Figure 1.

Forms of peptide to peptide interactions. The specificity of interactions between two peptides might be explained in two ways. First, many amino acids collectively form larger configurations (protrusions and cavities, charge and hydropathy fields) which fit each other (A and D). Second, the physico-chemical properties (size, charge, hydropathy) of individual amino acids fit each other like "lock and key" (C and E). There are even intermediate forms (B).