Nuclear receptors (NR) are ligand-induced activated transcription factors that are involved in numerous biological processes. Since the 1990's when the first structures were determined by means of X ray diffraction, the number of NR structures has increased considerably. Moreover several "omics" projects (genomics, pharmcogenomics and proteomics) have opened up great opportunities for the discovery of new targets, the characterization of abnormal protein patterns, the selection of "tailored" drugs and the evaluation of drug efficacy even with a lack of structural data. Furthermore, structure-based drug design, computational methods for in silico screening and nanobiotechnology- based tools are simplifying this time-consuming and money-intensive research of lead compounds and, possibly, new drugs. Biological interactions such as those that occur between a protein and ligand are concerted events where flexible molecules interact. Thus understanding flexibility of large molecules or biological complexes is of primary importance to help define the right model to approximate the reality for drug discovery, virtual screening, food safety analysis, etc. NRs are known as flexible targets, with many structural similarities, in particular for their Ligand Binding Domain: these similarities could be assumed to share behavioural qualities that belong to this class of compounds. Thus to supply a possible, complete and exhaustive answer to questions about the behaviour of NRs, their interactions with new potential drugs, endocrine disruptors such as animal and human food toxins, food additives or industry residuals, it is mandatory to approach the problem from a different point of view: a molecular modelling approach, steered synthesis, and in vitro and in vivo tests, etc. The aim of this book is to provide a state of the art review on investigations into Nuclear Receptors.

"This volume aims to describe a complementary range of molecular, cell biological, and in vivo protocols used to investigate the structure-function of nuclear receptors, together with experimental approaches that may lead to new drugs to selectively target nuclear receptor-associated diseases. The Nuclear Receptor Superfamily, Second Edition will benefit those starting out in the nuclear receptor research field as well as to more established researchers who wish to apply different methods to a particular receptor or research problem. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, The Nuclear Receptor Superfamily, Second Edition aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field" -- OCLC.

Nuclear receptors are ligand activated transcription factors that control numerous biological functions. Consequently, altering activity of these receptors is proposed, and indeed documented, to affect many physiological and pathological conditions in experimental animals and humans. Thus, nuclear receptors have become a major target in the effort to treat numerous diseases. This book will shed light on and emphasize intricate processes involved in designing as well as discovering physiological and pharmacological modulators of these important proteins. World-renowned scientists will share with the reader their professional expertise and extensive experience acquired through decades working with nuclear receptors. Chapters address the various means and consequences of modulating nuclear receptor activity will be presented and discussed. These modulators cover a wide span of moieties ranging from synthetic chemicals to natural products. In addition, the classification of these chemicals ranges from pan agonists to selective agonists and inverse agonists to antagonists. They also include proteolytic means to obliterate the receptor in the event that modulating its activity through canonical pharmacological agents becomes less effective and/or less desirable due to anticipated or experienced toxicities. Modulation of receptor activity may also take place in the absence of a ligand or through manipulating the structure of the receptor itself by controlling posttranslational events.

Nuclear Receptors are inducible transcription factors that mediate complex effects on development, differentiation and homeostasis. They regulate the transcription of their target genes through binding to DNA sequences.*Analysis of Nuclear Receptor Ligands*Structure/Function Analysis of Nuclear Receptors*Analysis of Nuclear Receptor Co-Factors and Chromatin Remodeling

This volume presents valuable techniques for studying the class of ligand-activated transcription factors known as nuclear receptors. After a brief overview of the history of the field, chapters cover methods to detect the receptors and their mRNAs in various tissues, protocols to characterize nuclear receptor modulators and activities, their signaling and roles in certain pathogenesis, molecular modeling of nuclear receptor-ligand interactions, as well as the utility of informatics in the field of nuclear receptors. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Nuclear Receptors: Methods and Experimental Protocols seeks to aid researchers working toward furthering our understanding of these vital receptors and their role in numerous pathological conditions.

The steroid / nuclear receptor superfamily is a large and growing group of transcription factors that are studied by a large and varied number of basic and clinical researchers. The first two chapters describe the evolutionary biology of the superfamily and explain how to clone and characterize new receptors. Chapter 3 shows how to identify the ligands of novel receptors and chapter 4 explains the kinetic analysis of receptor interactions. In chapter 5, the reader is guided through the functional characterization of coactivators using microinjection. The next section covers receptor phosphorylation, ligand regulated transcription, and hormone resistance syndromes. Chapter 9 describes the in vitro assembly of Hsp90 complexes and chapter 10 explains yeast as a model system for looking at receptor function. The final chapter shows how heterologous proteins can be regulated by fusion to the hormone binding domain of a receptor. Nuclear Receptors: A Practical Approach is a comprehensive guide to studying members of the superfamily and will be invaluable to all researchers old and new.

With the most comprehensive and up-to-date overview of structure-based drug discovery covering both experimental and computational approaches, Structural Biology in Drug Discovery: Methods, Techniques, and Practices describes principles, methods, applications, and emerging paradigms of structural biology as a tool for more efficient drug development. Coverage includes successful examples, academic and industry insights, novel concepts, and advances in a rapidly evolving field. The combined chapters, by authors writing from the frontlines of structural biology and drug discovery, give readers a valuable reference and resource that: Presents the benefits, limitations, and potentiality of major techniques in the field such as X-ray crystallography, NMR, neutron crystallography, cryo-EM, mass spectrometry and other biophysical techniques, and computational structural biology Includes detailed chapters on druggability, allostery, complementary use of thermodynamic and kinetic information, and powerful approaches such as structural chemogenomics and fragment-based drug design Emphasizes the need for the in-depth biophysical characterization of protein targets as well as of therapeutic proteins, and for a thorough quality assessment of experimental structures Illustrates advances in the field of established therapeutic targets like kinases, serine proteinases, GPCRs, and epigenetic proteins, and of more challenging ones like protein-protein interactions and intrinsically disordered proteins

There are numerous excellent reviews on fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), but there are to date no hand-holding guides or protocols with which one can embark on this orthogonal approach to complement traditional high throughput screening methodologies. This Methods in Enzymology volume offers the tools, practical approaches, and hit-to-lead examples on how to conduct FBDD screens. The chapters in this volume cover methods that have proven to be successful in generating leads from fragments, including chapters on how to apply computational techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance, surface plasma resonance, thermal shift and binding assays, protein crystallography, and medicinal chemistry in FBDD. Also elaborated by experienced researchers in FBDD are sample preparations of fragments, proteins, and GPCR as well as examples of how to generate leads from hits. Offers the tools, practical approaches, and hit-to-lead examples on how to conduct FBDD screens The chapters in this volume cover methods that have proven to be successful in generating leads from fragments, including chapters on how to apply computational techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance, surface plasma resonance, thermal shift and binding assays, protein crystallography, and medicinal chemistry in FBDD