Which statement describes the primary structure of a protein?

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The main idea here is that the primary structure of a protein is the sequence of amino acids in the polypeptide. This linear order is set during translation by the genetic code and determines the chemical properties of the chain, serving as the foundation for how it will fold into higher-level structures. The three-dimensional folded shape produced by interactions refers to the tertiary structure, which arises from interactions among side chains as the chain folds. The order of nucleotides in the gene is the genetic blueprint that specifies that amino acid sequence, but it is the protein’s own primary structure, not the gene alone. The linear arrangement of peptide bonds describes the linkage between amino acids, but the essential information is which amino acids are present and in what order. Therefore, the sequence of amino acids best describes the primary structure.