Recognition of carbohydrates in biological systems has been gaining more and more attention in recent years. Although methodology for studying recognition has been developing, there is no volume that covers the wide area of methodology of carbohydrate recognition. This volume and its companion, Volume 362, present state-of-the-art methodologies, as well as the most recent biological observations in this area.
* Covers carbohydrate-binding proteins
* Discusses glycoproteins and glycolipids
* Polysaccharides, enzymes and cells are also covered

TIle work described in this report was presented at the Advanced Research Workshop, "Environmental Aspects of Converting CW Facilities to Peaceful Purposes and Derivative Technologies in Modeling, Medicine and Monitoring." TIle ARW was jointly sponsored by NATO and the International Science and Technology Center (lSTC), Moscow. The workshop was held at the AC Laboratory, Spiez, Switzerland, in April, 1999. The editors and directors would like to thank the NATO Science Committee and the ISTC for their generous support and encouragement in making this event possible. We wish to give a special to Dr. Bernhard Brunner and his colleagues at the AC Laboratory, Spiez, for their more than generous support. In addition, we would like to thank tlle following individuals for their contributions to a fruitful discussion: Mr. Armando Alcaraz (LLNL), Dr. Aniello Amendolo (lIASA), , Mr. Randall Beatty (ISTC), Mr. Timothy Blades (ECBC), Dr. R. V. Borovic (RCTHRB), Dr. K Brainina (SRlOCT), Dr. Bernhard Brunner, (AC Lab.), Dr. T. Chvetsova-Chilovskaya (SRlOCT), Mr. John Compton (ISTC), Dr. Jolm F. Cooper (LLNL), Dr. William Cullen (U.Brit.Col.), Dr. Evgeny Fokin (SRlOCT), Dr. Alfred Frey (AC Lab.) , Dr. V. G. Gorsky (SRlOCT), Dr. Jiri Kadlcak (MTIP), Ms. Larisa Konnilkina (ISTC), Dr. V. K. Kurochkin (SRlOCT), Dr. Ronald F. Lelunan (ISTC, LLNL), Dr. Y. N. Mamontov (SRlOCT), Dr. V. Mejevov (TRINITI), Dr. I. V. Moskalenko (KRC), Dr. Dieter Nietzold (lSTC), Dr. Daan Noort (TNO), Mr. Shinichiro Ogura (ISTC), Dr. V. S Poliakov (SRlOCT), Dr. A. Putilov (Min.

During the past five years major progress has been made in understanding the basic mechanisms of lymphocyte homeostasis and in the developmental relationship between different memory T subsets and their traffic patterns and functional significance. This volume highlights the current concepts of lymphocyte development, factors regulating lymphocyte trafficking and development, and specialized characteristics and functional properties of naive and memory subsets. This volume is divided into three sections. Section I deals with factors that regulate the development and maturation of T cells and B cells and lymphocyte traffic. The significance of C-kit, Bcl-6, IL-7, and Vav in the development of T and B lymphocytes is discussed. A role of lymphotoxins and VAP-I in trafficking of leucocytes is reviewed. Finally, the trafficking and homing characteristics of T cell and B cell subsets, and the regulation of these processes during the immune response, is presented. Section II discusses various aspects of naive and memory T cell biology, including clonal expansion, reprogramming of genes including those encoding cytokines and cytotoxic granules, changes in the expression of cell surface proteins involved in cell-cell adhesion, homing of naive and memory T cells, the role of MHC and cytokines in the maintenance of naive and memory T cells, and the characterization and differentiation of virus-specific memory T cell heterogeneity in mice and humans. Novel methods of visualization of immune cells and immune systems are reviewed in Section III. This includes tracking of dendritic cells in vivo, monitoring arterial smooth muscle-specific T cells in the inflamed vasculature, imaging of molecular migrations in immune synapses, and visualization of various immune cells in intact lymphoid tissues by two photon confocal imaging. This volume should be of interest to immunologists, molecular biologists, microbiologists, pathologists, academic physicians, cell bio

