Peptide synthesis is the process of chemically joining together individual amino acids to form a peptide, a chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Peptides play important roles in many biological processes, including serving as hormones, neurotransmitters, enzymes, and structural components of proteins. Peptide synthesis can be performed through several methods, including solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), liquid-phase peptide synthesis, and recombinant DNA technology. SPPS is the most widely used method and involves the stepwise attachment of individual amino acids to a solid support, followed by removal of the protective groups and cleavage of the final product from the support. The success of peptide synthesis depends on many factors, including the quality of the starting materials, the purity of the reagents, and the efficiency of the coupling reactions. The resulting peptides can then be characterized using techniques such as mass spectrometry, amino acid analysis, and chromatography to confirm their identity and purity.
