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.

This is an in-depth guide to the theory and practice of analyzing raw mass spectrometry (MS) data in proteomics. The volume outlines available bioinformatics programs, algorithms, and databases available for MS data analysis. General guidelines for data analysis using search engines such as Mascot, Xtandem, and VEMS are provided, with specific attention to identifying poor quality data and optimizing search parameters.

First methods book which includes many detailed descriptions

Absolutely needed and thus timely for the scientific community

Comprises 15% more content and includes the mentioned special features

Researchers in structural genomics continue to search for biochemical and cellular functions of proteins as well as the ways in which proteins assemble into functional pathways and networks using either experimental or computational approaches. Based on the experience of leading international experts, Structural Genomics and High Throughput Structural Biology details state-of-the-art analytical and computational methods used to reveal the three-dimensional structure and function of proteins. A historical perspective and a detailed guide to the production of protein material for structural determination, a key step in the process, lay the necessary foundation for discussing the most effective structure determination technologies, such as X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. Encouraging the study of genes and proteins of unknown structure in order to discover new information about folding, specific structural features, or function, Structural Genomics and High Throughput Structural Biology presents the methods used to interpret the sequences of proteins in a structural context, giving insight into their function. It also explains how to extract information from public data repositories and how to account for variability and accuracy in the quality of this data. The book concludes with a discussion of practical applications of therapeutically driven structural genomics, and presents future directions in the field. Structural Genomics and High Throughput Structural Biology offers a comprehensive guide to the theoretical, technological, and experimental methodologies used to derive structural information from encoded proteins by renowned and world leading scientists in the field.

First introduced to biomedical research in 1980, the term biomarker has taken on a life of its own in recent years and has come to mean a number of things. In biomedical science, biomarker has evolved to most commonly mean a characteristic that can be used either as a diagnostic or a prognostic, but most significantly as a screening indicator for pathologies that tend to be somewhat silent prior to overt clinical display. Applying scientific rigor, as well as a disciplined approach to nomenclature, Roger Lundblad's Development and Application of Biomarkers rationalizes the current enthusiasm for biomarkers with the use of well-established clinical laboratory analytes in clinical medicine. Highly respected for his work as both a classical protein scientist and as a pioneer in proteomics, Dr. Lundblad catalogs various biomarkers recognized in clinical medicine and, where possible, matches the expectations for advances in screening technologies with the realities of statistical analysis. More specifically, this important reference: Details an extensive list of biomarkers for various stages of a number of cancer types including ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, and breast cancer Looks at how proteomics is used for the discovery and validation of biomarkers Explores the use of microarray technology, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography, and computational bioinformatic approaches for the discovery and use of biomarkers Examines the use of cells and cell fragments as more complex biomarkers Organizes a host of significant biomarkers and essential research by type and use in a series of readily accessible tables Throughout this volume, Dr. Lundblad encourages consideration of biomarkers more as a concept than as laboratory analytes, emphasizing the relation between the discovery of a biomarker and the biology underlying its production. Ultimately, it is a thorough understanding of that underlying biology that will lead to the development of assays that are robust and reproducible, as well as clinically significant.

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.

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.

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.

Plant lectins are extensively used as tools and as bioactive proteins in different areas of biomedical and biological research. The Handbook of Plant Lectins provides a comprehensive yet concise overview of the biochemical properties, carbohydrate-binding specificity, biological activities and applications of most of the currently known plant lectins. This handbook consists of two major sections: an introductory guide and a quick reference dictionary. Part I acquaints the newcomer to the lectin field with the essential information on lectins and their importance to biomedicine:

• what are lectins?
• their carbohydrate-binding specificity
• effects on nutrition and immunology
• use in histochemistry
• application as therapeutic agents

• isolation and characterisation;
• sugar binding specificity;
• biological activities;
• applications;
• commercial availability; and,
• a bibliography.

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.

Intracellular Signalling Proteins, Volume 116, presents an overview of the current developments in mechanisms of intracellular signaling and involvement of these mechanisms in the development of a number of disorders and diseases. Opportunities for targeting the intracellular signaling cascades for benefiting patients are also discussed, along with chapters that focus on Voices from the Dead: The Complex Language of Dead Cells, Nucleobindins and Encoded Peptides: From Cell Signalling to Physiology, Estrogen Receptor Signaling Mechanisms, Intracellular Signaling of the AMP-Activating Protein Kinase, the Relationship between Mitofusin 2 and Cancer, Molecular Signaling in Bone Cells: Regulation Cell Differentiation and Survival, and more.

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."

Protein Methods by Daniel M. Bollag, Michael D. Rozycki, Stuart J. Edelstein

Reviews from the first edition
"...it is very well written...would certainly be of use to undergraduate and postgraduate students entering the complex world of protein preparation and to more experienced scientists entering this field for the first time." —Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry

"The book presents these topics with loads of practical detail, so that the reader has little need to consult other reference sources to carry out the techniques described. All in all, a useful book..." —Theoretical & Applied Genetics

"...clearly written with protocols that are easy to follow and the text is well spread-out and easy to read...all methods are fully referenced...a useful book for beginners at a reasonable price." —FEBS Letters

This revised and expanded Second Edition of Protein Methods remains the first source for a complete summary of tested and proven protein techniques. Now divided into two parts, the book begins with the essential chapters from the first edition, updated to reflect important changes in methodology. The chapter on protein isolation includes a new section focusing on the isolation of proteins from inclusion bodies. In the second section, four new chapters are devoted to protein purification and crystallization.

Chapters include

• Preparation for Protein Isolation
• Protein Extraction and Solubilization
• Protein Concentration Determination
• Concentrating Protein Solutions
• Gel Electrophoresis Under Denaturing Conditions
• Gel Electrophoresis Under

• reagent items and equipment required for each method
• chapter "view-at-a-glance" tabs
• illustrations for all gel applications and other methods
• complete supplier list
• appendices of basic chemical parameters and molecular data
• key references
• descriptive tables
• Safety notes.

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.

An Introduction to Peptide Chemistry P. D. Bailey, University of York Peptide chemistry is a key area in natural product chemistry, combining aspects of analysis, synthesis and biochemistry. In recent years peptide chemistry has emerged as a discipline in its own right, distinct from amino acid chemistry and protein chemistry. The importance of peptide chemistry is reflected in the intense research interest, exemplified by the progress made in solid-phase peptide synthesis. Recent developments in the determination and prediction of the three-dimensional structure of peptides, and in our understanding and control of their biosynthesis, have led to dramatic advances in the field. This book is intended as a short treatise on peptide chemistry aimed at upper-level undergraduates studying chemistry and biochemistry. This concise account has been thoughtfully presented; emphasis is placed on the principles of peptide chemistry, and how these relate to organic, physical, and biological chemistry.

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 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.

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."

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.

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.

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.