Overview
- Systemically studies the structures of prion proteins, especially the PrP models of resistant species to prion diseases (dog, rabbit, horse and buffalo)
- Introduces local and global search computational optimization into the studies of prion protein structures and neurodegenerative amyloid fibrils
- Unites and analyzes structures of prion proteins standing on the point of view and systemically carries out the molecular dynamics simulations of the prion protein structures
Part of the book series: Focus on Structural Biology (FOSB, volume 9)
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Table of contents (18 chapters)
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Molecular Modeling of Prions
Keywords
About this book
This monograph is the first easy-to-read-and-understand book on prion proteins' molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and on prions' molecular modelling (MM) constructions. It enables researchers to see what is crucial to the conformational change from normal cellular prion protein (PrPC) to diseased infectious prions (PrPSc), using MD and MM techniques. As we all know, prion diseases, caused by the body's own proteins, are invariably fatal and highly infectious neurodegenerative diseases effecting humans and almost all animals for a major public health concern. Prion contains no nucleic acids and it is a misshapen or conformation-changed protein that acts like an infectious agent; thus prion diseases are called “protein structural conformational” diseases.
PrPC is predominant in α-helices but PrPSc are rich in β-sheets in the form as amyloid fibrils; so very amenable to be studied by MD techniques. Through MD, studies on the proteinstructures and the structural conversion are very important for revealing secrets of prion diseases and for structure-based drug design or discovery. Rabbits, dogs, horses and buffaloes are reported to be the few low susceptibility species to prion diseases; this book's MD studies on these species are clearly helpful to understand the mechanism underlying the resistance to prion diseases. PrP(1-120) usually has no clear molecular structures; this book also studies this unstructured region through MD and especially MM techniques from the global optimization point of view.
This book is ideal for practitioners in computing of biophysics, biochemistry, biomedicine, bioinformatics, cheminformatics, materials science and engineering, applied mathematics and theoretical physics, information technology, operations research, biostatistics, etc. As an accessible introduction to these fields, this book is also ideal as a teaching material for students.
Reviews
“There is a wealth of information and insight in the results presented and in the methods employed. The research is important. The methods used are innovative. Studying this book is worth the effort.” (Anthony J. Duben, Computing Reviews, computingreviews.com, September, 2016)
Authors and Affiliations
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Molecular Structures and Structural Dynamics of Prion Proteins and Prions
Book Subtitle: Mechanism Underlying the Resistance to Prion Diseases
Authors: Jiapu Zhang
Series Title: Focus on Structural Biology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7318-8
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life Sciences, Biomedical and Life Sciences (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015
Hardcover ISBN: 978-94-017-7317-1Published: 25 September 2015
Softcover ISBN: 978-94-024-0445-6Published: 29 October 2016
eBook ISBN: 978-94-017-7318-8Published: 14 September 2015
Series ISSN: 1571-4853
Series E-ISSN: 2542-9566
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIX, 355
Number of Illustrations: 3 b/w illustrations, 176 illustrations in colour
Topics: Protein Structure, Molecular Medicine, Computational Biology/Bioinformatics, Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Biological and Medical Physics, Biophysics