Echinostomes are medically- and veterinary-important parasitic flatworms that invade humans, domestic animals and wildlife and also parasitize in their larval stages numerous invertebrate and cold-blooded vertebrate hosts. The interest in echinostomes in parasitology and general biology comes from several areas: (1) Human infections; (2) Experimental models; (3) Animal infections; (4) Systematics. The application of novel techniques is moving the echinostomes to the frontline of parasitology in fields such as systematics, immunobiology in vertebrate and invertebrate organisms and proteomics among others. The Biology of Echinostomes demonstrates the application of new techniques to a group of trematodes that may serve to obtain information of great value in parasitology and general biology. The book includes basic topics, such as biology and systematics, as well as more novel topics, such as immunobiology, proteomics, and genomics of echinostomes. The authors of each chapter emphasize their content with: (i) the most novel information obtained; (ii) analysis of this information in a more general context (i.e. general parasitology); and (iii) future perspectives in view of the information presented. The subjects are analyzed from a modern point of view, considering aspects such as applications of novel techniques and an analysis of host-parasite interactions.

"Directed Evolution Library Creation: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition "presents user-friendly protocols for both proven strategies and cutting-edge approaches for the creation of mutant gene libraries for directed evolution. As well as experimental methods, information on current computational approaches is provided in a user-friendly format that will allow researchers to make informed choices without needing to comprehend the full technical details of each algorithm. Directed evolution has become a fundamental approach for engineering proteins to enhance activity and explore structure-function relationships, and has supported the rapid development of the field of synthetic biology over the last decade. Divided into three convenient sections, topics include point mutagenesis strategies, recombinatorial methods wherein genetic diversity is sourced from multiple parental genes that are combined via either homology-dependent or -independent techniques and a variety of computational methods to guide the design and analysis of mutant libraries. Written in the 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 protocols and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and easily accessible, "Directed Evolution Library Creation: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition "will serve as a reliable manual for both novice and experienced protein engineers and synthetic biologists and will enable further technical innovation and the exploitation of directed evolution for a deeper understanding of protein design and function.

This volume describes protocols for basic state-of-the-art approaches in the field of peptidomics. Most of these approaches are independent of the instruments used for analysis and can easily be adapted for equipment that is available in a typical proteomics facility. Chapters detail many of the basic techniques used to detect and identify peptides, methods for the relative quantitation of peptides between samples using isotopic labels or label-free approaches, and biological species as well as sample types. Written in the highly successful format of the Methods in Molecular Biology series, each chapter includes an introduction to the topic, a list of the necessary materials and reagents, reproducible step-by-step laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting common problems and avoiding pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Peptidomics: Methods and Strategies provides useful guidance for studies in the rapidly growing field of peptidomics.

The ISOTT 2001 local organizing committee was pleased to welcome over 140 delegates from around the world to the 29th annual general meeting of the International Society for Oxygen Transport to Tissue. The meeting was held in historic Philadelphia, USA, on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania from August 11 to 15, 2001. In the tradition of ISOTT, the conference was a total immersion experience. Attendees were encouraged to eat together and spend their evenings relaxing together in a style that maximized exchange of ideas and interactions of younger scientists with their more senior colleagues. Delegates participated in a total of 122 presentations including poster displays, selected oral presentations, seminars by invited speakers and a round table discussion. In choosing invited speakers and oral presenters, special emphasis was placed on methods for oxygen measurement in living tissue and application of these technologies to understanding physiological and biochemical basis for pathology related to tissue oxygenation. All of the manuscripts contained in this volume underwent both an editorial and scientific review, and only those meeting both criteria have been published. However, while all efforts have been made to eliminate editorial errors, some have undoubtedly been overlooked, for which the editors apologize.

This volume covers methods that analyze various Argonaute proteins from a variety of organisms to help researchers better understand their properties ranging from a molecular level to an organismal level. The chapters in this book explore the following topics: identification and expression analysis of guide nucleic acids and their targets; analysis of biochemical properties of Argonautes; biological functions of Argonautes; and obtaining materials and setting up analysis platforms. 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. Cutting-edge and authoritative, Argonaute Proteins: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers and scientists looking to expand their knowledge of Argonaute proteins and their functions.

