prefect (plural prefects) 1  An official of Ancient Rome who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc. the prefect of the aqueducts; the prefect of a camp, of a fleet, of the city guard, or of provisions; the pretorian prefect, who was commander of the troops guarding the emperor's person.
peptide bond n. The chemical bond formed between the carboxyl groups and amino groups of neighboring amino acids, constituting the primary linkage of all protein structures. peptide bond. The chemical bond formed between amino acids, constituting the primary linkage in all protein structures. In a peptide bond, the carboxyl group (COOH) of one amino acid bonds with the amino group (NH2) of another, forming the sequence CONH and releasing water (H2O).
Protein Structure. Proteins are polymers of amino acids. The amino acids of a protein are linked by peptide bonds. Alpha helices and beta pleated sheets are characteristic of a protein's secondary structure. Electronegative oxygen and nitrogen atoms leave hydrogen atoms with partial positive charges. Peptide bonds link together the amino acids of a protein's primary structure.