Proteins are the servants of life. They occur in all component parts of living organisms and are staggering in their functional var- ty, despite their chemical similarity. Even the simplest single-cell organism contains a thousand different proteins, fulfilling a wide range of life-supporting roles. Their production is controlled by the cell s genetic machinery, and a malfunction of even one protein in the cell will give rise to pathological symptoms. Additions to the total number of known proteins are constantly being made on an increasing scale through the discovery of mutant strains or...

Milestones in the techniques and methodology of polypeptide structure determination include the determination of the sequence of insulin by Sanger in 1951 (I) and the introduction of the repeti tive degradation of proteins with phenylisothiocyanate by Edman in 1959 (2). The automation of Edman chemistry (3) played a major role in the determination of polypeptide structures. Important modifications of Edman chemistry include the solid-phase approach by Laursen in 1971 (4) and the use of modified Edman reagents such as 4-N, N-dimethylaminoazobenzene-4'-isothiocy- ate (DABITC) for manual...

In recent years there has been a tremendous increase in our understanding of the functioning of the cell at the molecular level. This has been achieved in the main by the invention and development of new methodology, parti- larly in that area generally referred to as "genetic en- neering." While this revolution has been taking place in the field of nucleic acids research, the protein chemist has at the same time developed fresh methodology to keep pace with the requirements of present day molecular bi- ogy. Today's molecular biologist can no longer be content with being an expert in one...

Quantification of the proliferative characteristics of normal and malignant cells has been of interest to oncolo gists and cancer biologists for almost three decades. This interest stems from (a) the fact that cancer is a disease of uncontrolled proliferation, (b) the finding that many of the commonly used anticancer agents are preferentially toxic to cells that are actively proliferating, and (c) the observa tion that significant differences in proliferation characteristics exist between normal and malignant cells. Initially, cell cycle analysis was pursued enthusiastically in the hope of...

Research in the field of molecular biology has progressed at a fascinating rate in recent years. Much of this progress results from the development of new laboratory techniques that allow very precise fractionation and analysis of nucleic acids and proteins, as well as the construction of recom binant DNA molecules that can then be cloned and expressed in host cells. Progress has been so rapid that there has been a shortfall in the training of appropriately qualified staff. Many existing laboratory workers require retraining, and many educational institutions have had difficulty incor...

Enzymatic Analysis: A Practical Guide is a multipurpose manual of laboratory methods. It offers a systematic scheme for the analysis of biological materials from the level of the whole organ down to the single cell and beyond. It is intended as a guide to the development of new methods, to the refinement of old ones, and to the adaptation in general of methods to almost any scale of sensitivity. As some may realize, the book is a sequel to A Flexible System of Enzymatic Analysis, originally published in 1972. The major changes, other than an appropriate interchange of authors, consist of a...

The scientist' s understanding of the cell at the molecular level has advanced rapidly over the last twenty years. This improved understa- ing has led to the development of many new laboratory methods that increasingly allow old problems to be tackled in new ways. Thus the modern scientist cannot specialize in just one field of knowledge, but must be aware of many disciplines. To aid the process of investigation, the Methods Molecular Biology series has brought together many protocols and has highlighted the useful variations and the pitfalls of the different methods. However, protocols...

Inrecent years therehasbeen atremendousincreaseinour understandingofthe functioningofthe cellat the molecular leveL This has been achieved in the main by the invention and developmentof new methodology, particularlyin that area generally referred to as "genetic engineering. " Al though this revolution has been taking place in the field of nucleic acids research, the protein chemist has at the same timedevelopedfresh methodologytokeeppace with the re quirements ofpresent-daymolecularbiology. Today's mo lecularbiologistscannolongerbecontentwithbeingexperts inoneparticulararea alone....

Techniques u-r the neurosciences are evolving rapidly. There are currently very few volumes dedicated to the methodology - ployed by neuroscrentists, and those that are available often seem either out of date or limited in scope This series is about the methods most widely used by modern-day neuroscrentrsts and 1s written by their colleagues who are practicing experts Volume 1 will be useful to all neuroscientists since it concerns those procedures used routinely across the widest range of subdiscrplines Collectmg these general techmques together in a single volume strikes us not only as a...

Proteins are the servants of life. They occur in all com- nent parts of living organisms and are staggering in their fu- tional variety, despite their chemical similarity. Even the simplest single-cell organism contains a thousand different p- teins, fulfilling a wide range of life-supporting roles. Additions to the total number of known proteins are being made on an increasing scale through the discovery of mutant strains or their production by genetic manipulation. The total international protein literature could fill a medi- sized building and is growing at an ever-increasing rate. The...