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Protein Engineering -During the last twenty years, rapid progress has been made in the analysis of protein structure and function. Sequences of amino acids are now available for as many as 8000 proteins, but the three dimensional structures of only about 400 proteins have been resolved through X-ray crystallography.
It is realized that the analysis of protein structure and function has now reached only a level which for DNA existed in 1970's. Such a comparison gets support from the fact that only one centre in the world is available for the storage of protein data (Brookhaven Data Bank), while several such centres are available for DNA sequence data.
From the three dimensional structure of 400 proteins analysed so far, it is apparent that if two proteins are similar in their amino acid sequence, they will tend to fold into similar three dimensional structures. The rules that will translate the amino acid sequence of a protein into its three dimensional structure are sometimes referred to as the second half of the genetic code.

These rules are not fully known yet, but as these rules become known, it will be possible for us to predict three dimensional structure of a protein from its amino acid sequence. This will then also enable us to identify a model structure for a protein and predict its function.

The model can then be used for the synthesis and modification of a gene that will give the desired sequence of amino acid; leading to the three dimensional structure for a specified function. An alternative approach of protein engineering may be to modify a protein by a chemical reaction to make it more suitable for a specific function.

This area of protein research (modification of protein either by recombinant technology or by chemical reaction) is currently receiving considerable emphasis and is popularly described as protein engineering. Through recombinant DNA technology, a gene can now be cloned in an expression vector and made to express in bacteria.

From such bacterial cells having the desired gene cloned in an expression vector, a protein can be obtained in abundant quantity. Since a gene can be artificially synthesized and modified using recombinant DNA technology, this will allow production of novel proteins through genetic engineering, an area popularly described as protein engineering.

The proteins receiving attention in this new and exciting area of protein engineering would include enzymes, synthetic peptides, storage proteins and drugs to be used in medicine, industry and agriculture. The objectives of protein engineering include the following:

(i) to create superior enzymes to catalyze production of high value specific chemicals;

(ii) to produce enzymes for large scale use in the chemical industry; and

(iii) to produce biological compounds (including synthetic peptides, storage proteins and specific drugs), that are superior to natural ones. Some success in this area of protein engineering has already been achieved and much progress is expected to be made in this area in future. The different aspects of this fascinating area of protein engineering.
 

 
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