This volume presents detailed protocols for novel strategies and approaches to improve functional understanding of protein N- and C-terminal biology. Protein Terminal Profiling: Methods and Protocols addresses topics such as protease specificity profiling, N-terminal acetylation, assays to probe protease activity in cellular systems, protein N- and C-termini on a proteome-wide scale, and biochemical approaches to explain and examine extracellular protease activities. 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. < Cutting-edge and thorough, Protein Terminal Profiling: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers that focus on biochemistry and cell biology, and those who share a broad interest in protein functionality and protein modifications.

This book merges approaches in understanding the function of the light-gated ion channels known as channelrhodopsin together with methods addressing how channelrhodopsins can be used to address biomedical questions on a cellular or organismal level. Since the first molecular identification of channelrhodopsins, a broad range of tools have been created and new approaches developed to both better understand the molecular determinants of channelrhodopsin function as well as to use these and homologous proteins from a variety of species as tools to better understand physiological processes, which this volume addresses. Additionally, channelrhodopsins have become instrumental as a potential treatment for disease states. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Channelrhodopsin: Methods and Protocols provides a resource for those interested in honing their current expertise in this vital area of study as well as potentially branching out into new directions.

The book addresses the most recent developments in structural and functional proteomics underlying the recent contributions given in these areas by our laboratory to the instrumentations, the methods and the procedures as mutuated from the nanoscale sciences and technologies. These developments introduced in the last few years make now possible protein massive identification (mass spectrometry and biomolecular arrays down to nanoamounts) and protein structural characterization in solution and in crystals down to the atomic scale to an extent and to a degree so far unmatched. Emphasis is placed in the growth by nanobiofilm template of protein crystals of any type and size from millimeter to micron, leading in combination with microfocus synchrotron technology and atomic force microscopy to the definition of a new field called nanocrystallography. The few useful examples being shown, concerning yet structurally unsolved proteins, point this very promising approach nanotechnology-based in structural proteomics using highly focused X-rays. This has not to be confused with the important study of nanocrystals, both organic and inorganic, and novel diamond like nanocomposite materials and devices having 3D protein crystals as matrices to be equilibrated with nanoparticles/gold/silver to be utilized in the most diversified electronic applications here also summarized. vii Acknowledgments We are particularly grateful to Giuseppe Zanotti at the University of Padova for his fundamental collaboration during all the crystallographic studies.

Recent research suggests that adult growth hormone (GH) deficiency, whether of pathological or physiological origin, is associated with a dis tinct syndrome that includes alterations in body composition, endocrine metabolic function, immune competence, and physical and psychosocial well-being. Not surprisingly, substantial investigative effort is currently focused on validating the above hypothesis and on determining whether restoration of a normal GH-IGF-I axis in various states of adult GH deficiency is clinically useful, safe, and cost-beneficial. This book contains the proceedings from the Symposium on GHRH, GH, and IGF-I: Basic and Clinical Advances, held December 9 to 12, 1993, in San Diego, California, and sponsored by Serono Symposia USA, Inc. The conference was meant to highlight selected novel and exciting clinical research developments related to possible therapeutic uses of recombinant human GH and IGF-I, GHRH, GH releasing peptides, and related GH secretagogues. This meeting occurred only one year after a similar Serono symposium that was somewhat more oriented to novel basic science discoveries, thus attesting to the current scientific and clinical interest in this area."

Methods of proteomics have been shown to be powerful tools in search of target proteins - proteins that respond in cells to an internal or an external stimulus. Proteomics is widely used in biomedical research. However, in radiation biology research, following exposures of living matter to low doses of either ionizing or non-ionizing radiation, proteomics approach is only very slowly gaining support. This book, by presenting the current status of the use of proteomics in radiation biology, will help to attract attention to the field of radiation proteomics.

