This volume explores experimental and computational approaches to measuring the most widely studied protein assemblies, including condensed liquid phases, aggregates, and crystals. The chapters in this book are organized into three parts: Part One looks at the techniques used to measure protein-protein interactions and equilibrium protein phases in dilute and concentrated protein solutions; Part Two describes methods to measure kinetics of aggregation and to characterize the assembled state; and Part Three details several different computational approaches that are currently used to help researchers understand protein self-assembly. 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. Thorough and cutting-edge, Protein Self-Assembly: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers who are interested in learning more about this developing field.

This volume explores experimental and computational approaches to measuring the most widely studied protein assemblies, including condensed liquid phases, aggregates, and crystals. The chapters in this book are organized into three parts: Part One looks at the techniques used to measure protein-protein interactions and equilibrium protein phases in dilute and concentrated protein solutions; Part Two describes methods to measure kinetics of aggregation and to characterize the assembled state; and Part Three details several different computational approaches that are currently used to help researchers understand protein self-assembly. 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. Thorough and cutting-edge, Protein Self-Assembly: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers who are interested in learning more about this developing field.

In the last few decades great strides have been made in chemistry at the nanoscale, where the atomic granularity of matter and the exact positions of individual atoms are key determinants of structure and dynamics. Less attention, however, has been paid to the mesoscale--it is at this scale, in the range extending from large molecules (10 nm) through viruses to eukaryotic cells (10 microns), where interesting ensemble effects and the functionality that is critical to macroscopic phenomenon begins to manifest itself and cannot be described by laws on the scale of atoms and molecules alone. To further explore how knowledge about mesoscale phenomena can impact chemical research and development activities and vice versa, the Chemical Sciences Roundtable of the National Research Council convened a workshop on mesoscale chemistry in November 2014. With a focus on the research on chemical phenomena at the mesoscale, participants examined the opportunities that utilizing those behaviors can have for developing new catalysts, adding new functionality to materials, and increasing our understanding of biological and interfacial systems. The workshop also highlighted some of the challenges for analysis and description of mesoscale structures. This report summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.

This volume explores experimental and computational approaches to measuring the most widely studied protein assemblies, including condensed liquid phases, aggregates, and crystals. The chapters in this book are organized into three parts: Part One looks at the techniques used to measure protein-protein interactions and equilibrium protein phases in dilute and concentrated protein solutions; Part Two describes methods to measure kinetics of aggregation and to characterize the assembled state; and Part Three details several different computational approaches that are currently used to help researchers understand protein self-assembly. 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. Thorough and cutting-edge, Protein Self-Assembly: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers who are interested in learning more about this developing field.

Artificial Protein and Peptide Nanofibers: Design, Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications provides comprehensive knowledge of the preparation, modification and applications of protein and peptide nanofibers. The book reviews the synthesis and strategies necessary to create protein and peptide nanofibers, such as self-assembly (including supramolecular assembly), electrospinning, template synthesis, and enzymatic synthesis. Then, the key chemical modification and molecular design methods are highlighted that can be utilized to improve the bio-functions of these synthetic fibers. Finally, fabrication methods for key applications, such as sensing, drug delivery, imaging, tissue engineering and electronic devices are reviewed. This book will be an ideal resource for those working in materials science, polymer science, chemical engineering, nanotechnology and biomedicine. Reviews key chemical modification and molecular design methods to improve the bio-functions of synthetic peptide and protein nanofibers Discusses the most important synthesis strategies, including supramolecular assembly, electrospinning, template synthesis and enzymatic synthesis Provides information on fabrication of nanofibers for key applications such as sensing, imaging, drug delivery and tissue engineering

In recent years, the fabrication of nanomaterials and exploration of their properties have attracted the attention of various scientific disciplines such as biology, physics, chemistry, and engineering. Although nanoparticulate systems are of significant interest in various scientific and technological areas, there is little known about the safety of these nanoscale objects. It has now been established that the surfaces of nanoparticles are immediately covered by biomolecules (e.g. proteins, ions, and enzymes) upon their entrance into a biological medium. This interaction with the biological medium modulates the surface of the nanoparticles, conferring a “biological identity” to their surfaces (referred to as a “corona”), which determines the subsequent cellular/tissue responses. The new interface between the nanoparticles and the biological medium/proteins, called “bio-nano interface,” has been very rarely studied in detail to date, though the interest in this topic is rapidly growing. In this book, the importance of the physiochemical characteristics of nanoparticles for the properties of the protein corona is discussed in detail, followed by comprehensive descriptions of the methods for assessing the protein-nanoparticle interactions. The advantages and limitations of available corona evaluation methods (e.g. spectroscopy methods, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography, and differential centrifugal sedimentation) are examined in detail, followed by a discussion of the possibilities for enhancing the current methods and a call for new techniques. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of protein-nanoparticle interaction phenomena are explored and discussed, with a focus on the biological impacts.

Building on decades of “host-guest” research, recent years have seen a surge of activity in water-soluble supramolecular receptors for protein recognition and assembly. Progress has been particularly rich in the area of calixarenes, cucurbiturils and molecular tweezers. Emerging applications include controlled protein assembly in solution, crystal engineering, supramolecular control of catalysis (both in vitro and in vivo), as well as novel mechanisms of protein-interaction inhibition with relevance to amyloids and disease. One challenge at the interface of supramolecular chemistry and protein science is to increase interaction and collaboration between chemists and biochemists/structural biologists.This book addresses the exciting interface of supramolecular chemistry and protein science. Chapters cover supramolecular approaches to protein recognition, assembly and regulation. Principles outlined will highlight the opportunities that are readily accessible to collaborating chemists and biochemists, enriching the breadth and scope of this multidisciplinary field. Supramolecular Protein Chemistry will be of particular interest to graduate students and researchers working in supramolecular chemistry, protein science, self-assembly, biomaterials, biomedicine and biotechnology.