TEMPLATES IN PROTEIN DE-NOVO DESIGN

The de novo design of polypeptide sequences with a three-dimensional s tructure necessary for many biological functions is limited by the com plex folding process, or 'protein folding problem'. This problem can b e bypassed through constructing protein-like molecules with a 'built-i n' device for intramolecular folding, that is, proteins of non-natural chain architecture (template-assembled synthetic proteins, TASP). Top ological templates have become a versatile tool for inducing and stabi lizing secondary structures (protein loops, beta-turns, alpha-helices, beta-sheets) and are widely adopted design elements for the construct ion of protein-like molecules, exhibiting interesting structural and f unctional properties.