Protein design: on the threshold of functional properties.
The ultimate goal in protein de novo design is the creation of novel macromolecules with tailor-made receptor, sensory, and catalytic functions. Despite considerable progress in understanding basic rules of secondary structure formation and protein stability, the well-known protein folding problem is still far from being solved and, in general, only a limited number of designed proteins are folded uniquely. In this article the state-of-the-art in protein design is demonstrated on some selected examples, indicating that the construction of protein-like macromolecules mimicking some essential features of natural proteins seems to be within reach. Thus, protein design and mimicry has become an interdisciplinary challenge with most intriguing perspectives.
Tuchscherer
G
G
Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Scheibler
L
L
Dumy
P
P
Mutter
M
M
D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D015195:Drug Design; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D015202:Protein Engineering; D017510:Protein Folding; D011506:Proteins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*
D001704:Biopolymers; D007473:Ion Channels; D011506:Proteins