SYNTHESIS OF NOVEL PROTEINS

De novo and rational protein design are progressing towards the chemic al synthesis of proteins with pre-selected structure and function. The data illustrate diverse experimental and computational approaches whi ch test our comprehension of protein structure, hydrophobic core packi ng and global stability, especially of coiled-coil proteins. The incor poration of biological cofactors, including hemes, as well as active s ites, such as that of iron superoxide dismutase, into designed protein s provides an exciting next step towards the synthesis of proteins wit h enzymatic function.