A tripeptide is a peptide derived from three amino acids joined by two or sometimes three

peptide bond In organic chemistry, a peptide bond is an amide type of covalent chemical bond linking two consecutive alpha-amino acids from C1 (carbon number one) of one alpha-amino acid and N2 (nitrogen number two) of another, along a peptide or protein cha ...

s. As for proteins, the function of peptides is determined by the constituent amino acids and their sequence. The simplest tripeptide is glycine. In terms of scientific investigations, the dominant tripeptide is glutathione (γ-L-Glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine), which serves many roles in many forms of life.

Examples

* Eisenin (pGlu-Gln-Ala-OH) is a peptide with immunological activity that is isolated from the Japanese marine alga, ''Eisenia bicyclis'', which more commonly is known as Arame * GHK-Cu (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine) is a human copper binding peptide with wound healing and skin remodeling activity, which is used in anti-aging cosmetics and more commonly referred to as copper peptide *

Lactotripeptides Lactotripeptides are two naturally occurring milk peptides: Isoleucine-Proline-Proline (IPP) and Valine-Proline-Proline (VPP). These lactotripeptides are derived from casein, which is a milk protein also found in dairy products. Although most norma ...

(Ile-Pro-Pro and Val-Pro-Pro) found in milk products, act as ACE inhibitors *

Leupeptin Leupeptin, also known as ''N''-acetyl-L-leucyl-L-leucyl-L-argininal, is a naturally occurring protease inhibitor that can inhibit cysteine, serine and threonine peptidases. It is often used during ''in vitro'' experiments when a specific enzymati ...

(''N''-acetyl-L-leucyl-L-leucyl-L-argininal) is a protease inhibitor that also acts as an inhibitor of calpain * Melanostatin (prolyl-leucyl-glycinamide) is a peptide hormone produced in the hypothalamus that inhibits the release of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) *

Ophthalmic acid Ophthalmic acid, also known as ophthalmate (chemically L-γ-glutamyl-L-α-aminobutyrylglycine), is a tripeptide analog of glutathione in which the cysteine group is replaced by L-2-aminobutyrate. It was first discovered and isolated from calf len ...

(L-''γ''-glutamyl-L-''α''-aminobutyryl-glycine) is an analogue of glutathione isolated from crystalline lens * Norophthalmic acid (''y''-glutamyl-alanyl-glycine) is an analogue of glutathione (L-cysteine replaced by L-alanine) isolated from crystalline lens * Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH, thyroliberin or protirelin) (L-pyroglutamyl-L-histidinyl-L-prolinamide) is a peptide hormone that stimulates the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone and prolactin by the

anterior pituitary A major organ of the endocrine system, the anterior pituitary (also called the adenohypophysis or pars anterior) is the glandular, anterior lobe that together with the posterior lobe (posterior pituitary, or the neurohypophysis) makes up the p ...

*ACV (δ-(L-α-aminoadipyl)-L-Cys-D-Val) is a key biosynthetic precursor to

penicillin Penicillins (P, PCN or PEN) are a group of β-lactam antibiotics originally obtained from ''Penicillium'' moulds, principally '' P. chrysogenum'' and '' P. rubens''. Most penicillins in clinical use are synthesised by P. chrysogenum using ...

and

cephalosporin The cephalosporins (sg. ) are a class of β-lactam antibiotics originally derived from the fungus ''Acremonium'', which was previously known as ''Cephalosporium''. Together with cephamycins, they constitute a subgroup of β-lactam antibiotics ...

References

Peptides Tripeptides {{Protein-stub

Examples

See also

References