Role of Peptides

Peptide molecules play many important roles in the biochemical and physiological functions of living organisms. According to PeptideGuide.com, peptides are found in many biochemical activities, including enzymes, antibiotics, receptors and hormones. Peptides are also crucial to the drug industry, particularly in the development of skin care and other anti-aging products.

Facts

• According to PeptideGuide.com, a peptide is a molecule or polymer which is formed as a result of the linking between two or more amino acids. Amino acids are molecules that contain both a carboxyl functional group and an amine. When a chain of amino acids is made up of less than 50, these molecules are referred to as peptides; when the chain is made up of more than 50, they are called proteins.

Features

• Amino acids are held together by peptide bonds in which a carboxyl carbon atom of one amino acid binds to the nitrogen atom of another. As a result, according to PeptideGuide.com, peptides can be synthesized in a laboratory setting. They are synthesized by the coupling of N-terminus (the amino group) of one amino acid to the C-terminus (the carboxyl group) of another. Liquid-phase peptide synthesis and solid-phase peptide synthesis are the two ways that peptides are made in a lab.

Types

• According to PeptideGuide.com, peptides are synthesized for a variety of uses. They are used as peptide hormones in the structure function studies of polypeptides. They are also used as hormone analogues in the design of new enzymes and in preparation of cross-reacting antibodies.

Roles

• According to ProteinCrystallography.org, peptides are usually classified based on their functions. Peptides that are classified as hormones carry signals between cells. Alkaloids are derived from fungi, plants and shellfish, and are involved in defending on organism from attack. Antibiotics prevent the growth of microorganisms, particularly many types of bacteria. Neuro-peptides are derived from neural tissues (found in the brain) and are involved in regulating and signaling processes. Toxin peptides are poisons, and regulation peptides are used to classify peptides that do not fit into any of the other above function categories.

Benefits

• The anti-aging industry uses peptides in their products because of their ability to relay messages between the skin's determis and epidermis. According to SkinCareRX.com, "as we age, communication diminishes within the skin, resulting in decreased collagen production and an accumulation of degrade elastin fibers." Peptide chains such as Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3 showed a decrease in skin roughness of 13 percent, a reduction in wrinkle volume of 36 percent and a decrease in wrinkle depth of 27 percent.