Molecular farming is a biotechnological approach that includes the genetic adjustment of agricultural products to create proteins and chemicals for profitable and pharmaceutical purposes. Plant molecular farming describes the manufacture of recombinant proteins and other biologically active product in plants. This approach depends on a genetic transformation of plants that can be accomplished by the methods of stable gene transfer, such as gene transfer to nuclei and chloroplasts, and unstable transfer methods like viral vectors. The requirement for recombinant proteins in terms of quality, quantity, and diversity is increasing exponentially This demand is traditionally met by recombinant protein construction technologies and the engineering of orthodox expression systems based on bacteria or mammalian cell cultures. However, majority of developing countries cannot afford the high costs of medicine derived from such existing methods. Hence, we need to produce not only the new drugs but also the cheaper versions of those already present in the market. Plant molecular farming is considered as a cost-effective technology that has grown and advanced tremendously over the past two decades. This book summarizes the advances and challenges of plant molecular farming for all those who are working on or have an interest in this rapidly emerging area of research.

Anatomy of Gene Regulation is the first book to present the parts and processes of gene regulation at the three-dimensional level. Vivid structures of nucleic acids and their companion proteins are revealed in full-color, three dimensional form. Beginning with a general introduction to three-dimensional structures, the book looks at the organization of the genome, the structure of DNA, DNA replication and transcription, splicing, protein synthesis, and ultimate protein death. This concise and unique synthesis and its accompanying web site offer insight into gene regulation, and into the development of methods to interfere with regulation at diseased states.

This is the second edition of our little red book Lectins published in 1989. In the intervening years well over 10,000 articles have appeared with lectins as the main subject, and more than twice as many in which they were touched upon, as well as around 20 books. In particular, great strides have been made in several areas of lectin research, about which little was known until the late 1980s. One prominent example is animal lectins, many of which have been discovered only during the last decade and the functions of several of which have been clarified, especially as to their key role in innate immunity. Another is the structure of lectins and of their combining sites. Thus, whereas at that time the three-dimensional structures of just three lectins and a few of their complexes with sugars had been elucidated, their numbers have increased to about 160 and over 200, respectively, and continue to grow unabated. Updating the information on these and other topics resulted in a marked expansion of the book, which is now nearly four times as long as the first edition, with 226 figures and 39 tables. Still, a few topics, such as carbohydrate-binding cytokines or bacterial toxins that are sometimes considered as lectins, have been dealt with only in passing. Similarly to the first edition, Lectins II starts with an overview of the history of lectin research.

This important reference provides up-to-date information on all aspects of ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs). Including a list of all known RIPs, their distribution in nature, structure, genetics and chemical and immunological properties, this reference covers mechanisms of action, including the enzymatic activity on various polynucleotide substrates; the interaction with, and entry into cells; the toxicity to animals, including the pathology of poisoning; and the immunomodulatory and allergenic activity. The book further emphasizes the use of immunotoxins and other conjugates in clinical trials for the therapy of cancer and intractable pain.

Advances in fluorescent proteins, live-cell imaging, and superresolution instrumentation have ushered in a new era of investigations in cell biology, medicine, and physiology. From the identification of the green fluorescent protein in the jellyfish Aequorea victoria to the engineering of novel fluorescent proteins, The Fluorescent Protein Revolution explores the history, properties, and applications of these important probes. The book first traces the history of fluorescent proteins and the revolution they enabled in cellular imaging. It then discusses fluorescent proteins with novel photophysical properties. The book also covers several cutting-edge imaging applications. These include superresolution microscopy of cellular fine structures, FRET microscopy to visualize protein interactions and cell-signaling activities inside living cells, photobleaching and photoactivation techniques to visualize protein behaviors, techniques that exploit plant and algal photoreceptors to enable light-regulated control of enzymatic activities, and the noninvasive imaging of tumor-host interactions in living animals. In color throughout, this book presents the fundamental principles and latest advances in the field, including the associated development of imaging techniques that exploit fluorescent proteins. It is accessible to a broad audience, from optical imaging experts to novices needing an introduction to the field.

