Final answer:
A pentapeptide contains 5 amino acids and has 4 peptide bonds. The peptide bond forms between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of the next.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a pentapeptide has 5 amino acids, it has 4 peptide bonds. This is because a peptide bond forms between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of the next amino acid. Starting with two amino acids, which form a dipeptide, one peptide bond is present. As each additional amino acid is added to the chain, one new peptide bond forms. Therefore, a tripeptide has two peptide bonds, a tetrapeptide has three, and similarly, a pentapeptide would have four peptide bonds.
Naming peptides, by convention, depends on the number of amino acids in the chain and follows a specific pattern. The pentapeptide is simply named based on having five amino acids in its structure. The process of protein synthesis involves creating longer chains of amino acids, where the sequence in which they are connected plays a critical role in the protein's function. This sequence is written from the N-terminal amino acid, which has a free amino group, to the C-terminal amino acid, which has a free carboxyl group, moving left to right.