How are peptides synthesized?
The crucial link in peptide synthesis is the peptides bond formed by condensation of the alpha-amino group of one amino acid and carboxyl group of another amino acid. Amino acids contain a central carbon atom surrounded by hydrogen, an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a side chain group, designated as R. This R group is what defines each individual amino acid and determines the physical and chemical properties of the amino acid. Certain R groups can interfere with the formation of the peptide bond, and, therefore, it is necessary to orthogonally protect the functional side chains of certain amino acids. Different protecting groups are available depending on the type of chemistry used and the application. Synthetic peptides differ from natural protein synthesis on ribosomes in that the synthesis is conducted from the C to N terminuses. In solid phase peptide synthesis, the first amino acid is covalently linked to a solid support with the alpha amino group protected by either an Fmoc o
