Volume Two of this two-volume sequence presents a comprehensive overview of protein structure prediction methods and includes protein threading, De novo methods, applications to membrane proteins and protein complexes, structure-based drug design, as well as structure prediction as a systems problem. A series of appendices review the biological and chemical basics related to protein structure, computer science for structural informatics, and prerequisite mathematics and statistics.

One ofthe major drivers in biological research is the establishment ofstructures and functions of the 50,000 or so proteins in our bodies. Each has a characteristic- dimensional structure, highly "ordered" yet "disordered"! This structure is essential for a protein's function and, significantly, it must be sustained in the competitive and complex environment of the living cell. It is now being recognised that when a cell loses control, proteins can se- assemble into more complex supermolecular structures such as the amyloid fibres and plaques associated with the pathogenesis of prion (CJD) or age-related (Alzheimer's) diseases. This is a pointer to the wider significance of the self-assembling properties of polypeptides. It has been long known that, in silk, polypeptides are assembled into- sheet structures which impart on the material its highly exploitable properties of flexibility combined with high tensile strength. But only now emerging is the recognition that peptides can Self-assemble into a wide variety of non-protein-like structures, including fibrils, fibres, tubules, sheets and monolayers. These are exciting observations and, more so, the potential for materials and medical exploitations is so wide ranging that over 80 scientists from Europe, USA, Japan and Israel. met 1-6 July 1999 in Crete, to discuss the wide-ranging implications of these novel developments. There was a spirit of excitement about the workshop indicative of an important new endeavor. The emerging perception is that of a new class of materials set to become commercially viable early in the 21st century.

Due to the vital biological importance of RNA and proteins functioning together within a cell, a protocol volume describing experimental procedures to study their interactions should find a home in many laboratories. RNA-Protein Interaction Protocols, Second Edition updates, complements, and expands upon the popular first edition by providing a collection of cutting-edge techniques developed or refined in the past few years along with tried-and-true methods. The expert contributors explore the isolation and characterization of RNA-protein complexes, the analysis and measurement of RNA-protein interaction, and related novel techniques and strategies. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, the chapters include brief introductions to the material, lists of necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and a Notes section which highlights tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and up-to-date, RNA-Protein Interaction Protocols, Second Edition is an ideal guide for researchers continuing the study of this all-important biological partnership.

Protein phosphorylation controls many basic cellular processes, such as cell growth, differentiation, migration, metabolism, and cell death, and its study can provide key insights into the signal transduction pathways that are activated in cells in response to different stimuli, such as growth factor stimulation or exposure to toxicants. In Phospho-Proteomics: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers contribute both well-established protocols and some of the newest strategies for the identification and evaluation of protein phosphorylation on Tyr, Ser, and Thr residues, including topics such as 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and protein phosphorylation, enrichment of phospho-proteins and peptides, quantitative analysis of phosphorylation by labeling and MS analysis, and antibody and kinase arrays. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include brief introductions to their respective subjects, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Phospho-Proteomics: Methods and Protocols is an ideal reference for both new and experienced scientists who wish to gain insight into the current developments in the field and to find inspiration to pursue its future.

Intended for Molecular Biologists, Biochemists, and Geneticists interested in manipulating and analyzing the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway, this volume offers various detailed chapters on experimental description, including anecdotal pointers and notes.

In this book, a select group of researchers has contributed their state-of-the-art methodologies on protein profiling and identification of disease biomarkers in tissues, microdissected cells and body fluids. The book integrates biochemistry, pathology, analytical technology, bioinformatics, and proteome informatics. Experimental approaches are thoroughly detailed and explained through a step-by-step instructional format that ensures successful results.

This book is specifically about the application of the extremely powerful interaction between the protein avidin or its homologues and the vitamin biotin and some of its homologues. With excellent descriptions of laboratory protocols written by expert researchers, this volume is equally perfect for the student or the professional laboratory scientist.

