A peptide bond is a type of covalent chemical bond that connects one amino acid to the next within a peptide or protein chain. It forms when the carboxyl group of one amino acid reacts with the amino group of another, releasing a water molecule in the process.
The repeated formation of peptide bonds is what creates the backbone of a peptide chain. The strength and arrangement of these bonds contribute to the stability and three-dimensional shape of the resulting molecule.
Understanding the peptide bond is essential to understanding why peptides behave as they do, including their vulnerability to enzymes that can break these bonds during digestion.