Experts from around the world review the current field of the immunobiology of heat shock proteins, and provide a comprehensive account of how these molecules are spearheading efforts in the understanding of various pathways of the immune system. This one-stop resource contains numerous images to both help illustrate the research on heat shock proteins, and better clarify the field for the non-expert. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) were discovered in 1962 and were quickly recognized for their role in protecting cells from stress. Twenty years later, the immunogenicity of a select few HSPs was described, and for the past 30 years, these findings have been applied to numerous branches of immunology, including tumor immunology and immunosurveillance, immunotherapy, etiology of autoimmunity, immunotherapy of infectious diseases, and expression of innate receptors. While HSPs can be used to manipulate immune responses by exogenous administration, they appear to be involved in initiation of de novo immune responses to cancer and likely in the maintenance of immune homeostasis.

Springer Handbook of Enzymes provides data on enzymes sufficiently well characterized. It offers concise and complete descriptions of some 5,000 enzymes and their application areas. Data sheets are arranged in their EC-Number sequence and the volumes themselves are arranged according to enzyme classes.

This new, second edition reflects considerable progress in enzymology: many enzymes are newly classified or reclassified. Each entry is correlated with references and one or more source organisms. New datafields are created: application and engineering (for the properties of enzymes where the sequence has been changed). The total amount of material contained in the Handbook has more than doubled so that the complete second edition consists of 39 volumes as well as a Synonym Index. In addition, starting in 2009, all newly classified enzymes are treated in Supplement Volumes.

Springer Handbook of Enzymes is an ideal source of information for researchers in biochemistry, biotechnology, organic and analytical chemistry, and food sciences, as well as for medicinal applications.

Sheds new light on intrinsically disordered proteins and peptides, including their role in neurodegenerative diseases

With the discovery of intrinsically disordered proteins and peptides (IDPs), researchers realized that proteins do not necessarily adopt a well defined secondary and tertiary structure in order to perform biological functions. In fact, IDPs play biologically relevant roles, acting as inhibitors, scavengers, and even facilitating DNA/RNA-protein interactions. Due to their propensity for self-aggregation and fibril formation, some IDPs are involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

With contributions from leading researchers, this text reviews the most recent studies, encapsulating our understanding of IDPs. The authors explain how the growing body of IDP research is building our knowledge of the folding process, the binding of ligands to receptor molecules, and peptide self-aggregation. Readers will discover a variety of experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches used to better understand the properties and function of IDPs. Moreover, they'll discover the role of IDPs in human disease and as drug targets.

Protein and Peptide Folding, Misfolding, and Non-Folding begins with an introduction that explains why research on IDPs has significantly expanded in the past few years. Next, the book is divided into three sections:

Conformational Analysis of Unfolded States

Disordered Peptides and Molecular Recognition

Aggregation of Disordered Peptides

Throughout the book, detailed figures help readers understand the structure, properties, and function of IDPs. References at the end of each chapter serve as a gateway to the growing body of literature in the field.

With the publication of Protein and Peptide Folding, Misfolding, and Non-Folding, researchers now have a single place to discover IDPs, their diverse biological functions, and the many disciplines that have contributed to our evolving understanding of them.

Oxireductases in the Enzymatic Synthesis of Water-Soluble Conducting Polymers, by E. Ochoteco and D. Mecerreyes
*

Transferases in Polymer Chemistry, by J. van der Vlist and K. Loos
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Hydrolases Part I: Enzyme Mechanism, Selectivity and Control in the Synthesis of Well-Defined Polymers, by M.A.J. Veld and A.R.A. Palmans
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Hydrolases in Polymer Chemistry: Chemoenzymatic Approaches to Polymeric Materials, by A. Heise and A.R.A. Palmans
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Hydrolases in Polymer Chemistry: Part III: Synthesis and Limited Surface Hydrolysis of Polyesters and Other Polymers, by G.M. Guebitz
*

Exploiting Biocatalysis in the Synthesis of Supramolecular Polymers, by S. Roy and R. V. Ulijn