This book surveys the current knowledge concerning the expression and function of stress proteins in different organisms, ranging from prokaryotes to humans. It provides an overview of the diversity and complex evolutionary history of cell stress proteins and describes their function and expression in different eukaryote models. The book will appeal to researchers and scientists in biochemistry, cell biology, microbiology, immunology, and genetics.

This is the first book to examine organelle proteomics in depth.

It begins by introducing the different analytical strategies developed and successfully utilized to study organelle proteomes, and detailing the use of multidimensional liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for peptide sample analysis. Detailed protocols are provided and a section is devoted to methods enabling a global estimate of the reliability of the protein list assigned to an organelle.

This is a fully up-dated and expanded practical guide to protein structure-function relationships. This important area of research is brought up-to-date by the leading scientists in the field. The compilation of detailed protocols focuses on protein function, proteome research and characterization of pharmaceutical proteins, while following the successful format of the Methods in Molecular Biology series. Comprehensive and cutting edge, the book serves as practical guide for researchers working in the field of protein structure-function relationships and the rapidly growing field of proteomics, as well as scientists in the pharmaceutical industries.

Post-translational protein modifications by members of the ubiquitin family are widely recognized as important regulatory control systems for a variety of biological pathways. Their influence on eukaryotic cellular metabolism is comparable to that of other modifi- tions such as phosphorylation, acetylation and methylation. The small ubiquitin-related modifier SUMO uses a conjugation and de-conjugation system closely related to that of ubiquitin itself; yet, the functions of the SUMO system are highly diverse and largely independent of the ubiquitin system. SUMO modification controls the activity of tr- scription factors and can influence protein stability, but it also contributes to nucleo-cy- plasmic transport, chromosome segregation and DNA damage repair. As a consequence, the SUMO system pervades virtually all areas of basic molecular and cell biology, and scientists from different backgrounds, including medical researchers, are likely to enco- ter SUMO in the course of their studies. This volume, SUMO Protocols, therefore aims at presenting a collection of methods relevant to SUMO research in order to make these tools available to biochemists, molecular and cell biologists as well as research-oriented clinicians not yet familiar with the system. In contrast to the ubiquitin system, which has been the subject of several reviews and methods collections, no practical compendium entirely devoted to SUMO has been p- lished.

In the areas of biochemistry and cell biology, characterizations of stability and molecular interactions call for a quantitative approach with a level of precision that matches the fine tuning of these interactions in a living cell. Supporting and up-dating previous Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) volumes, Protein Structure, Stability, and Interactions approaches its subject with a focus on theory and practical applications for both established methods as well as exciting new procedures. The volume presents an overview of many techniques currently used to study protein stability and interactions, including scanning and titration calorimetry, spectroscopic methods, high field NMR, and analytical ultracentrifugation. As a volume of the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series, this work provides the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is crucial for getting optimal results. Cutting-edge and easy to reference, Protein Structure, Stability, and Interactions is an ideal guide for all scientists interested in biomolecular interactions.

Amino acids are featured in course syllabuses and in project and research work over a wide spectrum of subject areas in chemistry and biology. Chemists and biochemists using amino acids have many common needs when they turn to the literature for comprehensive information. Among these common interests, analytical studies, in particular, have undergone rapid development in recent years. All other chemical and biochemical aspects of amino acids - synthesis, properties and reactions, preparation of derivatives for use in peptide synthesis, racemization and other fundamental mechanistic knowledge - have been the subject of vigorous progress. This book offers a thorough treatment of all these developing areas, and is structured in the belief that biochemists, physiologists and others will profit from access to information on topics such as the physical chemistry of amino acid solutions, as well as from thorough coverage of amino acid metabolism, biosynthesis and enzyme inhibition; and that chemists will find relevant material in biological areas as well as in the analysis, synthesis and reactions of amino acids.