In this book, authors who are experts in their fields describe current advances on commercial crops and key enabling technologies that will underpin future advances in biotechnology. They discuss state of the art discoveries as well as future challenges. Tremendous progress has been made in introducing novel genes and traits into plant genomes since the first creation of transgenic plants thirty years ago, and the first commercialization of genetically modified maize in 1996. Consequently, cultivation of biotech crops with useful traits has increased more than 100-fold from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to over 175 million hectares globally in 2013. This achievement has been made possible by continued advances in understanding the basic molecular biology of regulatory sequences to modulate gene expression, enhancement of protein synthesis and new technologies for transformation of crop plants. This book has three sections that encompass knowledge on genetically modified (GM) food crops that are currently used by consumers, those that are anticipated to reach the market place in the near future and enabling technologies that will facilitate the development of next generation GM crops. Section I focuses only on genetically modified maize and soybean (3 chapters each), while Section II discusses the GM food crops rice, wheat, sorghum, vegetables and sugar cane. Section III covers exciting recent developments in several novel enabling technologies, including gene targeting, minichromosomes, and in planta transient expression systems.

"Hauser and Wagner have presented the new possibilities of Mammalian Cell Biology in a very informative and stimulating manner." Prof. Dr. Hans Fritz, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich

This second edition provides new and updated methods on the principles underlying modern protein analysis, from statistical issues to gel-based and mass spectrometry-based applications. Chapters detail protein quantification as basis for realisation of quantitative studies, gel-based and mass spectrometry-based quantification techniques, TMT, IPTL, PRM, MALDI Imaging, SILAC, PTM analysis, DIA, cross-linking, and the up-to-date topics of software and data analysis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Quantitative Methods in Proteomics, Second Edition aims to provide comprehensive and competent overview in the important and still growing field of quantitative proteomics.

Techniques in the neurosciences are evolving rapidly. There are currently very few volumes dedicated to the methodology - ployed by neuroscrentists, and those that are available often seem either out of date or limited in scope. This series is about the methods most widely used by modern-day neuroscientists and is written by their colleagues who are practicing experts. Volume 1 will be useful to all neuroscientists since rt concerns those procedures used routmely across the wrdest range of s- disciplines. Collecting these general techniques together in a single volume strikes us not only as a service, but will no doubt prove of exceptronal utrlitarran value as well. Volumes 2 and 3 describe current procedures for the analyses of amines and their metabolites and of amino acids, respectively. These collections will clearly be of value to all neuroscrentists working m or contemplating research m these fields. Similar reasons exist for Volume 4 on receptor binding techniques, since experimental details are provided for many types of hgand-receptor binding, including chapters on general prin- ples, drug discovery and development, and a most useful app- dix on computer programs for Scatchard, nonlinear, and compe- tive displacement analyses. Volume 5 provides procedures for the assessment of enzymes involved in neurotransmitter synthesis and catabolism. Volumes in the NEUROMETHODS series will be useful to neurochemists, -pharmacologists, -physiologrsts, -anatomrsts, psychopharmacologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and chemists (organic, analytical, pharmaceutical, medicinal); in fact, everyone involved m the neuroscrences, both basic and clmical.

This volume explores strategies and detailed protocols for the preparation of macromolecular complexes and their characterization in view of structural analysis. The chapters in this book are separated into three parts: Part One focuses on sample preparation, and covers strategies for recombinant expression of multiprotein complexes in prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts, for genome engineering using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and for production of specific binders such as reformatted antibodies and artificial binding proteins. Part Two looks at the biophysical methods that can provide useful indicators for sample optimization, and often complement structural information obtained with core technologies for structure determination-x-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy-by quantitative solution data. Part Three discusses the characterization of multiprotein complexes in a cellular environment using the latest technologies and in vivo approaches. 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. Cutting-edge and authoritative, Multiprotein Complexes: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for structural and molecular biologists who need to prepare multi-components for their applications, and for other scientists working on macromolecular assemblies from other angles that need to know the latest approaches that the field has to offer.

