protein struc, diverse + fold prediction

Question 1

Why is synthetic chemistry used and how

Answer 1

many biochemical mechanisms cant be achieved with only Amino Acids

so uses
Cofactors and Post-translational modifications

Question 2

what challenges can be faced with synthetic modification of proteins

Answer 2

• the need for specific biological conditons
  -> non extreme pH
  -> can denature in organic
  solvent
• reactions must occur fast
• site-selectivity for one group to avoid modification of unwanted sites
  -chemical linkage between small molecule and protein need to be stable

Question 3

how is synthetic chemistry work
native amino acid modification

Answer 3

N-terminal modification
-> Edman degradation
Lysine modification
->NHS coupling
-> isothiocyanate coupling
Cysteine modification
-> alpha-halo carbonyl
-> Maleimide coupling

Question 4

what are the advantages and disadvantages of Lysine modification

Answer 4

adv - ease of reaction
readily synthesised electrophilic partners for reaction
dis - not site selective

Question 5

what type of modification is maleimide coupling and the advantages and disadvantages

Answer 5

cysteine modification
adv - site specific control
dis - can be reversible under physicological conditions which can lead to off site toxicity

Question 6

what is incorporating unnatural functionality

Answer 6

manipulating natural biological processes for protein modification

Question 7

methods of incorporating unnatural functionality

Answer 7

unnatural amino acid mutagenesis
metabolic engineering
-> using azides

Question 8

what types of functionality might you want to add to a protein

Answer 8

fluorophore, toxic warhead and pegylates