Question

Show where trypsin and chymotrypsin would cleave the following peptide.

Tyr-Ile-Gln-Arg-Leu-Gly-Phe-Lys-Asn-Trp-Phe-Gly-Ala-Lys-Gly-Gln-Gln.NH₂

Short answer

Trypsin is an enzyme and it breaks down protein into amino acids. It cleaves at the carboxyl side or C-terminal side of the amino acids lysine and arginine.

Cleavage sites of Trypsin

Step-by-step solution

Step-1. Action of trypsin on peptide chain:

Trypsin is an enzyme and it breaks down protein into amino acids. It cleaves at the carboxyl side or C-terminal side of the amino acids lysine and arginine.

Cleavage sites of Trypsin

Step-2. Action of chymotrypsin on peptide chain:

Chymotrypsin helps in breaking down protein into smaller units known as amino acids and cleaves at the carboxyl side of aromatic amino acids such as tyrosine, tryptophan, phenylalanine etc.

Cleavage sites of chymotrypsin