Simple carbohydrates, complex oligosaccharides and polysaccharides all belong to a class of ubiquitous (macro)molecules that exhibit a wide range of biological functions, and the recent advent of enhanced enzymatic, chemical and analytical tools used to study these sugars has inaugurated a genuine explosion in the field of glycomics. Specifically, it has led to a deeper understanding of how specific sugar structures modulate cellular phenotypes, and that breakthrough has led to the discovery of new pharmaceuticals for the treatment of many serious diseases, such as cancer. The subsequent rapid expansion of this research holds high promise for future therapeutic regimens, and capillary electrophoresis (CE) refers to the range of related separation techniques that are integral to this vital research. CE uses narrow-bore fused-silica capillaries to separate a complex array of large and small molecules, and Capillary Electrophoresis of Carbohydrates offers a comprehensive look at the latest breakthroughs and improvements in CE and CE techniques applied to monosaccharides up to complex oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. It begins with an overview of the application of CE and CE- mass spectrometric in the analysis of simple carbohydrates without any previous derivatization step before discussing various detection techniques such as spectrophotometric detection, electrochemical detection and other less common techniques. It then covers in detail an array of related topics and numerous applications. It is an essential text for anyone exploring the myriad possibilities of this rapidly expanding field.

In this book, seven chapters describe studies aimed at understanding and exploiting the key features of such molecular RNA and DNA devices. In the first section of the book, four chapters are devoted to artificial nucleic acid switches and sensors. These chapters introduce the concept of allosteric ribozymes as molecular switches and sensors; describe nucleic acid enzymes that are switched by oligonucleotides and other nucleic acid enzymes that are switched by proteins; and illustrate how switching elements can be integrated rationally into fluorescently signaling molecular sensors made out of nucleic acids. In the second section of the book, three chapters show that nature has been as crafty a molecular-scale engineer as any modern scientist via evolution of natural nucleic acid switches and sensors. RNAs have been found whose activities are modulated either by proteins or by small-molecule metabolites, and both kinds of system are described. Finally, the notion of exploiting naturally occurring RNA switches for drug development is discussed.

Due to their rare combination of high chemical stability, exceptional optical and electrical properties, high surface-to-volume ratio, and high aspect ratio, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have made an enormous impact on materials science, molecular biology, biomedicine, and bioanalytical chemistry. Carbon Nanotubes: Methods and Protocols provides reliable, consistent protocols on the application of CNTs in molecular biology-related fields. These are of vital importance, as the commercially available CNTs differ in purity, agglomeration state, as well as length and diameter distribution, all of which have a profound influence on the dispersability and surface properties of the tubes. The volume contains detailed sections on functionalization, toxicity, trafficking, scaffolds, and biosensors, provided by expert researchers from various fields. 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 notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Carbon Nanotubes: Methods and Protocols serves to contribute to the achievement of common standards and helps researchers to avoid discrepancies in future biology-related CNT studies.

This book is written for researchers and students interested in the function and role of chemical elements in biological or environmental systems. Experts have long known that the Periodic System of Elements (PSE) provides only an inadequate chemical description of elements of biological, environmental or medicinal importance. This book explores the notion of a Biological System of the Elements (BSE) established on accurate and precise multi-element data, including evolutionary aspects, representative sampling procedures, inter-element relationships, the physiological function of elements and uptake mechanisms. The book further explores the concept Stoichiometric Network Analysis (SNA) to analyze the biological roles of chemical species. Also discussed is the idea of ecotoxicological identity cards which give a first-hand description of properties relevant for biological and toxicological features of a certain chemical element and its geo biochemically plausible speciation form. The focus of this book goes beyond both classical bioinorganic chemistry and toxicology.

Volume 72 addresses the role of peptide backbone solvation in the energetics of protein folding. Particular attention is focused on modeling and computation. This volume will be of particular interest to biophysicists and structural biologists.
*Challenges the longstanding and basic assumptions of structural biology
*Discusses how to solve the problem of protein structure prediction
*Addresses the quantitation of the energetics of folding

This detailed book provides technical approaches to tackle a variety of questions related to intracellular lipid transport in order to improve our understanding at different scales of how lipids are accurately displaced between organelles, across long distances or at membrane contact sites, or within cellular membranes. The volume begins with methodologies to measure the movement of varied lipid species between or in organelle membranes, inside eukaryotic cells, including plant cells, or in bacteria, and continues in vitro or in silico approaches aiming to define, more from a biochemical and structural standpoints, how lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) or flippases/scramblases precisely function. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, 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 practical, Intracellular Lipid Transport: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for researchers seeking to shed light on diverse aspects of this critical and often elusive cellular process.

