Peptide And Protein Interaction With Membrane Systems

In her thesis, Sara Bobone outlines spectroscopic studies of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) which are promising lead compounds for drugs used to fight multidrug resistant bacteria. Bobone shows that AMPs interact with liposomes and she clarifies the structure of pores formed by one of these molecules. These results help us to understand how AMPs are selective for bacterial membranes and how their activity can be finely tuned by modifying their sequence. Findings which solve several conundrums debated in the literature for years. In addition, Bobone uses liposomes as nanotemplates for the photopolymerization of hydrogels - exploiting the self- assembly properties of phospholipids. Bobone was able to trap an enzyme using nanometeric particles, while still allowing its activity by the diffusion of substrates and products through the network of the polymer. The innovative nano devices described in this thesis could solve many of the hurdles still hampering the therapeutic application of protein-based drugs.

Proteins interacting with diverse ligands - proteins, peptides or DNA - are the basic principles underlying many biological processes, such as antigen-antibody binding, signal transduction or receptor binding. The technique of oligopeptide synthesis on a cellulose membrane and the subsequent binding assays allow the investigation of protein interactions. A particular advantage of these peptide arrays (SPOT - technology) is the high number of oligopeptide probes that can be tested in parallel. Detailed protocols for peptide synthesis, and the analysis of protein-protein, protein-DNA interactions as well as epitope mapping are presented in this manual. It is ideally suited not only for basic research laboratories but also for diagnostic and therapeutic applications since many diseases are related to dysfunctions in protein recognition and binding.

This volume contains a comprehensive overview of peptide-lipid interactions by leading researchers. The first part covers theoretical concepts, experimental considerations, and thermodynamics. The second part presents new results obtained through site-directed EPR, electron microscopy, NMR, isothermal calorimetry, and fluorescence quenching. The final part covers problems of biological interest, including signal transduction, membrane transport, fusion, and adhesion. Key Features * world-renowned experts * state-of-the-art experimental methods * monolayers, bilayers, biological membranes * theoretical aspects and computer simulations * rafts * synaptic transmission * membrane fusion * signal transduction

Knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of a protein is absolutely required for the complete understanding of its function. The spatial orientation of amino acids in the active site of an enzyme demonstrates how substrate specificity is defined, and assists the medicinal chemist in the design of s- cific, tight-binding inhibitors. The shape and contour of a protein surface hints at its interaction with other proteins and with its environment. Structural ana- sis of multiprotein complexes helps to define the role and interaction of each individual component, and can predict the consequences of protein mutation or conditions that promote dissociation and rearrangement of the complex. Determining the three-dimensional structure of a protein requires milligram quantities of pure material. Such quantities are required to refine crystallization conditions for X-ray analysis, or to overcome the sensitivity limitations of NMR spectroscopy. Historically, structural determination of proteins was limited to those expressed naturally in large amounts, or derived from a tissue or cell source inexpensive enough to warrant the use of large quantities of cells. H- ever, with the advent of the techniques of modern gene expression, many p- teins that are constitutively expressed in minute amounts can become accessible to large-scale purification and structural analysis.

Free energy constitutes the most important thermodynamic quantity to understand how chemical species recognize each other, associate or react. Examples of problems in which knowledge of the underlying free energy behaviour is required, include conformational equilibria and molecular association, partitioning between immiscible liquids, receptor-drug interaction, protein-protein and protein-DNA association, and protein stability. This volume sets out to present a coherent and comprehensive account of the concepts that underlie different approaches devised for the determination of free energies. The reader will gain the necessary insight into the theoretical and computational foundations of the subject and will be presented with relevant applications from molecular-level modelling and simulations of chemical and biological systems. Both formally accurate and approximate methods are covered using both classical and quantum mechanical descriptions. A central theme of the book is that the wide variety of free energy calculation techniques available today can be understood as different implementations of a few basic principles. The book is aimed at a broad readership of graduate students and researchers having a background in chemistry, physics, engineering and physical biology.

This volume covers an array of techniques available for studying peptide-protein docking and design. The book is divided into four sections: peptide binding site prediction; peptide-protein docking; prediction and design of peptide binding specificity; and the design of inhibitory peptides. The chapters in Modeling Peptide-Protein Interactions: Methods and Protocols cover topics such as the usage of ACCLUSTER and PeptiMap for peptide binding site prediction; AnchorDock and ATTRACT for blind, flexible docking of peptides to proteins; flexible peptide docking using HADDOCK and FlexPepDock; identifying loop-mediated protein-protein interactions using LoopFinder; and protein-peptide interaction design using PinaColada. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary details for successful application of the different approaches and step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, as well as tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and thorough, Modeling Peptide-Protein Interactions: Methods and Protocols provides a diverse and unified overview of this rapidly advancing field of major interest and applicability.

Protein-protein interactions (PPI) are at the heart of the majority of cellular processes, and are frequently dysregulated or usurped in disease. Given this central role, the inhibition of PPIs has been of significant interest as a means of treating a wide variety of diseases. However, there are inherent challenges in developing molecules capable of disrupting the relatively featureless and large interfacial areas involved. Despite this, there have been a number of successes in this field in recent years using both traditional drug discovery approaches and innovative, interdisciplinary strategies using novel chemical scaffolds. This book comprehensively covers the various aspects of PPI inhibition, encompassing small molecules, peptidomimetics, cyclic peptides, stapled peptides and macrocycles. Illustrated throughout with successful case studies, this book provides a holistic, cutting-edge view of the subject area and is ideal for chemical biologists and medicinal chemists interested in developing PPI inhibitors.