Proteolytic Enzymes

Like the first edition, this edition emphasizes practical aspects of the handling, characterization, inhibition, and use of proteolytic enzymes, giving general advice and specific examples. The text and protocols have been updated to take account of the advances made, in both the increased understanding of the role of peptidases in many critical cellular processes and new technological developments such as recombinant protein expression, protein sequencing, and structural studies. The topics covered are: nomenclature and classification; purification; assay methods; determination of mechanism; inhibition and prevention of unwanted proteolytic activity; characterizing natural inhibitors; proteolytic enzymes in peptide mapping and primary structure elucidation by mass spectrometry and Edman sequencing; limited proteolysis as a structural probe; synthetic function. This book should be useful in providing ideas and protocols for scientists either studying proteases or using proteases as a research tool.