Gregory A. Petsko

How does the chemical description of a protein relate to its three-dimensional structure? How does the three-dimensional structure relate to the machinery that brings about a chemical reaction? How does the sequence of a gene encode not only the sequence of a protein but, more importantly, the architecture and function of that protein? Protein Structure and Function provides a clear and critical survey of our current understanding of the structure and function of proteins to answer questions such as these. Opening with a consideration of the link between protein sequence and structure, it goes on to explore the structural basis of protein function and how this function is controlled. Finally, it examines a range of case studies that illuminate the range of roles performed by proteins, and the diverse structures these proteins exhibit. Protein Structure and Function combines articulate prose with striking full colour illustrations, while the unique Primers in Biology modular structure integrates text, illustrations, definitions, and literature references for each topic into one double-page spread, bringing to the student's fingertips all the tools that they need to master that topic. Online Resource Centre The Online Resource Centre features figures from the book available to download, for registered adopters of the book.

Published by Sinauer Associates, an imprint of Oxford University Press. This text introduces general principles of protein structure, folding, and function, then goes beyond these basics to tackle the conceptual basis of inferring structure and function from genomic sequence. It is the first book in a series, Primers in Biology, employing a modular design in which chapters are divided into topics, each occupying one two-page spread that includes the relevant text, illustrations (in full color), definitions, and references. The book has five chapters. The first is an introduction to the principles of protein structure and folding, with emphasis on proteins' biophysical properties. The second describes the principles of the main biochemical functions of proteins, namely binding and catalysis, with a short section on the properties of structural proteins. Chapter 3 covers the regulation of protein function, containing concise descriptions of all the regulatory mechanisms that operate on proteins, from pH to phosphorylation, with several sections on protein switches based on nucleotide hydrolysis. Chapter 4 introduces the principles whereby structure and function are deduced from sequence, with illustrative examples. The final chapter addresses how data on protein structure is gathered, interpreted, and presented. Written for upper-level undergraduates and beginning graduate students, Protein Structure and Function is also be for working scientists needing an up-to-date introduction to the field.