A comprehensive guide to the revolutionary area of systems biology and its application in cell culture engineering, this volume presents an overall picture of the current topics central to structural and functional genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and bioinformatics, including such hot topics as RNAi, metabolic engineering and unfolded protein response. It includes reviews of the cellular response of environmental modulation such as low temperature and osmolarity, critical assessments of the applications of metabolomics and fluxomics approaches, examination of the utility of modulation of key genes and a presentation of a theory of chemical organisation which provides a new view of the system's structure. The clearly written chapters by experts in the field describe methods applicable to investigating the unique facets of cell culture. The book should be of interest to all those working in cell culture development and drug discovery in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as well as in academic institutions. It provides an invaluable resource for students and researchers in biotechnology, cell culture, genomics and bioinformatics.

This volume presents the proceedings of the Fourth Annual Symposium on the Molecular Biology of Hemopoiesis, held in Reno, Nevada, November 1 and 2, 1988. Its focus on erythropoiesis represents an attempt to cover a rapidly expanding field, which has gone from elegant studies of erythro poietin physiology, to molecular biology, to clinical applications and again to physiology. The rapid development has been made possible by cloning of erythropoietin gene and the availability of recombinant hormone. The regulation of heme and its derivatives has also been aided by techniques of molecular biology; there is now a concerted effort to better understand how these enzymes contribute to proliferation, differentiation and maturation of the erythron. Globin gene derrangements have been targets of recent research in an attempt to correct the defect by genetic engineering. In the chapters of this book, several groups "expressed" their views on this subject. Finally, we analyze various regulators of erythropoiesis, both in vivo and in vitro. Dr. Richard Levere was a pioneer in many studies of heme metabolism and of erythropoiesis. He has been a generous supporter of research in this field and of our past meetings. It is only. fitting that this volume should be dedicated to him."

This volume collects new information on the genomics of saprophytic soil Pseudomonas, as well as functions related to genomic islands. It explores life styles in different settings and sheds further insights on the wide metabolic potential of this microbe for the removal of pollutants and production of added-value products. This volume also explores how Pseudomonas responds and reacts to environmental signals, including detection of cell density.

Advanced biotechnologies enable breeders to produce a whole generation of new crops for specialist needs ("designer crops"), including raw materials for the energy, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This book provides concerns useful to promote an increase of the productivity of crops by using functional genomics (to understand the regulation of plant metabolism at molecular, cellular and whole plants), and the improvement of photosynthetic efficiency (to design new plants with enhanced raw materials percent and recovery). Fundamental thematics have been addressed: metabolic engineering, plant breeding tools, renewable biomass for energy generation, fibres and composites, biopharmaceuticals. The gained know how is relevant to identify bottlenecks in the major production chains and to propose actions for moving these issues forward: in particular to; i) produce new compounds by expressing foreign heterologous genes; ii) modify pathways to influence quality and/or yield of existing indigenous molecules; iii) bioprocess plant or organic waste stream into value-added products. The chapters of this book have been written by experts from all around the world. Consequently, this book is expected to be of great interest to scientists, researchers, farmers, processors and retailers, but also to students, technocrats and planners interested in the progress made with the development of new industrial crops.

An accurate description of current scientific developments in the field of bioinformatics and computational implementation is presented by research of the BioSapiens Network of Excellence. Bioinformatics is essential for annotating the structure and function of genes, proteins and the analysis of complete genomes and to molecular biology and biochemistry.

Included is an overview of bioinformatics, the full spectrum of genome annotation approaches including; genome analysis and gene prediction, gene regulation analysis and expression, genome variation and QTL analysis, large scale protein annotation of function and structure, annotation and prediction of protein interactions, and the organization and annotation of molecular networks and biochemical pathways. Also covered is a technical framework to organize and represent genome data using the DAS technology and work in the annotation of two large genomic sets: HIV/HCV viral genomes and splicing alternatives potentially encoded in 1% of the human genome.

This book outlines three emergent disciplines, which are now poised to engineer a paradigm shift from hypothesis- to data-driven research: theoretical immunology, immunoinformatics, and Artificial Immune Systems. It details how these disciplines will enable new understanding to emerge from the analysis of complex datasets. Coverage shows how these three are set to transform immunological science and the future of health care.

