Richard M. Epand - Böcker

The Amphipathic Helix is a comprehensive volume discussing amphipathic helices in systems as diverse as serum lipoproteins, lung surfactant, cytotoxic peptides, ion channels, mitochondrial targeting, peptide hormones, G proteins, T-cell recognition, DNA binding proteins, and antifreeze proteins. The book also includes general introductory material that defines amphipathic helices, discusses methods to identify amphipathic helical segments from the amino acid sequence of a protein, illustrates how amphipathic helices can be used in the de novo design of peptide and protein structures, and describes how these helices stabilize protein structures. There is also a section on techniques to determine helix orientation in a membrane environment using polarized attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy or solid state NMR spectroscopy. Recent developments on all these topics have been discussed by leading experts in this reference for researchers and students in biochemistry, biophysics, and pharmacology.

Membrane Shape and Biological Function is an important guide for anyone interested in the dynamic world of biological membranes. The book explores how membrane shape influences crucial biological processes and highlights its practical applications. It delves into the mechanics of lipid bilayers, their role in cellular processes, and computational methods for understanding membrane remodeling, including real-world applications such as the Golgi apparatus' structure and function, the role of inositol phospholipids in cellular organization, membrane fusion in cell biology, and the potential of lipid bilayers in neuromorphic computing. This comprehensive resource is valuable for students, researchers, and anyone curious about membrane biology.

This book offers an overview of our current understanding of host defense peptides and their potential for clinical applications as well as some of the obstacles to this. The chapters, written by leading experts in the field, detail the number and diversity of host defense peptides, and discuss the therapeutic potential not only of antibacterial, but also of antifungal, antiviral, plant antimicrobial and anticancer host defense peptides. The authors provide new insights into their mechanisms of action and their immunomodulatory properties, and review recent advances in the design of novel therapeutic molecules. Lastly, their potential to prevent preterm births and Staphylococcus aureus infections is highlighted. The book is of interest to researchers, industry and clinicians alike.

This book offers an overview of our current understanding of host defense peptides and their potential for clinical applications as well as some of the obstacles to this.

This volume focuses on the modulation of biological membranes by specific biophysical properties. The readers are introduced to emerging biophysical approaches that mimick specific states (like membrane lipid asymmetry, membrane curvature, lipid flip-flop, lipid phase separation) that are relevant to the functioning of biological membranes. The first chapter describes innovative methods to mimic the prevailing asymmetry in biological membranes by forming asymmetrical membranes made of monolayers with different compositions. One of the chapters illustrates how physical parameters, like curvature and elasticity, can affect and modulate the interactions between lipids and proteins. This volume also describes the sensitivity of certain ion channels to mechanical forces and it presents an analysis of how cell shape is determined by both the cytoskeleton and the lipid domains in the membrane. The last chapter provides evidence that liposomes can be used as a minimal cellular model to reconstitute processes related to the origin of life. Each topic covered in this volume is presented by leading experts in the field who are able to present clear, authoritative and up-to-date reviews. The novelty of the methods proposed and their potential for a deeper molecular description of membrane functioning are particularly relevant experts in the areas of biochemistry, biophysics and cell biology, while also presenting clear and thorough introductions, making the material suitable for students in these fields as well.