Molecular Chaperones in the Cell

Molecular chaperones recognize nascent polypeptide chains and are essential for their post-translational modification: folding, proteolytic processing, transport, intracellular targeting, and secretion. They are also implicated in normal cell growth, signal transduction and the cell's response to stress. Much work has already been done in understanding the structure and function of the major molecular chaperones, but the emphasis in research has shifted toward exploring their precise roles in the many different processes with which they are involved inside the cell. This aspect of molecular chaperone biology is the focus of this book. Here, the field's leading experts synthesize our body of knowledge into succinct chapters, and the reader gains not only a fuller understanding of the roles of chaperones in the context of cellular processes, but also an insight into the nature of these proteins and their breadth of definition. This book represents a summary of the state of research in this fast-moving and important branch of molecular biology.