The many books that have been published on bioinformatics tend toward either of two extremes: those that feature computational details with a great deal of mathematics, for computational scientists and mathematicians; and those that treat bioinformatics as a giant black box, for biologists. This is the first book using comprehensive numerical illustration of mathematical techniques and computational algorithms used in bioinformatics that converts molecular data into organized biological knowledge.

As studies using microarray technology have evolved, so have the data analysis methods used to analyze these experiments. The CAMDA (Critical Assessment of Microarray Data Analysis) conference was the first to establish a forum for a cross section of researchers to look at a common data set and apply innovative analytical techniques to microarray data. Methods of Microarray Analysis V includes selected papers from CAMDA'04, and focuses on data sets relating to a significant global health issue, malaria. Previous books focused on classification (V. I), pattern recognition (V. II), quality control issues (V. III), and associating array data with a survival endpoint, lung cancer, (V. IV). The contributions come from research fields including statistics, biology, computer science and mathematics. Part of the book is devoted to review papers, which provide a more general look at various analytical approaches. It also presents some background readings for the advanced topics discussed in the CAMDA papers.

In one volume this book provides useful and innovative protocols developed specifically for the proteomic profiling of human tissues. The book provides high-throughput gel-based techniques, microarrays and a number of other methods used in proteomic research. This important book will prove indispensable to investigators of biomarker discovery and therapeutic response profiling, as well as those forging new paths in the fields of theranostics and personalized medicine.

The biological interactions of living organisms, and protein-protein interactions in particular, are astonishingly diverse. This comprehensive book provides a broad, thorough and multidisciplinary coverage of its field. It integrates different approaches from bioinformatics, biochemistry, computational analysis and systems biology to offer the reader a comprehensive global view of the diverse data on protein-protein interactions and protein interaction networks.

Actin is an extremely abundant protein that comprises a dynamic polymeric network present in all eukaryotic cells, known as the actin cytoskeleton. The structure and function of the actin cytoskeleton, which is modulated by a plethora of actin-binding proteins, performs a diverse range of cellular roles. Well-documented functions for actin include: providing the molecular tracks for cytoplasmic streaming and organelle movements; formation of tethers that guide the cell plate to the division site during cytokinesis; creation of honeycomb-like arrays that enmesh and immobilize plastids in unique subcellular patterns; supporting the vesicle traffic and cytoplasmic organization essential for the directional secretory mechanism that underpins tip growth of certain cells; and coordinating the elaborate cytoplasmic responses to extra- and intracellular signals. The previous two decades have witnessed an immense accumulation of data relating to the cellular, biochemical, and molecular aspects of all these fundamental cellular processes. This prompted the editors to put together a diverse collection of topics, contributed by established international experts, related to the plant actin cytoskeleton. Because the actin cytoskeleton impinges on a multitude of processes critical for plant growth and development, as well as for responses to the environment, the book will be invaluable to any researcher, from the advanced undergraduate to the senior investigator, who is interested in these areas of plant cell biology.

This volume provides a unique collection of detailed chapters from some of the leading research groups in the world, many of which have made key discoveries in the field. This allows for particularly insightful discussion of the current understanding of Rho function.

Work on signal transduction pathways involving Rho family GTPases started some ten years ago. There is now a realization that these highly conserved molecular switches not only serve to coordinate cytoskeletal organization but also impact on diverse aspects of cell biology such as membrane trafficking, transcriptional regulation and mitotic progression.

Humans contain more than 20 Rho type GTPases. This volume not only presents a detailed phylogenetic analysis of Rho proteins, but also discusses the possible origins of the human members. Such an analysis of human Rho GTPases has not previously been attempted.

The book includes an overview of how Rho GTPases become activated which is complemented by an extensive Chapter by Darerca Owen and Helen Mott who unravel the beautiful molecular details given to us by the many structural studies of Rho GTPases.

The key areas currently being investigated in relation to these ubiquitous proteins are described for both in vitro and in vivo systems. These are presented in a format that ensures the reader can approach the topic with minimal background knowledge, while ultimately bringing the subject to the level of an expert. Timely and highly authoritative, this volume illuminates newer findings, particularly as they relate to Rho proteins in vertebrate biology.