This book focuses on the study of how the properties of nanodiscs, such as lipid composition and size, influence the function of the embedding integral membrane protein, bacteriorhodopsin. The author performed systematic studies to show that the lipid composition and the charge of the hydrophobic head and the structure of hydrophilic tails affect the photocycle pathway of bacteriorhodopsin, which is closely associated with its proton-pumping activity. Furthermore, the author demonstrated a highly efficient method for extracting membrane proteins directly from the biological membrane, preserving protein conformation, function and essential native lipids. This book demonstrates optimization and sample preparation, and presents practical methods of preparing membrane protein-embedded nanodisc samples for biophysical studies, which benefit structural and functional studies in the field of membrane protein characterization, both.

This book details the synthesis and assembly of polypeptide materials across length scales, i.e. proteins and peptides, their precursors, conjugates, and derivatives. A particular emphasis is made on measurement tools and procedures for material characterization, both physicochemical and functional. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Polypeptide Materials: Methods and Protocols serves to reflect the inter-disciplinary nature of molecular biology as well as the importance of developing innovative measurement methods to advance this vital area of research.

Transgenic Plants: A Production System for Industrial and Pharmaceutical Proteins provides a detailed guide to the principles and practice of using transgenic plants as a system for the production of heterologous proteins. It is unique in that it covers the complete process of heterologous protein production in plants, from the initial transformation of the plant, through to transcription, transgene stability and finally the downstreaming processing events for protein purification. Written by an international team of industrialists and academics, this book describes:

• the fundamental issues associated with expressing heterologous proteins in plants;
• a number of detailed examples of the successful small-and large-scale production of proteins;
• the essentials of patenting; and
• the commercial exploitation.

Main Question: G protein coupled receptors are involved in highly efficient and specific activation of signalling pathways. How do GPCR signalling complexes get assembled to generate such specificity? In order to answer this question, we need to understand how receptors and their signalling partners are synthesized, folded and quality-controlled in order to generate functional proteins. Then, we need to understand how each partner of the signalling complex is selected to join a complex, and what makes this assembly possible. GPCRs are known to be able to function as oligomers, what drives the assembly into oligomers and what will be the effects of such organization on specificity and efficacy of signal transduction. Once the receptor complexes are assembled, they need to reach different locations in the cell; what drives and controls the trafficking of GPCR signalling complexes. Finally, defects in synthesis, maturation or trafficking can alter functionality of GPCRs signalling complexes; how can we manipulate the system to make it function normally again? Pharmacological chaperones may just be part of the answer to this question.

"Dancing protein clouds: Intrinsically disordered proteins in the norm and pathology" represents a set of selected studies on a variety of research topics related to intrinsically disordered proteins. Topics in this update include structural and functional characterization of several important intrinsically disordered proteins, such as 14-3-3 proteins and their partners, as well as proteins from muscle sarcomere; representation of intrinsic disorder-related concept of protein structure-function continuum; discussion of the role of intrinsic disorder in phenotypic switching; consideration of the role of intrinsically disordered proteins in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer; discussion of the roles of intrinsic disorder in functional amyloids; demonstration of the usefulness of the analysis of translational diffusion of unfolded and intrinsically disordered proteins; consideration of various computational tools for evaluation of functions of intrinsically disordered regions; and discussion of the role of shear stress in the amyloid formation of intrinsically disordered regions in the brain.

The study of carbonic anhydrase has spanned multiple generations of scientists. Carbonic anhydrase was first discovered in 1932 by Meldrum and Roughton. Inhibition by sulfanilamide was shown in 1940 by Mann and Keilin. Even Hans Krebs contributed to early studies with a paper in 1948 showing the relationship of 25 different sulfonamides to CA inhibition. It was he who pointed out the importance of both the charged and uncharged character of these compounds for physiological experiments. The field of study that focuses on carbonic anhydrase (CA) has exploded in recent years with the identification of new families and isoforms. The CAs are metalloenzymes which are comprised of 5 structurally different families: the alpha, beta, gamma, and delta, and epsilon classes. The alpha class is found primarily in animals with several isoforms associated with human disease. The beta CAs are expressed primarily in plants and are the most divergent. The gamma CAs are the most ancient. These are structurally related to the beta CAs, but have a mechanism more similar to the alpha CAs. The delta CAs are found in marine algae and diflagellates. The epsilon class is found in prokaryotes in which it is part of the carboxysome shell perhaps supplying RuBisCO with CO2 for carbon fixation. With the excitement surrounding the discovery of disease-related CAs, scientists have redoubled their efforts to better understand structure-function relationships, to design high affinity, isotype-specific inhibitors, and to delineate signaling systems that play regulatory roles over expression and activity. We have designed the book to cover basic information of mechanism, structure, and function of the CA families. The authors included in this book bring to light the newest data with regard to the role of CA in physiology and pathology, across phylums, and in unique environmental niches.