The Ras superfamily (>150 human members) encompasses Ras GTPases involved in cell proliferation, Rho GTPases involved in regulating the cytoskeleton, Rab GTPases involved in membrane targeting/fusion and a group of GTPases including Sar1, Arf, Arl and dynamin involved in vesicle budding/fission. These GTPases act as molecular switches and their activities are controlled by a large number of regulatory molecules that affect either GTP loading (guanine nucleotide exchange factors or GEFs) or GTP hydrolysis (GTPase activating proteins or GAPs). In their active state, they interact with a continually increasing, functionally complex array of downstream effectors.
Since the last Methods in Enzymology volume on this topic in 2000, Rho GTPases have continued to receive a huge amount of attention. The human genome sequence has revealed the full extent of the Rho GEF and Rho GAP families (over 80 members for each) and the challenge of identifying the molecular interactions and cellular pathways influenced by each of these regulators is a daunting prospect. This new volume describes some of the methods currently being used to examine Rho family GTPase regulation at the biochemical and cellular level.
*Describes the methods currently being used to examine Rho family GTPase regulation at the biochemical and cellular levels.
*Includes new imaging techniques that revolutionize the ability to visualize GTPase activities.
*Over 150 international contributors.

This text is an introductory compilation of basic concepts, methods and applications in the field of spectroscopy. It discusses new radiation sources such as lasers and synchrotrons and describes the linear response together with the basic principles and the technical background for various scattering experiments.

Christopher M. Cheatum and Amnon Kohen, Relationship of Femtosecond-Picosecond Dynamics to Enzyme-Catalyzed H-Transfer. Cindy Schulenburg and Donald Hilvert, Protein Conformational Disorder and Enzyme Catalysis. A. Joshua Wand, Veronica R. Moorman and Kyle W. Harpole, A Surprising Role for Conformational Entropy in Protein Function. Travis P. Schrank, James O. Wrabl and Vincent J. Hilser, Conformational Heterogeneity Within the LID Domain Mediates Substrate Binding to Escherichia coli Adenylate Kinase: Function Follows Fluctuations. Buyong Ma and Ruth Nussinov, Structured Crowding and Its Effects on Enzyme Catalysis. Michael D. Daily, Haibo Yu, George N. Phillips Jr and Qiang Cui, Allosteric Activation Transitions in Enzymes and Biomolecular Motors: Insights from Atomistic and Coarse-Grained Simulations. Karunesh Arora and Charles L. Brooks III, Multiple Intermediates, Diverse Conformations, and Cooperative Conformational Changes Underlie the Catalytic Hydride Transfer Reaction of Dihydrofolate Reductase. Steven D. Schwartz, Protein Dynamics and the Enzymatic Reaction Coordinate.

In Viral Membrane Proteins Structure, Function, and Drug Design, Wolfgang Fischer summarizes the current structural and functional knowledge of membrane proteins encoded by viruses. In addition, contributors to the book address questions about proteins as potential drug targets. The range of information covered includes signal proteins, ion channels, and fusion proteins.

This book has a place in the libraries of researchers and scientists in a wide array of fields, including protein chemistry, molecular biophysics, pharmaceutical science and research, bioanotechnology, molecular biology, and biochemistry.

This book presents modern and classic analytical approaches that are crucial for the biochemical and functional characterization of the archetypal protein, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). The distinguishing feature of the book is that it covers, in addition to other methods, some of the uncommon but valuable techniques as well. For example, in-gel visualization of enzyme activity, immunoblotting protocols for native (non-denatured) proteins, and proteins resolved by pH-gradient [IEF-isoelectrofocusing], etc. These expedient methods are relevant and vital for the verification of biochemical properties of GAPDH, or similar protein of interest. This work outlines detailed protocols that are essential to investigate classical (cellular) and recently reported extracellular (secretory) isoforms of GAPDH. Precisely, the book covers techniques pertinent to enzymatic and non-enzymatic analysis of GAPDH that include, but not limited to, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), two-dimensional (2D)-immunoblotting, immunofluorescence/confocal microscopy, mass spectrometry, ion-exchange and affinity chromatography. Readers will discover the importance of the experimental methods described in the book as they relate to the evaluation of the role and significance of GAPDH. Furthermore, majority of the methods described in the book have also been validated in the author's laboratory, besides other research groups worldwide, underlining the repeatability and reproducibility of the protocols. Each method begins with an abstract and a brief background emphasizing its application and relevance. This will enable the readers to determine the choice of experimental design according to their research objectives. The book explains the methods systematically with ample illustrations to facilitate quick and easy comprehension of the practical knowledge. Although the book is focused on GAPDH, many of the protocols may be adopted to other proteins or enzymes with minimal modifications. Noteworthy, it is unequivocally established that GAPDH is a multifunctional protein involved in several cellular processes of health & disease conditions. Hence, this book will be a valuable practical guide for young researchers, scientists and clinician-scientists.

