Receptor Biochemistry: A Practical Approach (Practical Approach Series)

The acquisition of three-dimensional structural information about receptors, particularly through the application of crystallographic and other physical techniques requires the purification and handling of significant amounts of receptor proteins. This book focuses particularly on strategies which have proven successful in the purification of a number of receptors of pharmacological importance. Included are examples of C-protein-coupled receptors, oligomeric receptors which incorporate an integral ion channel, and receptor tyrosine kinases. Specific aspects include the choice of detergents for solubilization, the synthesis and utilization of specific affinity gels, and peptide mapping, among other key topics. There is also an introduction to structure prediction from receptor sequences, and the high-level expression of cloned receptor genes. The book draws on the experience and insight of a number of scientists who have been at the forefront of progress in this difficult and experimentally demanding field.