amino acid sequence

Meaning of amino acid sequence: An amino acid sequence is the specific order of amino acids in a protein, determined by the corresponding gene.

Definition of amino acid sequence

An amino acid sequence is the specific, linear order in which amino acids are joined together to form a protein. Proteins are built from a set of twenty standard amino acids, and it is the particular sequence of these building blocks, rather than simply their presence, that gives each protein its identity.

The amino acid sequence of a protein is determined by the sequence of a corresponding gene, since the genetic code specifies which amino acid corresponds to each segment of the gene's DNA. Once assembled in this order, the chain of amino acids folds into a specific three dimensional shape, and this shape, which depends directly on the underlying sequence, determines how the protein functions.

Even a small change in the amino acid sequence, such as a single substituted amino acid, can alter a protein's shape enough to change or eliminate its normal function, which is the basis for many inherited diseases caused by a single gene mutation.