This volume on conjugation enzymes and transporters serves to bring together current methods and concepts in an interesting, important and rapidly developing field of cell and systems biology. It focuses on the so-called Phase II enzymes of drug metabolism (xenobiotics), which has important ramifications for endogenous metabolism and nutrition. Also included are aspects on Phase III, transport systems. This volume of Methods in Enzymology presents current knowledge and methodology on glucuronidation, sulfation, acetylation, and transport systems in this field of research. Together with the volumes on Quinones and Quinone Enzymes (volumes 378 and 382), and on Glutathione Transferases and gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidases (volume 401), the state of knowledge on proteomics and metabolomics of many pathways of (waste) product elimination, enzyme protein induction and gene regulation and feedback control is provided. This volume will help stimulate future investigations and speed the advance of knowledge in systems biology.
*A laboratory standard for more than 40 years
*Over 400 volumes strong
*Also available on ScienceDirect

Rab GTPases now comprise a family of >63 members. They are emerging as the key hub element controlling the membrane architecture of eukaryotic cells. They are intimately involved in vesicle targeting and fusion in both the endocytic and exocytic pathways and direct the assembly and disassembly of protein complexes that include regulators (GEFs and GAPs), effectors (tethers/motors) and fusion components (SNAREs) that control membrane targeting and fusion. During the last 3 years the field has virtually exploded with the identification and characterization of many new Rab proteins and their effectors.
Our understanding of how Rab GTPases control membrane function remains at its infancy. This volume of MIE provides a wealth of new concepts, approaches and tools to study Rab proteins in the test tube and in living cells that will be of strong benefit to both established laboratories and new investigators in the field to elucidate Rab GTPase function in cellular development, differentiation and proliferation.
* Comprehensive overview of Rab GTPase phylogeny and systems biology
* Identification and characterization of Rab GEFs, GAPs and effectors
* General methodologies to study Rab GTPase function in vitro and in vivo using biochemical, molecular and microscopy approaches

Food Toxicants Analysis covers different aspects from the field of analytical food toxicology including emerging analytical techniques and applications to detect food allergens, genetically modified organisms, and novel ingredients (including those of functional foods). Focus will be on natural toxins in food plants and animals, cancer modulating substances, microbial toxins in foods (algal, fungal, and bacterial) and all groups of contaminants (i.e., pesticides), persistent organic pollutants, metals, packaging materials, hormones and animal drug residues. The first section describes the current status of the regulatory framework, including the key principles of the EU food law, food safety, and the main mechanisms of enforcement. The second section addresses validation and quality assurance in food toxicants analysis and comprises a general discussion on the use of risk analysis in establishing priorities, the selection and quality control of available analytical techniques. The third section addresses new issues in food toxicant analysis including food allergens and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The fourth section covers the analysis of organic food toxicants.
* step-by-step guide to the use of food analysis techniques
* eighteen chapters covering emerging fields in food toxicants analysis
* assesses the latest techniques in the field of inorganic analysis

This volume aims to provide protocols on a wide range of biochemical methods, analytical approaches, and bioinformatics tools developed to analyze the proteome. 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, Proteomics: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

Ubiquitin and Protein Degradation, Part B will cover chemical biology, ubiquitin derivatives and ubiquitin-like proteins, deubiquitinating enzymes, proteomics as well as techniques to monitor protein degradation. The chapters are highly methodological and focus on application of techniques.
*Second part of the Ubiquitin and Protein Degration series
*Topics include: E1 Enzymes, E2 Enzymes, E3 Enzymes, Proteasomes, and Isopeptidases

The book summarizes important aspects of cheminformatics that are relevant for natural product research. It highlights cheminformatics tools that help to match natural products with their respective biological targets or off-targets, and discusses the potential and limitations of this approach.

