Methods in Protein Sequence Analysis: Proceedings of the 7th International Conference, Berlin, July 3-8, 1988

The most recent methods and strategies for the elucidation of protein and peptide structures, e.g. sensitive techniques for the analysis of primary structure and amino acid sequences as well as secondary and tertiary structures are discussed in detail. They include sophisticated crystallization procedures for proteins and cell organelles, folding mechanisms of proteins, strategies for domain structure and binding site evaluation and advanced immunological methods. Analyses of structure-function correlations important for genetic engineering and the design of new drugs or proteins are also reported. A special chapter addresses the documentation of protein sequences, the organization of protein data bases and their use in the search and comparison of proteins.

"Methods in Protein Sequence Analysis - 1988" - contains selected contributions on modern protein- analytical techniques as presented by speakers at the Seventh International Conference on "Methods in Protein Sequence Analysis," held from July 3rd to July 8th, 1988 in Berlin. The book contains information on new methodologies for sensitive amino acid analysis, N- and C-terminal sequence analysis, and protein and peptide purification. In addition recent mass spectrometric approaches are described, as an alter- native technique to the common stepwise degradative sequence analysis of polypeptides by the Edman method. The book presents new possibilities in the design of sequencers and sophisticated equipment for the structural analysis of peptides and proteins. It describes practical approaches for the investigation of protein domains and protein complexes, and contains review chapters on the crystallization of cell organelles as well as on recent theoretical aspects of protein folding mechanisms. The nature of protein folding is not yet understood, but further advances in this area would greatly enhance our present knowledge of protein structure and function. Further, the book gives examples of the application of gene technology to protein characterization and to the design of new proteins. This enables new studies on the structure and function of proteins to be made, and opens up efficient approaches to the design of drugs.