This book offers a wide ranging and review of cutting edge developments along with tried and tested methods for isolation, resolution and quantification of inositol phospholipids and inositol polyphosphates in both cells and tissues. It includes detailed and rigorous methodology for identification of molecular species of inositol phospholipids, including their phosphates and glycans, with numerous examples of specific applications.

Wherever available, both chromatographic and mass spectrometric
evidence is presented for specific phospholipid involvement in the biochemical transformations accompanying metabolic signalling events and, where possible, controversies have been resolved on basis of analytical ambiguity. The review of the lipid
analyses extends to products of phosphatidylinositol kinases, phosphatases and lipases.

A general review chapter is included on metabolic signalling with special emphasis on the lipid products of 3-kinases. In view of the general lack of commercially available standards for inositol phospholipids and inositol phosphates, the book concludes with a chapter on the preparation and collection of chromatographic and mass spectrometric proof of their purity and identity.
This book complements recent books and reviews on the mechanisms metabolic signalling, receptor binding and the polypeptide structure of the proteins involved in the various signalling pathways. It also complements those texts that deal exclusively with the chemical synthesis of the phosphatidylinositols and their polyphosphates and glycans.

Integrins play pivotal roles not only across a wide range of physiological processes including tissue morphogenesis, immune responses, wound healing, and regulation of cell growth and differentiation, but also in numerous pathological phenomena such as autoimmunity, thrombosis, and cancer metastasis/progression. Therefore, investigations on integrins often demand multi-disciplinary approaches, making researchers long for a handy collection of comprehensive and practical protocols that detail experimental methods for studying integrin and related cell adhesion molecule functionality. "Integrin and Cell Adhesion Molecules: Methods and Protocols "aims to provide readers not only with basic protocols in studying integrin functions, but also with summaries on those state-of-the-art technologies that have been utilized for understanding integrin functionality at the cellular, molecular, structural, and organismal levels. Divided into six convenient sections, this detailed volume covers basic protocols for the study of integrin and related cell adhesion molecule functionality "in vitro," illustrates structural biology approaches for studying integrins and related cell adhesion molecules, focuses on emerging imaging technologies for investigating cell migration, presents strategies to elucidate signaling through cell adhesion molecules, includes experimental techniques to investigate integrin functions at organismal levels in a physiological context, and showcases the most promising methods and technologies for the development of novel therapeutics and diagnostics. Written in the 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 protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Both experts and non-experts in the scientific community who wish to study cell adhesion molecules and diagnostics will find "Integrin and Cell Adhesion Molecules: Methods and Protocols" authoritative, easily accessible, and vastly informative.

An understanding of the fate and behaviour of organic chemicals, such as surfactants, in the environment is a prerequisite for the sustainable development of human health and ecosystems. As surfactants are being produced in huge amounts, it is important to have a detailed knowledge about their lifetime in the environment, their biodegradability in wastewater treatment plants and in natural waters, and their ecotoxicity. Parameters relevant for the assessment of long-term behaviour, such as interactions with hormonal systems need to be understood to avoid unexpected adverse effects to future generations of people and the environment. However, the identification and quantification of commercial surfactants in the environment is made more complicated and cumbersome because they comprise of tens to hundreds of homologues, oligomers and isomers of anionic, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric compounds.
The EU-funded PRISTINE project (Priority surfactants and their toxic metabolites in wastewater effluents: An integrated study; ENV4-CT97-0494) provides the basis for the content of this title. It provides policy makers and industry with detailed information on analysis and concentrations of surfactants and their degradation products in the environment.
In addition to a general introduction to surfactants, this book comprises a comprehensive variety of analytical techniques, including sample handling, for the analysis of surfactants in the aquatic environment. Readers will find all the necessary information for analyzing the different groups of surfactants, with special emphasis on transformation products. Quality assurance is also reported on in detail. Chapters on toxicity and risk assessment are also included and give a complete perspective on the surfactants problem in the aquatic environment.
.Presents the finding of EU-funded research into fate and behaviour of organic chemicals in the environment
.Comprises a comprehensive variety of analytical techniques, including sample handling, for the analysis of surfactants in the aquatic environment
.Provides relevant information to all groups working in the field of surfactants"

