Amino acid alpha carbon
= Amino acid alpha carbon
{title2=$\mathrm{C}_{\alpha}$}
The <amino acid alpha carbon> is the backbone <carbon> carrying the <amino acid side chain> in the usual <protein> <amino acid residue>. Marking successive <amino acid alpha carbons> is a useful way to trace a <polypeptide chain>, but omits intervening backbone <chemical atoms>. See https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/3-4-proteins[Clark, Douglas and Choi: the central alpha carbon].