Intermediate Filament Proteins, the latest volume in the Methods in Enzymology series covers all the intermediate filaments in vertebrates and invertebrates, providing a unique understanding of the multiple different tissue-specific intermediate filaments. This volume also covers the latest methods that are currently being used to study intermediate filament protein function and dynamics. It will be an important companion for any experimentalist interesting in studying this protein family in their cell or organism model system.

This is the second edition of a very well received book that details how the sumoylation system functions and how it modulates numerous cellular activities. SUMO is a post-translational modifier in the ubiquitin super-family that has gained recognition over the last twenty years as an essential and prevalent regulatory molecule. Individual chapters explore the biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology of the sumoylation system and its substrate proteins. The book is divided into three themed parts: Molecular Functions (I), Cell Growth Regulation (II), and Diseases (III). Parts I and II focus on the contribution of sumoylation to cellular activities in both the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments. The nuclear activities covered include nucleic acid metabolism (both RNA and DNA), chromosome structure and replication, and nucleocytoplasmic transport. Cytoplasmic processes presented include regulation of membrane ion channels, general metabolism, and apoptotic signalling. Topics in Part III include the role of sumoylation in developmental abnormalities (craniofacial and cardiovascular), diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and infections with viruses and bacteria. Each of the corresponding chapter authors is an active researcher who has made significant contributions to understanding sumoylation. This second edition provides updates and revisions to most of the original chapters plus adds six new chapters to address important developing areas of sumoylation research. This volume is intended for a scientific audience from undergraduates to independent researchers. The content will serve as both a solid introduction for the novice reader and an in depth treatment for the advanced scholar.

A Unified Microscopic Approach to Analyzing Complex Processes in Molecular Motors Motor Proteins and Molecular Motors explores the mechanisms of cellular functioning associated with several specific enzymatic molecules called motor proteins. Motor proteins, also known as molecular motors, play important roles in living systems by supporting cellular transport and force generation via the transformation of chemical energy into mechanical work. The book presents established results, theoretical methods, and experimental observations related to biological molecular motors. It uses fundamental physical-chemical concepts and methods to develop a systematic theoretical framework for understanding motor protein dynamics. The author introduces the main ideas using simple arguments that avoid heavy mathematical derivations in favor of more intuitive physical understanding. Although the book assumes some rudimentary knowledge of cell biology, calculus, and basic ideas from chemistry and physics, it gives explanations and derivations for most results. Accessible to students and researchers in a wide range of scientific fields, this book provides a unified molecular picture for analyzing motor proteins. It connects major experimental facts on molecular motors to principal theoretical concepts consistent with the fundamental laws of chemistry and physics.

Protein Interactions as Targets in Drug Discovery, Volume 121, is dedicated to the design of therapeutics, both experimental and computational, that target protein interactions. Chapters in this new release include Trends in structure based drug design with protein targets, From fragment- to peptide-protein interaction: addressing the structural basis of binding using Supervised Molecular Dynamics (SuMD), Protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions: identification of potential inhibitors through computational analysis, Aromatic-aromatic interactions in protein-drug and protein-protein interactions, Role of protein-protein interaction in allosteric drug design within the human methyltransferome, and much more.