Recently, many ground-breaking steps have been made towards better understanding NO/cGMP/PKG pathways, its components, substrates, and their localization within a given cell. These advances were only possible due to the development of sophisticated new techniques in the field. In Guanylate Cyclase and Cyclic GMP: Methods and Protocols expert researchers in the field seek to provide an overview of novel techniques to identify various elements of the NO/cGMP/PKG pathway and further characterize their function, signaling, localization, and importance on a cellular level and in whole animal models providing a higher patho-/physiological integration and relevance. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Guanylate Cyclase and Cyclic GMP: Methods and Protocols seeks to provide scientist current methods and a useful guide towards the possibility to apply these techniques to their own research.

Modification of target protein properties by reversible phosphorylation events has been found to be one of the most prominent cellular control processes in all organisms. Recent advances in the areas of molecular biology and biochemistry are presenting new possibilities for reaching an unprecedented depth and a proteome-wide understanding of phosphorylation processes in plants as well as in other species. The major goal of "Plant Kinases: Methods and Protocols" is to provide the experimentalist with a detailed account of the practical steps necessary for successfully carrying out each protocol in his or her own laboratory. Plant protein kinases specifically addressed in this volume are members of the plant MAP kinase cascade, cyclin- and Calcium-dependent protein kinases, and plant sensor and receptor kinases. Written in the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology " series format, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and accessible, "Plant Kinases: Methods and Protocols "will prove a useful laboratory companion to both novice and seasoned researchers by facilitating the practical work that will lead them to new and exciting insights in this dynamic field.

"

The book focuses on the aqueous interface of biomolecules, a vital yet overlooked area of biophysical research. Most biological phenomena cannot be fully understood at the molecular level without considering interfacial behavior. The author presents conceptual advances in molecular biophysics that herald the advent of a new discipline, epistructural biology, centered on the interactions of water and bio molecular structures across the interface. The author introduces powerful theoretical and computational resources in order to address fundamental topics such as protein folding, the physico-chemical basis of enzyme catalysis and protein associations. On the basis of this information, a multi-disciplinary approach is used to engineer therapeutic drugs and to allow substantive advances in targeted molecular medicine. This book will be of interest to scientists, students and practitioners in the fields of chemistry, biophysics and biomedical engineering.

This volume contains papers of 23 outstanding scientists who are working at the leading edge of metabolic regulation studies. Much of the volume focuses on novel aspects of signal transduction with emphasis on the role of phospholipase C in cell control mechanisms.

One of the highlights of this volume is always the Special Symposium Lecture. This lecture was given for fifteen years by Nobel laureate, Sir Hans A. Krebs (UK) (now deceased). This year the Lecture was given by Nadir Maraldi, Director of the Laboratory of Cellular Biology and Electron Microscopy, University of Bologna, Italy. Professor Maraldi's presentation is on the important and novel subject of "Nuclear Proteins and Human Disease."

Multiphase catalysis is a key technology for the competitive and sustainable production of fine chemicals in coming decades. A joint academic and industry consortium has developed tools for considering complex chemical and process-based requirements when setting up a catalytic system. This book shows how the resulting competence covers such supercritical fluid (SCF) technology in catalysis, ionic liquids (Il), ligand design for SFCs and Ils, thermomorphic solvent systems, reactor design and more.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has evolved into an exciting technique in biomolecular interaction analysis. The development of commercial SPR instruments has made the te- nique available to a wide scienti?c audience, and the number of publications in which the use of SPR is described is rapidly increasing. SPR is in use for many purposes from food quality control to the study of nanoparticles. Much research is now focused on devel- ing new SPR-related applications, e.g., SPR imaging, SPR arrays, SPR ?uorescence, and combinations of SPR with mass spectrometry and with electrochemistry. Biomolecular interaction analysis is at the core of many research projects. In principle, the setup of an SPR experiment is simple: There is a sensor surface to which one of the interacting partners (the ligand) is immobilized; the other partner (the analyte) is added in a ?ow or cell-like compartment. The binding phenomenon is monitored in real time as a change in SPR angle. An important issue is the choice of surface and the immobilization strategy. With SPR, it is possible to mimic the biological environment which is relevant for an interaction. For interactions in a water environment, sensor surfaces with hydrogels are available. Many biomolecular interactions take place in a membrane environment. For this, commercial sensor surfaces are available, or surfaces can be tailor-made. This volume contains several examples of building up of lipophilic surfaces. Nature abundantly makes use of multivalent interactions; multivalency can be mimicked on a sensor surface with immobilized ligands.

