Current Protein and Peptide Science - Volume 18, Issue 3, 2017

The α/β hydrolase fold superfamily is an ancient and widely diversified group of primarily hydrolytic enzymes. In this review, the adaptations of these proteins to the pathogenic lifestyle of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis, are examined. Of the 105 α/β hydrolases identified in Mtb, many are associated with lipid metabolism, particularly in the biosynthesis and maintenance of the Mtb’s un Read More

Since the first and the last residues of a protein have peculiar properties, unique amongst all residues, they have been analyzed repeatedly during the last decades. In this brief review, I try to summarize, besides the biochemical roles, the five features that have attracted most attention: (i) the Euclidean distance between the N- and C-termini and its relevance to protein folding, (ii) the reason why the termini are solvent exposed Read More

Therapeutic proteins are engineered proteins produced in the laboratory for pharmaceutical use. With the advent of recombinant DNA technology, the proteins can be generated in specific host cells under defined conditions. In the process of production of genetically engineered animals, the gene of interest can be added at a single cell stage to produce a cloned animal from genetically engineered cells. Several recombinant Read More

Site-directed mutagenesis allows elucidation of the basic principles of the porin-driven membrane permeability and opens the possibility for the modulation of functional states of porin channels. The review is aimed to show the advantages of using mutant and chemically modified porins for obtaining detailed information about molecular mechanisms that underlie the non-specific transmembrane diffusion. We summarized da Read More

The morbidity and mortality after solid organ transplantation leads to poor outcomes in the long-term graft survival. There are many sources increasing bad outcomes within the post-transplant period reducing the quality of recipient´s life, such as rejection episodes, opportunistic infections as well as immunosuppression related morbidity. A complete understanding on the immune system responses against the allo Read More

RNA-binding proteins play critical roles in the regulation of gene expression. Among several families of RNA-binding proteins, PUF (Pumilio and FBF) proteins have been the subject of extensive investigations, as they can bind RNA in a sequence-specific manner and they are evolutionarily conserved among a wide range of organisms. The outstanding feature of these proteins is a highly conserved RNA-binding domain, whic Read More

Antifreeze proteins are ice-binding or ice-structuring proteins that prevent water from freezing by adsorbing to the ice surface and stopping the growth of minute ice crystals to large crystals in a non-colligative manner. The antifreeze proteins are found in species like fish, arthropods, plants, algae, fungi, yeasts and bacteria. The diversity, distribution and classification of antifreeze proteins were highlighted in this review. Antifr Read More

Endophytic peptides have been considered as potential therapeutic sources of future antibiotics because of their broad-spectrum activities and different mechanisms of action compared to the conventional antibiotics. The world human population is increasingly facing different types of health issues. For instance, emerging wide array of the drug-resistant pathogens is a health concern. Research on bioactive agents and Read More