New insights into modern medicine and systems biology are enabled by innovative protocols and advanced technologies in mass spectrometry-based proteomics. This volume details new pipelines, workflows, and ways to process data that allow for new frontiers in proteomics to be pushed forward. With applications to biomarker discovery, interactions between proteins, between biological systems, dynamics of post-translational modifications among others, new protocols have been developed and iteratively refined to probe the endless complexity of the proteome in ever greater details. This volume deals with methods for data dependent and data independent mass spectrometry analyses. Valuable, first-hand information is provided from designing experiments, sample preparation and analysis, exploitation of public datasets and carrying out reproducible data pipelines, using modern computational tools such as Galaxy or Jupyter. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Mass Spectrometry of Proteins: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

A NATO Advanced Research Workshop entitled New Methods for the Study of Molecular Aggregates was held at Tbe Lodge at Kananaskis Village, Alberta, Canada from 16 -20 June 1996. In fact the meeting was entirely concerned with the problem of analyzing biomolecular complexes, so the title of these proceedings has been altered to give a more precise description of the content. Tbe workshop was hosted by the time-of-flight group of the Department of Physics at the University of Manitoba, and was attended by 64 participants from around the world. '!\venty-one invited talks were given and 27 papers were presented as posters. Of the 48 contributions, 22 papers (12 orals, 10 posters) are included in these proceedings. Tbe subject of the conference was the investigation of noncovalent biomolecular complexes, with particular focus on the application of mass spectrometry to their characterization. '!\vo new ionization techniques introduced in the late 1980s, electrospray ionization (ES I) and matrix-assisted laser desorptionlionization (MALDI), resulted in a breakthrough in mass spectrometry, enabling its use in molecular weight and primary structure determination of biopolymers larger than 100 kDa. Recently it has been discovered that ESI mass spectrometry mayaiso be used to characterize complexes containing noncovalent interactions, thus opening new perspectives for supramolecular chemistry. ESI mass spectrometry has the advantage that the sampie is introduced from a homogenous solution which can be maintained at near physiological conditions of pR, concentration, and temperature.

The need for information in the understanding of membrane systems has been caused by three things - an increase in computer power; methodological developments and the recent expansion in the number of researchers working on it worldwide. However, there has been no up-to-date book that covers the application of simulation methods to membrane systems directly and this book fills an important void in the market. It provides a much needed update on the current methods and applications as well as highlighting recent advances in the way computer simulation can be applied to the field of membranes and membrane proteins. The objectives are to show how simulation methods can provide an important contribution to the understanding of these systems. The scope of the book is such that it covers simulation of membranes and membrane proteins, but also covers the more recent methodological developments such as coarse-grained molecular dynamics and multiscale approaches in systems biology. Applications embrace a range of biological processes including ion channel and transport proteins. The book is wide ranging with broad coverage and a strong coupling to experimental results wherever possible, including colour illustrations to highlight particular aspects of molecular structure. With an internationally respected list of authors, its publication is timely and it will prove indispensable to a large scientific readership.

This book is the first example in presenting LC-MS strategies for the analysis of peptides and proteins with detailed information and hints about the needs and problems described from experts on-the-job. The best advantage is -for sure- the practical insight of experienced analysts into their novel protein analysis techniques. Readers starting in 'Proteomics' should be able to repeat each experiment with own equipment and own protein samples, like clean-up, direct protein analysis, after (online) digest, with modifications and others. Furthermore, the reader will learn more about strategies in protein analysis, like quantitative analysis, industrial standards, functional analysis and more.

Protein phosphorylation analysis is a central theme in current analytical biochemistry, cell biology and systems biology. Due to its versatility, specificity and sensitivity, mass spectrometry has developed into a key technology in this field. A set of minor and major instrumental innovations mean that mass spectrometers now exhibit a level of performance, a stability of operation, a relative ease of use, and productivity, which would once have been hard to imagine. This book guides the reader through this prolific field by presenting a collection of personal views and selected examples which cover all the important principles with a focus on electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. It covers: phosphorylation analysis at the peptide, protein and proteome level; manual and automated data evaluation; phosphopeptide enrichment; quantitative aspects; element mass spectrometry; individual analytical strategies, and hints to useful internet resources. This book provides students, graduate students, post-Docs and senior scientists from related areas with a better understanding on molecular protein phosphorylation analysis. Its highest aim is to strengthen the reader's ability to develop a personal, well-founded opinion on original manuscripts published in this field.