PROTEIN DE-NOVO DESIGN

The ultimate goal in protein de novo design is the construction of art ificial proteins exhibiting tailor-made structural and functional prop erties. To create native-like macromolecules in copying nature's way h as proven to be difficult because the mechanism of folding in its comp lexity has yet to be unraveled. Ln order to bypass the well-known fold ing problem, we have developed the concept of template assembled synth etic proteins (TASP); this meanwhile widely accepted strategy uses top ological templates as 'built-in' devices for the induction of well-def ined folding topologies. Progress in synthetic strategies, e.g., chemo sslective ligation methods and orthogonal protection techniques open t he way for the design of more complex TASP molecules featuring functio nal properties such as membrane channels, vaccines, catalysts. recepto rs, or ligands.