Hubert Rehm's Protein Biochemistry and Proteomics is more than a laboratory manual; it is a strategic guide that provides the reader with tips and tricks for more successful lab experiments. Using a conversational yet professional tone, Rehm provides an overview of a variety of methods in protein biochemistry/proteomics. He provides short and precise summaries of routine procedures as well as listings of the advantages and disadvantages of alternative methods. Readers will immediately sense that the author if very familiar with the challenges, and frustration of the daily lab routine. Never before has such an honest, tactical guide been available for those conducting lab experiments within the field of biochemistry.
- Shows how to avoid experimental dead ends and helps users develop an instinct for the right experiment at the right time
- Contains short and precise summaries of routine procedures (e.g. column chromatography, gel electrophoresis), and lists the advantages and disadvantages of alternative methods
- Includes over 100 detailed figures and tables
- Contains a chapter on proteomics

This text is intended for undergraduate and beginning graduate students in chemistry and biochemistry studying amino acids and peptides. The authors concentrate on amino acids and peptides without detailed discussions of proteins, while giving all the essential background chemistry, including sequence determination, synthesis and spectroscopic methods. The approach is intended to encourage the reader to cross classical boundaries while gaining an understanding of protein behavior on a molecular level. The book includes chapters on the biological roles of amino acids, as well as a section on enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of peptides, with suitable examples, an area often neglected in texts describing peptide synthesis. This modern text will be of value in the amino acid, peptide and protein field, to advanced undergraduates, graduate students and research workers.

How one goes about analyzing proteins is a constantly evolving field that is no longer solely the domain of the protein biochemist. Investi gators from diverse disciplines find themselves with the unanticipated task of identifying and analyzing a protein and studying its physical properties and biochemical interactions. In most cases, the ultimate goal remains understanding the role(s) that the target protein is playing in cellular physiology. It was my intention that this manual would make the initial steps in the discovery process less time consuming and less intimidating. This book is not meant to be read from cover to cover. The expanded Table of Contents and the index should help locate what you are seeking. My aim was to provide practically oriented information that will assist the experimentalist in benchtop problem solving. The appendices are filled with diverse information gleaned from catalogs, handbooks, and manuals that are presented in a distilled fashion designed to save trips to the library and calls to technical service representatives. The user is encouraged to expand on the tables and charts to fit individual experimental situations. This second edition pays homage to the computer explosion and the various genome projects that have revolutionized how benchtop scientific research is performed. Bioinformatics and In silica science are here to stay. However, the second edition still includes recipes for preparing buffers and methods for lysing cells."

Helps researchers in proteomics and oncology work together to understand, prevent, and cure cancer

Proteomic data is increasingly important to understanding the origin and progression of cancer; however, most oncologic researchers who depend on proteomics for their studies do not collect the data themselves. As a result, there is a knowledge gap between scientists, who devise proteomic techniques and collect the data, and the oncologic researchers, who are expected to interpret and apply proteomic data. Bridging the gap between proteomics and oncology research, this book explains how proteomic technology can be used to address some of the most important questions in cancer research.

"Proteomic Applications in Cancer Detection and Discovery "enables readers to understand how proteomic data is acquired and analyzed and how it is interpreted. Author Timothy Veenstra has filled the book with examples--many based on his own firsthand research experience--that clearly demonstrate the application of proteomic technology in oncology research, including the discovery of novel biomarkers for different types of cancers.

The book begins with a brief introduction to systems biology, explaining why cancer is a systems biology disease. Next, it covers such topics as: Mass spectrometry in cancer researchApplication of proteomics to global phosphorylation analysisSearch for biomarkers in biofluidsRise and fall of proteomic patterns for cancer diagnosticsEmergence of protein arraysRole of proteomics in personalized medicine

The final chapter is dedicated to the future prospects of proteomics in cancer research.

By guiding readers through the latest proteomic technologies and their applications in cancer research, "Proteomic Applications in Cancer Detection and Discovery" enhances the ability of researchers in proteomics and researchers in oncology to collaborate in order to better understand cancer and develop strategies to prevent and treat it.

