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Protein Crystallization in Space and Its Contribution to Drug Development

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Handbook of Space Pharmaceuticals

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Abstract

It has been a long time since space experiments have been conducted to produce protein crystals in microgravity. High-quality crystals grown in space are brought back to the ground to obtain precise protein structural information, which can be used for drug discovery. JAXA, the Japanese space agency, has been conducting protein crystallization experiments since the 1990s. More precise structural data have been obtained for about 40–50% of protein types, with many results leading to drug discovery, for example, drugs for muscular dystrophy, breast cancer or periodontal disease. Various contrivances are necessary for the success of the space experiment. JAXA has been striving to promote space experiments by improving the protein sample conditions and developing crystallization containers optimized for space experiments to maximize the results of space experiment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Japan

    Mitsugu Yamada, Kiyohito Kihira, Momi Iwata & Izumi Yoshizaki

  2. Confocal Science Inc., Tokyo, Japan

    Sachiko Takahashi & Hiroaki Tanaka

  3. Maruwa Foods and Biosciences, Inc., Nara, Japan

    Koji Inaka

Authors
  1. Mitsugu Yamada
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  2. Kiyohito Kihira
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  3. Momi Iwata
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  4. Sachiko Takahashi
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  5. Koji Inaka
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  6. Hiroaki Tanaka
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  7. Izumi Yoshizaki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Izumi Yoshizaki .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Health College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Yashwant Pathak

  2. PUCRS, Partenon, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Marlise Araújo dos Santos

  3. BioServe Space Technologies, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA

    Luis Zea

Section Editor information

  1. Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Marlise Araújo dos Santos

  2. USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Yashwant V. Pathak

  3. Faculty of Pharmacy, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia

    Yashwant V. Pathak

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Yamada, M. et al. (2021). Protein Crystallization in Space and Its Contribution to Drug Development. In: Pathak, Y., Araújo dos Santos, M., Zea, L. (eds) Handbook of Space Pharmaceuticals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50909-9_40-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50909-9_40-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-50909-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-50909-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Chemistry and Mat. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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