This is the second volume since the reintroduction of the Recent Advances in Phytochemistry (RAP) series, an annual journal supported by the Phytochemical Society of North America. Topics appropriate for RAP include the biosynthesis of natural products and regulation of metabolism, the ecology of specialized metabolites and the evolution of their pathways, and the effects of natural products or plants on human health. Research appropriate for RAP involves genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, natural product structural determination and new technology development, medicinal chemistry and metabolic engineering, or any of the myriad of fields that are now closely associated with what may be called "traditional phytochemistry" and plant biochemistry. The advent of post-genomics-based ways of thinking, of systems biology, of synthetic biology, of comparative genomics/ proteomics/ transcriptomics/ metabolomics and especially of the introduction and establishment of a mentality that leads to support of large collaborative projects, has opened up many new doors to scientists interested and versed in the (bio)chemistry of plants. The goal of RAP is to highlight these developments. Two main types of articles are printed in RAP: Perspectives and Communications. Perspectives in RAP are expected to synthesize results from the primary literature and perhaps from new/novel results and place these in perspective relative to the broader field. These articles may be similar to review articles, but also are intended to present important ideas and hypotheses, and may present proposals for interesting directions in the field. It is the hope of the Editorial Board that these articles will be of great value to a large audience. Communications are intended to represent new advances in the field that will be of interest to a large audience. Articles of both types are typically solicited from the Society membership based on the content of the annual meeting talks, but in keeping with the title "Recent Advances in Phytochemistry" the editorial board reserves the right to solicit additional Perspectives and/or Communications from non-attendees as well (e.g., where an editorial board member has knowledge of an interesting recent advancement that would be of general interest to the society membership). All submissions to RAP go through a rigorous peer review process, overseen by the Editorial Board, which includes external review. RAP is indexed with Springer published journals. All RAP papers are available not only in the published volume form, but also electronically through Springer's online literature services. This marks a significant change from past volumes of RAP and it is the hope of the Editorial Board that this will lead to broader dissemination of the contents of and greater interest in RAP. This 42nd volume of RAP includes a total of seven articles, many, but not all, based on talks presented at the 50th annual meeting of the PSNA. As was seen in RAP volume 41, These seven Perspectives give a very good picture of the breadth of plant (bio)chemistry research in North America, which is also indicative of the state of the field worldwide. Each of these articles describes the integration of several different approaches to ask and then answer interesting questions regarding the function of interesting plant metabolites, either in the plant itself or in interactions with the environment (natural setting or human health application). Many of these Perspectives have a strong ecological focus. McCormick et al. review the discovery of the biosynthetic pathway leading to production of trichothecene mycotoxins such as the T-2 toxin in plant pathogenic and other fungi. These compounds play very important roles in plant-pathogen interaction, and are very significant from a human health perspective. In a complementary paper, Duringer et al. describe recent technological advances in monitoring mycotoxins such as ergovaline and lysergic acid in forage crops, using state of the art and highly sensitive mass spectrometric means. Gross reviews the current understanding of how infochemicals mediate interactions between plants and insects, and highlights how such knowledge can be used to mitigate crop losses by pests. Two Perspectives discuss how recent technological advances are making an impact on our understanding of the role of plant hormones in plant growth and development. Gouthu et al. outline highly sensitive methods for measurement of plant hormones in tissues such as developing grape berry. In contrast, McDowell and Gang outline how new transcriptional profiling techniques are shedding light on old questions, such as how rhizome development is regulated by different plant growth regulators. The last two Perspectives outline the role of biotechnology in modern plant biochemistry research. Makhzoum et al. review the long history of use of hairy roots and provide perspective on future utility of this tissue type in continuing to uncover mechanisms of plant natural product biosynthesis, among other apolications. Dalton et al. outline, on the other hand, recent efforts to produce non-native polymers of human interest in plants and outline many of the challenges associated with such investigations. We hope that you will find these Perspectives to be interesting, informative, and timely. It is our goal that RAP will act not only as the voice of the PSNA, but that it will serve as an authoritative, up-to-date resource that helps to set the gold standard for thought and research in fields related to plant biochemistry.

This book gathers 12 outstanding contributions that reflect state-of-the-art industrial applications of fluorescence, ranging from the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries to explosives detection, aeronautics, instrumentation development, lighting, photovoltaics, water treatment and much more. In the field of fluorescence, the translation of research into important applications has expanded significantly over the past few decades. The 18th volume in the Springer Series on Fluorescence fills an important gap by focusing on selected industrial applications of fluorescence, described in contributions by both industry-based researchers and academics engaged in collaborations with industrial partners.

In Plant Metabolism: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field present the latest methods on quantitative analysis of plant metabolism. The methods focus on measurements, analyses and simulations of molecules, fluxes, and ultimately entire metabolic pathways and networks. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials, reagents, or software, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Plant Metabolism: Methods and Protocols seeks to benefit scientists ranging from plant biology, metabolic engineering, and biotechnology.

The Springer Handbook of Enzymes provides concise data on some 5,000 enzymes sufficiently well characterized and here is the second, updated edition. Their application in analytical, synthetic and biotechnology processes as well as in food industry, and for medicinal treatments is added. Data sheets are arranged in their EC-Number sequence. The new edition reflects considerable progress in enzymology: the total material has more than doubled, and the complete 2nd edition consists of 39 volumes plus Synonym Index. Starting in 2009, all newly classified enzymes are treated in Supplement Volumes."