Peptides and Proteins

by Doonan, Shawn; Phillips, David; Abel, E. W.; Woollins, J. Derek

• ISBN13: 9780854046928
• ISBN10: 0854046925
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-02-28
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

Summary

Encompassing all aspects of the structures of peptides and proteins, this book adopts a uniquely problem-oriented approach to the topic. Starting with a look at the structures and properties of the twenty amino acids that occur in proteins, and moving on to the synthesis of polypeptides and the isolation of proteins, Peptides and Proteins then addresses the methods of analysis of protein characteristics, including the modern methods of sequence analysis by mass spectrometry. Further chapters examine the three-dimensional nature of protein structure, and introduce the student to the use of computer applications (molecular graphics, databases, bioinformatics) in protein chemistry. Original research data is used in many of the problems, and throughout sufficient background biology is included, thus putting the subject into context for chemists. Aimed at first and second-year chemistry students, this title will also be of interest to students of biochemistry.

Table of Contents

The Covalent Structures of Peptides and Proteins	p. 1
Introduction: Why Proteins are Interesting	p. 1
Amino Acids as the Building Bricks of Proteins	p. 2
Properties of the Amino Acids	p. 4
The Peptide Bond	p. 11
Terminology and Shorthands	p. 14
Composition and Sequence	p. 14
Electrical Charges on Peptides and Proteins	p. 16
An (Almost) Infinite Variety of Structures	p. 16
An Example of Protein Structure: Insulin	p. 16
Chemical Synthesis of Peptides	p. 20
Principles of Peptide Synthesis	p. 21
Solution and Solid-phase Approaches to Synthesis	p. 24
Protecting Groups	p. 27
The Coupling Reaction	p. 31
Linkage to the Solid Support in SPPS	p. 33
Purifying and Characterizing the Product	p. 35
Racemization During Peptide Synthesis	p. 37
An Example of Peptide Synthesis	p. 38
Protein Purification	p. 44
Nature of the Problem	p. 44
Approaches to a Solution	p. 47
Specific Techniques	p. 51
A Typical Purification	p. 68
Determination of the Covalent Structures of Peptides and Proteins	p. 74
Relative Molecular Mass and Subunit Composition	p. 75
Amino Acid Analysis	p. 79
N-terminal Analysis	p. 81
Sequence Analysis by Chemical Methods	p. 83
Sequencing using Mass Spectrometry	p. 95
Proteins in Three Dimensions	p. 108
Introduction: the Anatomy of Crambin	p. 108
Conformations of the Polypeptide Backbone	p. 113
Regular Secondary Structures	p. 117
Factors Determining the Three-dimensional Structures of Proteins	p. 124
Stability of the Folded State and Ways of Measuring It	p. 126
Examples of How Proteins Work	p. 130
Protein Chemistry In Silico	p. 143
Protein Databases	p. 144
Molecular Modelling	p. 147
Sequence Searching and Comparison	p. 151
Protein Evolution	p. 156
Prediction of Three-dimensional Structures	p. 161
Proteomics	p. 164
Answers to Problems	p. 170
Subject Index	p. 185
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