When a flu virus enters the body, the immune system creates antibodies made of polypeptide chains to fight the virus. The specific shape of the protein allows it to bind to the virus and deactivate it. How does the antibody’s primary protein structure create the specific shape to bind to flu viruses? The sequence of amino acids determines where hydrogen bonds form between segments of the polypeptide backbone. The hydrogen bonds and interactions between the side chains give the antibody its shape. The sequence of amino acids determines where hydrogen bonds form between the amino acids’ side chains. The peptide bonds and interactions between the side chains give the antibody its shape. The antibody’s primary structure consists of hydrogen bonds formed between segments of the polypeptide backbone. These determine how the amino acids’ side chains will interact, which gives the antibody its shape. The antibody’s primary structure consists of disulfide bridges that twist and bend the polypeptide chain and give the antibody its shape. The antibody’s shape allows it to bind to a protein from the virus.