Artificial Metalloproteins

In recent decades, artificial metalloproteins (ArMs) have emerged as powerful vehicles with which to control, implement, and leverage the unique reactivity and spectroscopic properties of their bound metal ions. This volume provides a practical guide to the latest ArM research, and is organized in a hierarchical fashion reflecting the primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary elements of protein structure. The first two sections provide a wide breadth of strategies for incorporating the primary coordination elements required for metal binding, which are further divided into the installation of heme and non-heme metallocofactor sites. The third section relates to the installation and tuning of secondary coordination sphere effects around the metal center to modulation of properties therein. Finally, the fourth section relates tertiary and quaternary protein design elements to resultant changes in properties of the bound metallocofactors. Ultimately the design, preparation, and characterization of ArMs at all of these hierarchical levels are needed to recapitulate the structures and functions of natural metalloproteins. By providing a detailed roadmap for achieving each of these elements, this volume aims to disseminate the cumulative knowledge developed by researchers around the world such that the next generation of ArM researchers can build from it and ultimately, beyond.

• A wide variety of strategies for the installation of nonnative metal binding sites are described
• Protein engineering approaches range from modulating secondary coordination sphere effects around the metal ion, to implementation of peptide dynamical motions for the regulation of these effects
• Provides a ‘how-to’ guide for the interdisciplinary techniques needed in the construction and characterization of diverse ArM systems