Defining and understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms that are relevant to women's health has become a critical area of scientific pursuit. Until recently, very little effort has been place on defining or understanding critical differences between women and men that may be critical to the overall health of the woman. In 1990, the National Institutes of Health recognized this gap in knowledge resulting in the creation of the Office of Research on Women's Health. One of the purposes of this office was to advance the understanding of health issues from the women's perspective from both a basic and clinical scientific perspective. From a scientific evolution of understanding, the existence of this office is new and thus there has not been enough time for new information to integrate itself in our current scientific thought process. This book will seek to capture and disseminate our current understanding of scientific advancements relevant to women's health and provide the information to a broad audience. The purpose of this work is to discuss recent advancements in basic science across three areas of concern for women's health. In addition, the book will provide "translational" chapters that attempt to place the basic science work in context within our current understanding of the human. Although it is well acknowledge that gender differences exist across organ function which translates into differences in whole body function, until recently little effort has been made to define basic mechanisms within various tissues within the woman. This work will focus on recent scientific findings that are relevant to women's health and to provide novel and relevant information to interested scientists and clinicians.

Medicinal chemistry is both science and art. The science of medicinal chemistry offers mankind one of its best hopes for improving the quality of life. The art of medicinal chemistry continues to challenge its practitioners with the need for both intuition and experience to discover new drugs. Hence sharing the experience of drug research is uniquely beneficial to the field of medicinal chemistry. Drug research requires interdisciplinary team-work at the interface between chemistry, biology and medicine. Therefore, the topic-related series Topics in Medicinal Chemistry covers all relevant aspects of drug research, e.g. pathobiochemistry of diseases, identification and validation of (emerging) drug targets, structural biology, drugability of targets, drug design approaches, chemogenomics, synthetic chemistry including combinatorial methods, bioorganic chemistry, natural compounds, high-throughput screening, pharmacological in vitro and in vivo investigations, drug-receptor interactions on the molecular level, structure-activity relationships, drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, toxicology and pharmacogenomics. In general, special volumes are edited by well known guest editors.

ss-barrel outer membrane channel proteins (OMP) are useful as robust and flexible models or components in nanotechnology. Over the last decade biotechnological techniques allowed to expand the natural characteristics of OMPs by modifying their geometry and properties. The present book is oriented towards a broad group of readers including graduate students and advanced researchers. It gives a general introduction to the field of OMP based nano-component development as well as the state of the art of the involved research. On the example of the E. coli FhuA the transformation of an OMP into a tailored nano-channel will be outlined. An exhaustive description of the scientific strategy, including protein selection, analytical methods and "in-silico" tools to support the planning of protein modifications for a targeted application, consideration on the production of a custom made OMP, and an overview on technological applications including membrane/polymersome technology, will be provided.

This book describes more than 60 web-accessible computational tools for protein analysis and is totally practical, with detailed explanations on how to use these tools and interpret their results and minimal mentions to their theoretical basis (only when that is required for making a better use of them). It covers a wide range of tools for dealing with different aspects of proteins, from their sequences, to their three-dimensional structures, and the biological networks they are immersed in. The selection of tools is based on the experience of the authors that lead a protein bioinformatics facility in a large research centre, with the additional constraint that the tools should be accessible through standard web browsers without requiring the local installation of specific software, command-line tools, etc. The web tools covered include those aimed to retrieve protein information, look for similar proteins, generate pair-wise and multiple sequence alignments of protein sequences, work with protein domains and motifs, study the phylogeny of a family of proteins, retrieve, manipulate and visualize protein three-dimensional structures, predict protein structural features as well as whole three-dimensional structures, extract biological information from protein structures, summarize large protein sets, study protein interaction and metabolic networks, etc. The book is associated to a dynamic web site that will reflect changes in the web addresses of the tools, updates of these, etc. It also contains QR codes that can be scanned with any device to direct its browser to the tool web site. This monograph will be most valuable for researchers in experimental labs without specific knowledge on bioinformatics or computing.

The genomes of cellular organisms are organized as double-stranded DNA, a structure that must be unwound to provide DNA replication, recombination, and repair machinery access to genomic information. However, DNA unwinding comes with inherent risks to genome stability. To help mediate these risks, bacterial, archael, and eukaryotic cells have evolved protective ssDNA-binding proteins (SSBs) that bind ssDNA with high affinity and specificity. SSBs also aid genome metabolic processes through direct interactions with key proteins in genome maintenance enzymes. Single-Stranded DNA Binding Proteins: Methods and Protocols assembles methods developed for examining the fundamental properties of SSBs and for exploiting the biochemical functions of SSBs for their use as in vitro and in vivo reagents. Clearly and concisely organized, the volume opens with an introduction to the structures and functions of SSBs, followed protocols for studying SSB/DNA complexes, methods for studying SSB/heterologous protein complexes, protocols for interrogating post-translational modifications of SSBs, and concludes with uses of fluorescently-labeled SSBs for in vitro and in vivo studies of genome maintenance processes. Written in the 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 protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Single-Stranded DNA Binding Proteins: Methods and Protocols provides a rich introduction for investigators who are interested in this fascinating family of DNA-binding proteins.

