Amino-Acid Homopolymers Occurring in Nature
Amino-Acid Homopolymers Occurring in Nature

Author: Yoshimitsu Hamano

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2010-07-30

Total Pages: 175

ISBN-13: 3642124534

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Microorganisms are capable of producing a wide variety of biopolymers. Homopolymer peptides, which are made up of only a single type of amino acid, are far less ubiquitous. The only two amino-acid homopolymers known to occur in nature are presented in this volume. Poly-epsilon-L-lysine is a polycationic peptide and exhibits antimicrobial activity against a wide spectrum of microorganisms. It is both safe and biodegradable and is therefore used as a food preservative in several countries. In addition, there has been great interest in medical and other applications of poly-lysine and its derivatives. In contrast, poly-gamma-glutamic acid is an unusual anionic polypeptide. It is also water soluble, biodegradable, edible, non-toxic and non-immunogenic and can be chemically modified to introduce various drugs. These features are very useful for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Poly-glutamic acid is also a highly attractive as a food ingredient.

Membrane Protein Transport
Membrane Protein Transport

Author: S.S. Rothman

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 1995-06-28

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 0080536131

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This is the first volume in a series on membrane protein transfer. Membrane protein transport underlies the topological disposition of many proteins within cells and it is this disposition that allows for the co-ordination of the central cellular processes, such as metabolism.

Synthetic biology applications in industrial microbiology
Synthetic biology applications in industrial microbiology

Author: Weiwen Zhang

Publisher: Frontiers E-books

Published: 2014-12-03

Total Pages: 130

ISBN-13: 288919342X

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Exponentially increasing information on biological organisms coupled with increasing computational power in the past decade have broadened the perspective of fundamental biological research, bringing about considerable promise and unprecedented potential for practical applications in biotechnology. As one emergent discipline, synthetic biology aims to design and engineer novel biologically-based parts, devices, and systems, in addition to redesigning existing, natural biological systems. Although previously relegated to demonstration studies, more recent research in synthetic biology has focused on the rational engineering of industrial microorganisms with the potential to address many of society’s critical challenges. Within the realm of industrial microbiology, progress in the field of synthetic biology has enabled the development of, for example, new biosynthetic pathways for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals, programmable logic controls to regulate and optimize cell function, and robust microbes for the destruction of harmful environmental contaminants. Some of the exciting examples included producing anti-malarial drug, anti- cancer taxol precursor and various biofuel molecules in E. coli and yeast. In addition, these researches have also greatly enhanced our understanding of the cellular machinery and its regulation in some of the industry important microbes, laying an important foundation for further design and engineering of biological function for even greater application. For these reasons, we present here a collection of articles from the leading edge of the field of synthetic biology, with a specific focus on the development in industrial microorganisms. It is the intent of this collection to reach a wide audience whose interests and expertise spans from development of novel synthetic biology methodologies and theories (both experimental and computational) to practical applications seeking to address issues facing the world today.

The Proteins Composition, Structure, and Function V2
The Proteins Composition, Structure, and Function V2

Author: Hans Neurath

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2012-12-02

Total Pages: 857

ISBN-13: 0323161308

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The Proteins: Composition, Structure, and Function, Second Edition, Volume II deals with fundamental properties of proteins, both in solution and in the solid state. This volume consists of five chapters that specifically cover the advances in understanding the structure and function of the protein molecule. The opening chapter presents interpretative procedures of experimental methods for determining protein conformation using X-ray crystallography, followed by an examination of the acid-base dissociations of proteins. The discussion then shifts to the investigation of interactions between protein molecules and other macromolecules, which is of significant importance in providing a chemical basis for many biological processes. A chapter considers first the synthesis, purification, and chemical properties of the polyamino acids. This chapter further describes their physicochemical properties in the solid state, in solution, and at interfaces, and lastly discusses their biological properties as high molecular weight substrates for proteolytic enzymes and as synthetic antigens, and their interaction with proteins and nucleic acids, with viruses, bacteria, blood components, and other biological systems. The use of polyamino acids in the study of the genetic code and the preparation and properties of polypeptidyl proteins are also covered. The concluding chapter focuses on X-ray analysis of protein structure. Organic chemists, biochemists, and researchers in protein-related fields will find this book invaluable

Polymer Science & Engineering e-book.
Polymer Science & Engineering e-book.

Author: Paul Painter

Publisher: Paul Painter

Published: 2024-07-02

Total Pages: 666

ISBN-13:

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This polymer science and engineering e-book was motivated by the outrageously high price of paper textbooks. It covers the usual topics – polymer synthesis, structure, properties and processing plus chapters on natural polymers and polymer matrix composites. It is meant to be read on a desktop or laptop computer, because the format is “fixed” rather than “re-flowable”, meaning that the text, figures, animations, etc., stay in a fixed position relative to one another, just like in a paper book. The book lives on the cloud and you can access it with a password on up to three of your own browsers. For more details check out the preview on Google Books.

Essentials of Polymer Science and Engineering
Essentials of Polymer Science and Engineering

Author: Paul C. Painter

Publisher: DEStech Publications, Inc

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 545

ISBN-13: 1932078754

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"Written by two of the best-known scientists in the field, Paul C. Painter and Michael M. Coleman, this unique text helps students, as well as professionals in industry, understand the science, and appreciate the history, of polymers. Composed in a witty and accessible style, the book presents a comprehensive account of polymer chemistry and related engineering concepts, highly illustrated with worked problems and hundreds of clearly explained formulas. In contrast to other books, 'Essentials' adds historical information about polymer science and scientists and shows how laboratory discoveries led to the development of modern plastics."--DEStech Publications web-site.

Biosurfactants
Biosurfactants

Author: Gloria Soberón-Chávez

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2010-09-29

Total Pages: 220

ISBN-13: 364214490X

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Biosurfactants, tensio-active compounds produced by living cells, are now gaining increasing interest due to their potential applications in many different industrial areas in which to date almost exclusively synthetic surfactants have been used. Their unique structures and characteristics are just starting to be appreciated. In addition, biosurfactants are considered to be environmentally “friendly,” relatively non-toxic and biodegradable. This Microbiology Monographs volume deals with the most recent advances in the field of microbial biosurfactants, such as rhamnolipids, serrawettins, trehalolipids, mannosylerythritol lipids, sophorolipids, surfactin and other lipopeptides. Each chapter reviews the characteristics of an individual biosurfactant including the physicochemical properties, the chemical structures, the role in the physiology of the producing microbes, the biosynthetic pathways, the genetic regulation, and the potential biotechnological applications.