Primary structure

The primary structure is the first structure of a protein made. It is the underlying basis of how the protein folds up and what conformational shape it takes. It is made of a string of amino acids (polypeptide chain) which have been coded for by codons by DNA base sequences. Each amino acid is individually different and the different chemistries of the side chains allow the polypeptide chain to fold up in a unique way allowing a specific function for that protein.