The second edition covers a wide range of protein-protein interaction detection topics. Protein-Protein Interactions: Methods and Applications focuses on core technological platforms used to study protein-protein interactions and cutting-edge technologies that reflect recent scientific advances and the emerging focus on therapeutic discovery. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. These well-detailed protocols describe methods for identifying protein-protein interaction partners, analyzing of protein-protein interactions quantitatively and qualitatively, monitoring protein-protein interactions in live cells, and predicting and determining interaction interfaces. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Protein-Protein Interactions: Methods and Applications, Second Edition is a valuable resource that will enable readers to elucidate the mechanisms of protein-protein interactions, determine the role of these interactions in diverse biological processes, and target protein-protein interactions for therapeutic discovery.

When I was asked to edit the second edition of Protein NMR Techniques, my first thought was that the time was ripe for a new edition. The past several years have seen a surge in the development of novel methods that are truly revolutionizing our ability to characterize biological macromolecules in terms of speed, accuracy, and size limitations. I was particularly excited at the prospect of making these techniques accessible to all NMR labs and for the opportunity to ask the experts to divulge their hints and tips and to write, practically, about the methods. I commissioned 19 chapters with wide scope for Protein NMR Techniques, and the volume has been organized with numerous themes in mind. Chapters 1 and 2 deal with recombinant protein expression using two organisms, E. coli and P. pastoris, that can produce high yields of isotopically labeled protein at a reasonable cost. Staying with the idea of isotopic labeling, Chapter 3 describes methods for perdeuteration and site-specific protonation and is the first of several chapters in the book that is relevant to studies of higher molecular weight systems. A different, but equally powerful, method that uses molecular biology to "edit" the spectrum of a large molecule using segmental labeling is presented in Chapter 4. Having successfully produced a high molecular weight target for study, the next logical step is data acquisition. Hence, the final chapter on this theme, Chapter 5, describes TROSY methods for stru- ural studies.

Proteomics is a multifaceted, interdisciplinary field which studies the complexity and dynamics of proteins in biological systems. It combines powerful separation and analytical technology with advanced informatics to understand the function of proteins in the cell and in the body. This book provides a clear conceptual description of each facet of proteomics, describes recent advances in technology and thinking in each area, and provides details of how these have been applied to a variety of biological problems. It is written by expert practitioners in the field, from industry, research institutions, and the clinic. It provides junior and experienced researchers with an invaluable proteomic reference, and gives fascinating glimpses of the future of this dynamic field. Written for: Libraries, institutes; scientists

This volume describes prominent methodologies developed by laboratories that have been leading the field of quantitative proteomics by mass spectrometry. The procedures for performing the experiments are described in an easy-to-understand manner with many technical details that usually are not reported in typical research articles. This second edition of Quantitative Proteomics by Mass Spectrometry provides a broad perspective of the methodologies used for quantifying proteins and post-translational modifications in different types of biomedical specimens. 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 thorough, Quantitative Proteomics by Mass Spectrometry, Second Edition is a valuable resource to help researchers understand and learn about the latest tools used in the study of quantitative proteomics by mass spectrometry.

Hands-on researchers describe in step-by-step detail 73 proven laboratory methods and bioinformatics tools essential for analysis of the proteome. These cutting-edge techniques address such important tasks as sample preparation, 2D-PAGE, gel staining, mass spectrometry, and post-translational modification. There are also readily reproducible methods for protein expression profiling, identifying protein-protein interactions, and protein chip technology, as well as a range of newly developed methodologies for determining the structure and function of a protein. The bioinformatics tools include those for analyzing 2D-GEL patterns, protein modeling, and protein identification. All laboratory-based protocols follow the successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, each offering step-by-step laboratory instructions, an introduction outlining the principle behind the technique, lists of the necessary equipment and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

The book focuses on the latest discoveries on calreticulin, calnexin and other endoplasmic reticulum proteins. Calreticulin has been implicated to affect diverse cellular function and play a role in many pathologies including protein folding disorders, cardiac pathologies, cancer and autoimmunity. This book contains contributions from the world leaders in the area of endoplasmic reticulum function, protein folding, Calcium homeostasis and autoimmunity. It raises many intriguing questions about calreticulin, calnexin and the endoplasmic reticulum and gives a unique opportunity to realize the significance of these calcium-binding chaperones. The book is unique in every respect and we are not aware of any other publication focusing on these aspects of endoplasmic reticulum biology. Because of a central role of endoplasmic reticulum, calreticulin and calnexin in virtually all cellular functions, the book should be of interest to everyone in the biological sciences.

