tripeptides have an N-terminus and a C-terminus, and their overall charge and solubility are determined by the side chains of the constituent amino acids.
The most well-known natural tripeptide is glutathione, whose sequence is glutamate-cysteinylglycine. Glutathione acts as a major
Biosynthesis of low-molecular weight peptides like glutathione typically proceeds via two ATP-dependent steps: formation of the
Because of their small size and defined sequence, tripeptides are studied for roles in signaling, nutrition,