Skip to content
Biology Simulations
Biological moleculesA-level

Protein structure

How do amino acids join and organise into a working protein?

Build a peptide bond, then explore how amino-acid chains form primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures.

Open simulation

Explore at your own pace. Pause, look closer, play again.

A general amino-acid structural formula with the amino group, carboxyl group, central carbon, hydrogen and variable R group labelled.
Protein structureView from the simulation

Look closer.

  1. Compare amino-acid groups and follow condensation and hydrolysis in a displayed structural formula.
  2. Explore amino-acid sequences, alpha helices, beta sheets and interactions within folded proteins.
  3. Compare single chains and multi-subunit assemblies in clear and molecular views.