Peptide Bond formation between successive amino acids

Note that the amino end is on the first amino acid in the polypeptide; the carboxyl end is added last: thus the polypeptide grows in the NC direction.
The repeating N - C(R) - C subunit remaining after the dehydration reaction is an amino acid residue.

Figure by ©2003 Griffiths et al.; All text material ©2010  by Steven M. Carr