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Molecular biologists have many different avenues of research. During that research, they often need to use research peptides to create new molecules or to isolate proteins of interest to their research. But, really, what does that all mean?

What Are Peptides?

Peptides are like "short" proteins. A peptide is made up of amino acids that are linked together by covalent, chemical bonds. A peptide consists of fifty or fewer amino acids while a protein consists of more than fifty amino acids.

Peptides are separated into different classes based upon how they are made. Since peptides can be naturally occurring or artificially produced, there is often more than one way to create a peptide.

• Milk peptides – these peptides are usually formed from the protein casein when enzymes in the digestive system break down the casein
• Nonribosomal peptides – these peptides are created from enzymes that are specific to that peptide and can be created when the antioxidant defenses are triggered in aerobic organisms; this means that the peptide can be created inside a living organism!
• Ribosomal peptides – ribosomal peptides are synthesized when mRNA is translated and typically function as hormones in higher-level organisms
• Peptide fragments – peptide fragments are usually created in a laboratory, not inside an organism, and are pieces of proteins that are used to identify the source protein
• Peptones – these peptides are used as a basis for growing bacteria and fungi in a lab and are derived from either animal milk or digested meat

How Are Peptides Used?

Peptides are used extensively in molecular biology research. Some uses include:

• Cancer research – peptides have been analyzed because they are cellular based, just like cancer; peptides can potentially play a role in preventing cancer from starting or in preventing the spread of cancer
• Mass spectrometry – peptides are used with a mass spectrometer to identify proteins that a researcher needs to isolate for further study. The mass spectrometer can identify the proteins based upon the peptide sequences
• Peptide antibody creation – peptides can be used to create peptide antibodies inside an animal instead of trying to do it artificially in the lab; these peptide antibodies can be used to identify critical antibodies in the body, determine the importance of an enzyme in a particular reaction, or to facilitate experiments with DNA-binding proteins
• Research for new medicines – peptides have a growing significance in the pharmaceutical industry because they are derived naturally and easily tolerated by the body, in most cases

Research peptides have far-reaching possibilities for science. These possibilities include everything from identifying new and useful proteins to fighting some of the worst diseases, such as cancer. You can buy peptides for your own experiments and research, too.