Bioinformatics is the study of biological information and biological systems - such as of the relationships between the sequence, structure and function of genes and proteins. The subject has seen tremendous development in recent years, and there are ever-increasing needs for good understanding of quantitative methods in the study of proteins. "Protein Bioinformatics: An Algorithmic Approach to Sequence and Structure Analysis" takes the novel approach of covering both the sequence and structure analysis of proteins in one volume and from an algorithmic perspective. Provides a comprehensive introduction to the analysis of protein sequences and structures. Provides an integrated presentation of methodology, examples, exercises and applications. Emphasises the algorithmic rather than mathematical aspects of the methods described. Covers comparison and alignment of protein sequences and structures as well as protein structure prediction focusing on threading approaches. Written in an accessible yet rigorous style, suitable for biologists, mathematicians and computer scientists alike. Suitable both for developers and users of bioinformatics tools. Supported by a Web site featuring exercises, solutions, images, and computer programs.

"Protein Bioinformatics: An Algorithmic Approach to Sequence and Structure Analysis" is ideally suited for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of bioinformatics, statistics, mathematics and computer science. It also provides an excellent introduction and reference source on the subject for practitioners and researchers.

In the mature brain calcium ions play pivotal roles in transmembrane and intracellular transmission of signals. Thus, calcium is involved in numerous neuronal functions including neurotransmitter release, enzyme regulation, modulation of neuronal excitability, gene expression, microtubular transport or synaptic plasticity. Many of these calcium-dependent processes are mediated or modulated by a number of cytosolic calcium-binding proteins. All nerve cells contain the calcium-binding protein calmodulin. Other CaBPs are restricted to certain nerve celltypes, i.e. parvalbumin, calbindin and calretinin.

This book reviews the long-standing debate over the relative merits of a high-protein versus a low-protein diet. When protein (or 'animal substance') was first discovered in vegetable foods it was hailed as the only true nutritional principle. Leibig, the leading German chemist of the mid-nineteenth century, believed that it provided the sole source of energy for muscular contraction. In contrast, health reformers argued that high intakes were over-stimulating, leading to dissipation and decline. The subject came to widespread public attention again in the 1950s as the United Nations debated the need for providing protein supplements to Third World infants. At a time when the concern has resurfaced that over-consumption of protein in affluent societies may damage health, this book provides a fascinating historical perspective.

This book will focus on new molecular interactions and novel activities and the associated diseases that have been recently discovered from the studies of eukaryotic and mammalian aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. In addition, the potential applications of ARS researches in biotechnology and medicine will be addressed.

The ?eld of sensory science has grown exponentially since the publication of the p- vious version of this work. Fifteen years ago the journal Food Quality and Preference was fairly new. Now it holds an eminent position as a venue for research on sensory test methods (among many other topics). Hundreds of articles relevant to sensory testing have appeared in that and in other journals such as the Journal of Sensory Studies. Knowledge of the intricate cellular processes in chemoreception, as well as their genetic basis, has undergone nothing less than a revolution, culminating in the award of the Nobel Prize to Buck and Axel in 2004 for their discovery of the olfactory receptor gene super family. Advances in statistical methodology have accelerated as well. Sensometrics meetings are now vigorous and well-attended annual events. Ideas like Thurstonian modeling were not widely embraced 15 years ago, but now seem to be part of the everyday thought process of many sensory scientists. And yet, some things stay the same. Sensory testing will always involve human participants. Humans are tough measuring instruments to work with. They come with varying degrees of acumen, training, experiences, differing genetic equipment, sensory capabilities, and of course, different preferences. Human foibles and their associated error variance will continue to place a limitation on sensory tests and actionable results. Reducing, controlling, partitioning, and explaining error variance are all at the heart of good test methods and practices.

Recent advances in large-scale DNA sequencing technology have made it possible to sequence the entire genome of an organism. Attention is now turning to the analysis of the product of the genome, the proteome, which is the set of proteins being expressed by a cell. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis can be used to create cellular protein maps which give a quantitative and qualitative picture of the proteome. Mass spectrometry is the method of choice for the rapid large-scale idenfification of these proteomes and their modifications. An understanding of these methods is critical for scientists in the "Post-Genome" era.

