Recombinant proteins and polypeptides continue to be the most important class of biotechnology-derived agents in today's pharmaceutical industry. Over the past few years, our fundamental understanding of how proteins degrade and how stabilizing agents work has made it possible to approach formulation of protein pharmaceuticals from a much more rational point of view. This book describes the current level of understanding of protein instability and the strategies for stabilizing proteins under a variety of stressful conditions.

Protein Design: Methods and Applications presents the most up-to-date protein design and engineering strategies so that readers can undertake their own projects with a maximum chance of success. The authors present integrated computational approaches that require various degrees of computational complexity, and the major accomplishments that have been achieved in the design and structural characterization of helical peptides and proteins.

The aim this volume is to present the methods, challenges, software, and applications of this widespread and yet still evolving and maturing field. Computational Protein Design, the first book with this title, guides readers through computational protein design approaches, software and tailored solutions to specific case-study targets. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Computational Protein Design aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

Protein engineering is a fascinating mixture of molecular biology, protein structure analysis, computation, and biochemistry, with the goal of developing useful or valuable proteins. Protein Engineering Protocols will consider the two general, but not mutually exclusive, strategies for protein engineering. The first is known as rational design, in which the scientist uses detailed knowledge of the structure and function of the protein to make desired changes. The s- ond strategy is known as directed evolution. In this case, random mutagenesis is applied to a protein, and selection or screening is used to pick out variants that have the desired qualities. By several rounds of mutation and selection, this method mimics natural evolution. An additional technique known as DNA shuffling mixes and matches pieces of successful variants to produce better results. This process mimics recombination that occurs naturally during sexual reproduction. The first section of Protein Engineering Protocols describes rational p- tein design strategies, including computational methods, the use of non-natural amino acids to expand the biological alphabet, as well as impressive examples for the generation of proteins with novel characteristics. Although procedures for the introduction of mutations have become routine, predicting and und- standing the effects of these mutations can be very challenging and requires profound knowledge of the system as well as protein structures in general.

Fibrous Protein: Coiled-Coils, Collagen and Elastomers is the first of a three-part series on Fibrous Proteins. The books are based on a very successful workshop in Alpbach, Austria on the general topic of Fibrous Proteins that gave rise to the award winning issue of Journal of Structural Biology. Part II will contain an extensive discussion of Molecular Motors and Muscle, Part III on Amyloids, Prions and Beta Proteins. Advances in Protein Chemistry is available online on ScienceDirect - full-text online of volumes 53 onwards. Reveals new structural and functional aspects of fibrous proteins Based on Fibrous Protein workshop in Alpbach, Austria that gave rise to 2003 Nobel Prize winners in Chemistry

Protein engineering is the process of developing useful or valuable proteins. It is a young discipline, with much research currently taking place into the understanding of protein folding and protein recognition for protein design principles. There are two general strategies for protein engineering. The first is known as rational design, in which the scientist uses detailed knowledge of the structure and function of the protein to make desired changes. The second strategy is known as directed evolution and this is where random mutagenesis is applied to a protein, and a selection regime is used to pick out variants that have the desired qualities. This book presents and reviews important data on protein engineering, such as application of engineered proteins and cell adhesive surfaces as scaffolds or other biomedical devices which has the potential to promote tissue repair and regeneration for a wide variety of tissues including bone and skin.

A one-stop reference that reviews protein design strategies to applications in industrial and medical biotechnology Protein Engineering: Tools and Applications is a comprehensive resource that offers a systematic and comprehensive review of the most recent advances in the field, and contains detailed information on the methodologies and strategies behind these approaches. The authors—noted experts on the topic—explore the distinctive advantages and disadvantages of the presented methodologies and strategies in a targeted and focused manner that allows for the adaptation and implementation of the strategies for new applications. The book contains information on the directed evolution, rational design, and semi-rational design of proteins and offers a review of the most recent applications in industrial and medical biotechnology. This important book: Covers technologies and methodologies used in protein engineering Includes the strategies behind the approaches, designed to help with the adaptation and implementation of these strategies for new applications Offers a comprehensive and thorough treatment of protein engineering from primary strategies to applications in industrial and medical biotechnology Presents cutting edge advances in the continuously evolving field of protein engineering Written for students and professionals of bioengineering, biotechnology, biochemistry, Protein Engineering: Tools and Applications offers an essential resource to the design strategies in protein engineering and reviews recent applications.

This brief provides a broad overview of protein-engineering research, offering a glimpse of the most common experimental methods. It also presents various computational programs with applications that are widely used in directed evolution, computational and de novo protein design. Further, it sheds light on the advantages and pitfalls of existing methodologies and future perspectives of protein engineering techniques.

Experimental protein engineering and computational protein design are broad but complementary strategies for developing proteins with altered or novel structural properties and biological functions. By describing cutting-edge advances in both of these fields, Protein Engineering and Design aims to cultivate a synergistic approach to protein science