Human Protein Metabolism is a succinct review of hundreds of studies on the regulation of protein mass and protein turnover in the human body. The biochemistry of protein synthesis and breakdown is summarized, and the methods that are used to examine protein metabolism in humans are explained, and their limitations discussed. The book includes chapters that review the effects of nutrition, hormones, metabolic substrates, and physical activity. Various topics of clinical interest are covered, including cancer, diabetes, tissue injury, pregnancy, renal disease, muscular dystrophies, and other conditions. Normal values are presented for turnover of proteins in the whole body and individual organs, and for turnover of many individual proteins. This book will be a valuable resource for physiologists, nutritionists, and clinicians interested in the regulation of body protein stores in health and disease. For scientists primarily interested in the basic aspects of protein metabolism, it shows how the basic knowledge is being applied to the study of humans.

A major direction in medical research leading to clinical applications targets the regulation of intracellular calcium and the various human diseases associated with an altered homeostasis of this global second messenger. These diseases include, for example: cardiomyopathy, inflammation, brain disorders, diabetes and cancer. In Calcium-Binding Proteins and RAGE: from Structural Basics to Clinical Applications,expert researchers in the field detail many of the methods which are now commonly used to study calcium binding proteins. These methods and techniques, such as calcium-measurements, screening methods, clinical chemistry, and therapy, are generally applicable to many other areas of basic and medical research as well as to diagnostics. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical,Calcium-Binding Proteins and RAGE: from Structural Basics to Clinical Applications underlines the diagnostic and clinical importance of this family of proteins in human diseases and as drug targets.

A comprehensive, state-of-the-art review of the biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, pharmacology, physiology, and pathology of natriuretic peptides. Written by the foremost researchers in the field, the reviews range from describing the actions of these peptides on the kidney, adrenal gland, vasculature, and brain, to their effects on immune regulation, reproduction, and cell growth. Special attention is given to the potential involvement of these hormones in clinical pathology and to their possible therapeutic use. Especially enlightening is the first-time review of molecular understanding of key cellular signaling pathways and of the importance of the vascular smooth muscle-endothelial interface.

This volume is a collection of the contributions presented at the 42nd Erice Crystallographic Course whose main objective was to train the younger generation on advanced methods and techniques for examining structural and dynamic aspects of biological macromolecules. The papers review the techniques used to study protein assemblies and their dynamics, including X-ray diffraction and scattering, electron cryo-electron microscopy, electro nanospray mass spectrometry, NMR, protein docking and molecular dynamics. A key theme throughout the book is the dependence of modern structural science on multiple experimental and computational techniques, and it is the development of these techniques and their integration that will take us forward in the future.

Even though they are present in nature, non-proteinogenic amino acids are usually defined as unnatural or non-natural. Beside their structural diversity, interest in these compounds is due to their occurrence in nature, their biological properties, the analytical aspects, their use as probes, and their incorporation into peptides and proteins, among other reasons. Divided into five convenient sections, "Unnatural Amino Acids: Methods and Protocols" deals with enzymatic methods used to produce non-natural amino acids, aspects concerning the presence of unnaturalamino acidsin peptides with antimicrobial properties, genetic incorporation of unnatural amino acidsinto proteins (yeast and mammalian cells), and detection and quantification of D-amino acids and related enzymes. Written in the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology " series format, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and accessible, "Unnatural Amino Acids: Methods and Protocols" serves as an ideal guide for scientists and contributes to directing the attention of researchers to the many fields of growing scientific interest in non-natural amino acids. "

The book is devoted to expanding current views on the phenomena of protein functionality in food systems. Protein functionalities in foods have been the object ofextensive research over the last thirty to forty years and significant progress has been made in understanding the mechanism and factors influencing the functionality of proteins. The functionality of proteins is one of the fastest developing fields in the studies of protein utilization in foods. Currently, a broad spectrum of data related to protein functionality in food systems has been collected, however, much more needs to be known. In this volume, the most important functional properties offood proteins are presented: Protein solubility, water holding capacity and fat binding, emulsifying, foaming, and gelling properties as affected by protein source, environmental factors (pH, temperature, ionic strength) and protein concentration; Relationships between protein conformation, physicochemical properties, and functional properties; Protein functional properties as influenced by various food processing conditions, particularly heat treatment, dehydration, freezing and storage when frozen, extraction and other processes; Effects ofprotein modification on the enhancementofprotein functionality; Utilization ofvarious proteins in improving functional properties in food systems. Those aspects of protein functionality are presented which the author believes to be interesting and most important for protein utilization in food systems. The book is recommended to students and food scientists engaged in food protein research and food industry research, and development scientists. Table ofContents Introduction 1 References 5 Chapter 1 Solubility ofProteins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1. 1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1. 1. 1 Factors Affecting Solubility ofProteins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The present book gives an overview on the similarities and differences of the various translation systems. Moreover, it highlights the mechanisms and control of translation in mitochondria and other organelles such as chloroplasts, plastids and apicoplasts in different organisms. Lastly, it offers an outlook on future developments and applications that might be made possible by a better understanding of translation in mitochondria and other organelles. "