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology publishes authoritative reviews on the occurrence, effects, and fate of pesticide residues and other environmental contaminants. It will keep you informed of the latest significant issues by providing in-depth information in the areas of analytical chemistry, agricultural microbiology, biochemistry, human and veterinary medicine, toxicology, and food technology.

The lipids of cellular membranes not only serve roles in controlling the structure and fluidity of the membrane, but are increasingly recognized for their roles as signalling molecules and modifiers of membrane protein function. Recent studies described in this volume reveal striking changes in membrane lipids during aging and in age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders. Lipids including inositol phospholipids, cholesterol, sphingolipids and ceramides play important roles in signalling cellular responses to stress and specific stimuli such as growth factors, cytokines and neurotransmitters. One or more of these lipid mediators has been linked to the pathogenesis of age-related diseases.

This book provides a comprehensive review of specific membrane lipid mediators and their roles in aging and age-related disease.

The critically acclaimed laboratory standard for more than forty years, Methods in Enzymology is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now with more than 300 volumes (all of them still in print), the series contains much material still relevant today--truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences.
Key Features
* Human Genomics and Genetics
* Structure and Mechanism
* Regulation of Expression
* Metabolism
* Invertibrate P450s

RNA technologies are the driving forces of modern medicine and biotechnology. They combine the fields of biochemistry, chemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, physics, nanotechnology and bioinformatics. The combination of these topics is set to revolutionize the medicine of tomorrow. After more than 15 years of extensive research in the field of RNA technologies, the first therapeutics are ready to reach the first patients. Thus we are witnessing the birth of a very exciting time in the development of molecular medicine, which will be based on the methods of RNA technologies. This volume is the first of a series. It covers various aspects of RNA interference and microRNAs, although antisense RNA applications, hammerhead ribozyme structure and function as well as non-coding RNAs are also discussed. The authors are internationally highly respected experts in the field of RNA technologies.

In this volume of "Cell and Molecular Responses to Stress" articles provide up-to-date information on key areas of signal sensing (sensing of pain, heat, cold, light, infrared radiation), molecules involved in the intracellular transmission of these signals, metabolic responses to stress including changes in gene expression and production of specialized proteins that aid cell responses to factors including interrupted blood supply (ischemia), oxygen limitation (hypoxia/anoxia), freezing and dehydration, amino acid limitation, radiation and processing drugs. There are chapters which also provide insights into new technologies (such as cDNA arrays), analysis of metabolic control theory (a key method for analysing stress effects on cells), and examine how enzymes evolve in the face of stress.

Power Laws, Scale-free Networks and Genome Biology deals with crucial aspects of the theoretical foundations of systems biology, namely power law distributions and scale-free networks which have emerged as the hallmarks of biological organization in the post-genomic era. The chapters in the book not only describe the interesting mathematical properties of biological networks but moves beyond phenomenology, toward models of evolution capable of explaining the emergence of these features. The collection of chapters, contributed by both physicists and biologists, strives to address the problems in this field in a rigorous but not excessively mathematical manner and to represent different viewpoints, which is crucial in this emerging discipline. Each chapter includes, in addition to technical descriptions of properties of biological networks and evolutionary models, a more general and accessible introduction to the respective problems. Most chapters emphasize the potential of theoretical systems biology for discovery of new biological phenomena.