This book is based on an advanced course of lectures on ribosome structure and protein biosynthesis that I offer at the Moscow State University. These lectures have been part of a general course on molecular biology for almost three decades, and they have undergone considerable evolution as knowledge has been pro gressing in this field. The progress continues, and readers should be prepared that some facts, statements, and ideas included in the book may be incomplete or out of-date. In any case, this is primarily a textbook, but not a comprehensive review. It provides a background of knowledge and current ideas in the field and gives ex amples of observations and their interpretations. I understand that some interpre tations and generalizations may be tentative or disputable, but I hope that this will stimulate thinking and discussing better than if I left white spots. The book has a prototype: it is my monograph "Ribosome Structure and Pro tein Biosynthesis" published by the Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Menlo Park, California, in 1986. Here I have basically kept the former order of pre sentation ofthe topics and the subdivision into chapters. The contents ofthe chap ters, however, have been significantly revised and supplemented. The newly writ ten chapters on translational control in prokaryotes (Chapter 16) and eukaryotes (Chapter 17) are added."

This volume contains the proceedings of the Ninth Meeting of the "International Study Group for Tryptophan Research" (lSTRY), held at the University of Hamburg, Germany, from October 10 to 14, 1998. At this meeting the recent developments in the field of tryptophan research were presented by leading researchers from all over the world in 81 oral and 48 poster contri butions. Research on tryptophan and its derivatives provides an inexhaustible subject. At the conference we tried to compose a multifacetted picture of the recent investiga tions through contributions from the major disciplines involved. Thus, we tried to strike a balance between basic research topics and clinical, nutritional or industrial applica tions. We offered workshops on tryptophan (in sleep and mood), melatonjn, IDO-acti vation and the eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) as a platform for intensive discussion for the participants. In these proceedings many contributions are multidisciplinary and have practical or theoretical implications for different research fields. Hence, we have organized this volume in nine main chapters according to basic disciplines and subjects. We are aware that this classification is artificial, but we hope that it is the best compromise for contributors and readers."

As a scientist with an interest in proteins you will, at some time in your career, isolate an enzyme that turns out to be yellow-or perhaps you already have. Alternatively, you may identify a polypeptide sequence that is related to known flavin-containing proteins. This may, or may not, be your first encounter with flavoproteins. However, even if you are an old hand in the field, you may not have exploited the full range of experimental approaches applicable to the study of flavoproteins. We hope that Flavoprotein Protocols will encourage you to do so. In this volume we have sought to bring together a range of experimental methods of value to researchers with an interest in flavoproteins, whether or not these researchers have experience in this area. A broad range of techniques, from the everyday to the more specialized, is described by scientists who are experts in their fields and who have ext- sive practical experience with flavoproteins. The wide range of approaches, from wet chemistry to dry computation, has, as a consequence, demanded a range of formats. Where appropriate (particularly for analytical methods) the protocol described is laid out in easy-to-follow steps. In other cases (e. g. , the more advanced spectroscopies and computational methods) it is far more apt to describe the general approach and relevance of the methods. We hope this wide-ranging approach will sow the seeds of many future collaborations - tween laboratories and further our knowledge and understanding of how f- voproteins work.

Biological chemistry is a major frontier of inorganic chemistry. Three special volumes devoted to Metal Sites in Proteins and Models address the questions: how unusual ("entatic") are metal sites in metalloproteins and metalloenzymes compared to those in small coordination complexes? And if they are special, how do polypeptide chains and co-factors control this? The chapters deal with iron, with metal centres acting as Lewis acids, metals in phosphate enzymes, with vanadium, and with the wide variety of transition metal ions which act as redox centres. They illustrate in particular how the combined armoury of genetics and structure determination at the molecular level are providing unprecedented new tools for molecular engineering.

