Dipeptide

/daɪˈpɛptaɪd/ noun

Definition

A chemical compound made of exactly two amino acids linked together by a peptide bond, the building block of proteins.

Etymology

From 'di-' (two) and 'peptide' (chain of amino acids from Greek 'peptein,' to digest). Named when biochemists identified this specific two-unit protein fragment.

Kelly Says

Carnosine, a famous dipeptide in your muscles, supposedly helps athletes perform better—it's two amino acids working as a team, and your body makes thousands of different dipeptides for specific jobs!

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