Protein engineering mechanism-based design

Protein engineering has to date been tackled according to two quite different philosophies. The first of these can broadly be termed mechanism-based design. This involves describing protein function as completely as possible so that desired changes can be effected by calculation fiom first principles. Typically the protein mechanic first asks what tiiree dimensional structure an amino acid sequence will adopt, then what function will be performed by such a structure and finally how alterations to the structure may... 

Figure 5.18. Performance of mechanical work by designed protein-based engines Different energy inputs pump iron by lowering AGha(x) to drive...

The term machine is a general designation for any device that converts energy from one form to another. The particular type of machine that performs mechanical work or produces motion is commonly called either a motor or an engine. Here, we summarize the capacity of protein-based machines to perform mechanical work (pump iron) by the consilient mechanism of hydrophobic association by utilizing a number of different energy inputs. 

As stated in Chapter 9, The consilient approach to tissue engineering utilizes biology s own materials and mechanisms, concerned with tissue structure and function, to achieve tissue restoration. The key materials elements are three the capacity of the elastic protein-based material to match the elastic modulus of the tissue to be restored, a remarkable biocompatibility of the pure elastic protein-based material, and the facility to design into the protein-based polymer sequence any desired biologically active sequence, which, by virtue of the innocuousness of the elastic protein-based material, allows proper expression of the incorporated biologically active sequence. This provides the opportunity for the proper functional relationship of protein-based material to the cells and the extracellular matrix of the tissue to be restored. 

---