Biological chemistry is a major frontier of inorganic chemistry. Three special volumes devoted to Metal Sites in Proteins and Models address the questions: How unusual ("entatic") are metal sites in metalloproteins and metalloenzymes compared to those in small coordination complexes? And if they are special, how do polypeptide chains and co-factors control this? The chapters deal with iron, with metal centres acting as Lewis acids, metals in phosphate enzymes, with vanadium, and with the wide variety of transition metal ions which act as redox centres. They illustrate in particular how the combined armoury of genetics and structure determination at the molecular level are providing unprecedented new tools for molecular engineering.

This book collates and reviews recent advances in the microbial metabolism of amino acids, emphasizing diversity - in terms of the range of organisms under investigation and their natural ecology - and the unique features of amino acid metabolism in bacteria, yeasts, fungi, protozoa and nematodes. As well as studying the individual amino acids, including arginine, sulfur amino acids, branched-chain amino acids and aromatic amino acids, a number of themes are explored throughout the work. These include: - Comparative issues between the metabolism of microbes and those of higher organisms, including plants and mammals - Potential for drug targets in pathways of both biosynthesis and degradation of amino acids - Relationship between amino acids or associated enzymes and virulence in parasitic pathogens - Practical implications for food microbiology and pathogen characterization - Future priorities relating to fundamental biochemistry of microrganisms, food quality and safety, human and animal health, plant pathology, drug design and ecology As the volume of research into the metabolism of amino acids grows, this comprehensive study of the subject is a vital tool for researchers in the fields of biological, medical and veterinary sciences, including microbiology, biochemistry, genetics and pathology. This book is also essential for corporate organizations with active research and development programmes, such as those in the pharmaceutical industry.

It is by no means a revelation that proteins are not uniformly distributed throughout the cell. As a result, the idea that protein molecules, because of the specificity with which they can engage in interactions with other proteins, may be aimed-via these interactions-at a restricted target, is a fundamental one in contemporary molecular life sciences. The target may be variously c- ceived as a specific molecule, a group of molecules, a structure, or a more generic type of intracellular environment. Because the concept of protein targeting is intuitive rather than expl- itly defined, it has been variously used by different groups of researchers in cell biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology. For those working in the field of intracellular signaling, an influential introduction to the topic was the seminal article by Hubbard & Cohen (TIBS [1993] 18, 172-177), which was based on the work of Cohen's laboratory on protein phosphatases. Sub- quently, the ideas that they discussed have been further developed and extended by many workers to other key intermediaries in intracellular sign- ing, including protein kinases and a great variety of modulator and adaptor proteins.

Concentrating on the nutrient bioavailability of vitamins, this text provides comprehensive reference material, emphasizing analysis, chemical structure and nomenclature, intestinal absorption and transport, and interaction with other nutrients. The book should be of interest to all those working with vitamins, including biochemists, nutritionists and dieticians, food and feed scientists, medical researchers and in the libraries of all establishments where the subject is studied, researched or taught.

Introduction to Protein Structure gives an up-to-date account of the principles of protein structure, with examples of key proteins in their biological context generously illustrated in full colour to illuminate the structural principles described in the text. The first few chapters introduces the general principles of protein structure both for novices and for non-specialists needing a primer. Subsequent chapters use specific examples of proteins to show how they fulfil a wide variety of biological functions. The book ends with chapters on the experimental approach to determining and predicting protein structure, as well as engineering new proteins to modify their functions.

New textbooks at all levels of chemistry appear with great regularity. Some fields like basic biochemistry, organic reaction mechanisms, and chemical thermodynamics are well represented by many excellent texts, and new or revised editions are published sufficiently often to keep up with progress in research. However, some areas of chemistry, especially many of those taught at the graduate level, suffer from a real lack of up-to-date textbooks. The most serious needs occur in fields that are rapidly changing. Textbooks in these subjects usually have to be written by scientists actually involved in the research which is advancing the field. It is not often easy to persuade such individuals to set time aside to help spread the knowledge they have accumulated. Our goal, in this series, is to pinpoint areas of chemistry where recent progress has outpaced what is covered in any available textbooks, and then seek out and persuade experts in these fields to produce relatively concise but instructive introductions to their fields. These should serve the needs of one semester or one quarter graduate courses in chemistry and biochemistry. In some cases the availability of texts in active research areas should help stimulate the creation of new courses.