The last several years have been a landmark period in the ubiquitin field. The breadth of ubiquitin's roles in cell biology was first sketched, and the importance of ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis as a regulatory mechanism gained general acceptance. The many strands of work that led to this new perception are re counted in this book. A consequence of this progress is that the field has grown dramatically since the first book on ubiquitin was published almost a decade ago M. Rechsteiner (ed. ), Ubiquitin, Plenum Press, 1988]. In this span, students of the cell cycle, transcription, signal transduction, protein sorting, neuropathology, cancer, virology, and immunology have attempted to chart the role of ubi quit in in their particular experimental systems, and this integration of the field into cell biology as a whole continues at a remarkable pace. We hope that for active researchers in the field as well as for newcomers and those on the fence, this book will prove helpful for its breadth, historical perspective, and practical tips. Structural data are now available on many of the components of the ubiquitin pathway. The structures have provided basic insights into the unusual biochemical mechanisms of ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated proteolysis. Because high-speed computer graphics can convey structures more effectively than print media, we have supplemented the figures of the book with a Worldwide Web site that can display the structures in a flexible, viewer-controlled format."

This thesis describes research into the mode of function, inhibition, and evolution of the ribosomal catalytic center, the Peptidyl Transferase Center (PTC)--research that has already led to attempts at improving PTC antibiotics. The PhD candidate carried out two parallel studies. One using a combination of X-ray crystallography, biochemistry, molecular biology, and theoretical studies to obtain crystal structures of ribosomal particles with antibiotics that target the PTC, revealing the modes of action, resistance, cross-resistance and discrimination between ribosomes of eubacterial pathogens and eukaryotic hosts. In the second parallel study, the candidate synthesized a ribosomal substructure--one that may represent the minimal entity capable of catalyzing peptide bond formation--shedding light on the origin of the ribosome itself. Content Level Research

Infrared spectroscopy is a new and innovative technology to study protein folding/misfolding events in the broad arsenal of techniques conventionally used in this field. The progress in understanding protein folding and misfolding is primarily due to the development of biophysical methods which permit to probe conformational changes with high kinetic and structural resolution. The most commonly used approaches rely on rapid mixing methods to initiate the folding event via a sudden change in solvent conditions. Traditionally, techniques such as fluorescence, circular dichroism or visible absorption are applied to probe the process. In contrast to these techniques, infrared spectroscopy came into play only very recently, and the progress made in this field up to date which now permits to probe folding events over the time scale from picoseconds to minutes has not yet been discussed in a book. The aim of this book is to provide an overview of the developments as seen by some of the main contributors to the field. The chapters are not intended to give exhaustive reviews of the literature but, instead to illustrate examples demonstrating the sort of information, which infrared techniques can provide and how this information can be extracted from the experimental data. By discussing the strengths and limitations of the infrared approaches for the investigation of folding and misfolding mechanisms this book helps the reader to evaluate whether a particular system is appropriate for studies by infrared spectroscopy and which specific advantages the techniques offer to solve specific problems.

Philip H. Howe and a group of well-versed experimentalists present the first major volume a collection of indispensable classic and cutting-edge TGFss assays. Described in great detail to ensure robust and successful results, these readily reproducible techniques range from the growth inhibition assay for TGFss to methods for monitoring its interactions with the mediating proteins. Extensive notes discuss potential pitfalls and provide tips on how to avoid failures, and throughout, emphasis is given to detailing those technical steps critical for experimental success that are often omitted in the primary literature.
Concise and highly practical, Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Protocols provides today's molecular and cell biologists-both expert and novice-with time-tested methods for the identification and analysis of the signal transduction pathways by which TGFss induces and modulates physiological behavior."

How one goes about analyzing proteins is a constantly evolving ?eld that is no longer solely the domain of the protein biochemist. Inves- gators from diverse disciplines ?nd 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 ?lled 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 't individual experimental situations. This second edition pays homage to the computer explosion and the various genome projects that have revolutionized how benchtop scienti?c research is performed. Bioinformatics and In silico science are here to stay. However, the second edition still includes recipes for preparing buffers and methods for lysing cells.