1. Protein Structure

Proteins are essential to life, having a great variety of roles in all organisms. They are the ultimate micro-machines: some are building blocks, joining with other substances to make the cells from which we are formed; some are catalysts, speeding up biochemical reactions to keep our cells active and alive; yet others help cells to communicate, to move, to build up the complex mix of tissues that make up our bodies, and to regulate unfolding programmes of development. Introduction to Protein Science provides a broad ranging introduction to the contemporary study of proteins in health and disease, suitable for students on biological, biochemical, and biomedical degrees internationally. It relates the study of proteins to the context of modern high-throughput data streams of genomics and proteomics. Describing basic principles of protein structure and methods for studying them, the book illustrates the wide variety of functions that proteins have, showing how the structures of proteins are intimately linked to their functions. Building on the success of the first edition, the new edition integrates treatment of bioinformatics, databases and computational methods of determining and predicting protein structure and function, and demonstrates how these methods are paving the way for the ability to design novel proteins with specific desired characteristics.

Protein Structure

With added coverage of recent developments in the field, particularly in high-throughput methods; a new chapter on enzyme kinetics; extended coverage of topics such as protein evolution, and the immune system; as well as the inclusion of new end-of-chapter exercises, problems and weblems, the book captures the current state of excitement in a way that all biosciences students and instructors will find appealing. Online Resource Centre The Online Resource Centre to accompany Introduction to Protein Science features the following resources for lecturers and students. For registered adopters - Figures from the book available to download - Answers to end-of-chapter exercises For students - Links to useful websites to aid further research into protein science - Helpful hints and tips for answering end-of-chapter problems. The use of computer generated images of protein structures is a welcome feature in the chapter as they provide a clear representation of the actual 3D structure of the proteins discussed. The commentary about these images in the chapter ensures that the reader is not mislead by the simplicity of the diagrams and explains the more complex features of the protein. The variety of proteins displayed is interesting, as in conventional textbooks the diagrams are often of typical proteins, such as haemoglobin. Laura Jacobs, 2nd year biomedical science student, Oxford Brookes University.