How Do Amino Acids Contribute to Protein Structure?
The sequence of amino acids in a protein determines its three-dimensional structure and function. Proteins can have primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures. The primary structure is the linear sequence of amino acids, while the secondary structure includes alpha helices and beta sheets. Tertiary structure refers to the overall three-dimensional folding, and quaternary structure involves the assembly of multiple polypeptide chains. These structures are critical in histology for understanding how proteins interact within tissues.
