New textbooks at alllevels of chemistry appear with great regularity. Some fields like basic biochemistry, organic reaction mechanisms, and chemical thermodynamics are weil represented by many excellent texts, and new or revised editions are published sufficiently often to keep up with progress in research. However, some areas of chemistry, especially many of those taught at the graduate level, suffer from a reallack ofup-to-date textbooks. The most serious needs occur in fields that are rapidly changing. Textbooks in these subjects usually have to be written by scientists actually involved in the research which is advancing the field. lt is not often easy to persuade such individuals to settime aside to help spread the knowledge they have accumu lated. Our goal, in this series, is to pinpoint areas of chemistry where recent progress has outpaced what is covered in any available textbooks, and then seek out and persuade experts in these fields to produce relatively concise but instructive introductions to their fields. These should serve the needs of one semester or one quarter graduate courses in chemistry and biochemistry. In some cases the availability of texts in active research areas should help stimulate the creation of new courses. NewYork CHARLES R. CANTOR Preface to the Second Edition The original plan for the first edition of this book was to title it Enzyme Purification: Princip/es and Practice.

The first edition of Protein Purification Protocols (1996), edited by Professor Shawn Doonan, rapidly became very successful. Professor Doonan achieved his aims of p- ducing a list of protocols that were invaluable to newcomers in protein purification and of significant benefit to established practitioners. Each chapter was written by an ex- rienced expert in the field. In the intervening time, a number of advances have w- ranted a second edition. However, in attempting to encompass the recent developments in several areas, the intention has been to expand on the original format, retaining the concepts that made the initial edition so successful. This is reflected in the structure of this second edition. I am indebted to Professor Doonan for his involvement in this new edition and the continuity that this brings. Each chapter that appeared in the original volume has been reviewed and updated to reflect advances and bring the topic into the 21st century. In many cases, this reflects new applications or new matrices available from vendors. Many of these have increased the performance and/or scope of the given method. Several new chapters have been introduced, including chapters on all the currently used protein fractionation and ch- matographic techniques. They introduce the theory and background for each method, providing lists of the equipment and reagents required for their successful execution, as well as a detailed description of how each is performed.

Guide to Protein Purification, Second Edition provides a complete update to existing methods in the field, reflecting the enormous advances made in the last two decades. In particular, proteomics, mass spectrometry, and DNA technology have revolutionized the field since the first edition's publication but through all of the advancements, the purification of proteins is still an indispensable first step in understanding their function. This volume examines the most reliable, robust methods for researchers in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, genetics, pharmacology and biotechnology and sets a standard for best practices in the field. It relates how these traditional and new cutting-edge methods connect to the explosive advancements in the field. This "Guide to" gives imminently practical advice to avoid costly mistakes in choosing a method and brings in perspective from the premier researchers while presents a comprehensive overview of the field today. - Gathers top global authors from industry, medicine, and research fields across a wide variety of disciplines, including biochemistry, genetics, oncology, pharmacology, dermatology and immunology - Assembles chapters on both common and less common relevant techniques - Provides robust methods as well as an analysis of the advancements in the field that, for an individual investigator, can be a demanding and time-consuming process

This is a state-of-the-art sourcebook on modern high-resolution biochemical separation techniques for proteins. It contains all the basic theory and principles used in protein chromatography and electrophoresis.

This book is designed to be a practical progression of experimental techniques an investigator may follow when embarking on a biochemical project. The protocols may be performed in the order laid out or may be used inde pendently. The aim of the book is to assist a wide range of researchers. from the novice to the frustrated veteran, in the choice and design of experiments that are to be performed to provide answers to specific questions. The manual describes standard techniques that have been shown to work, as well as some newer ones that are beginning to prove important. By following the promi nently numbered steps. you can work your way through any protocol. whether it's a new technique or a task you've done before for which you need a quick review or updated methodology. This manual will assist the experimentalist in designing properly controlled experiments. There will be no advice for dealing with specific pieces of equip ment other than encouragement to read the manual, if you can find it. Through out all manipulations try to be objective. Be on the lookout for unexpected findings. You will learn the most from unexpected results. and they are often the beginning of the next project. It is never possible to record too much in your lab notebook. Do not get discouraged. Remember, things will not always run smoothly.

Protein Purification provides a guide to the major techniques, including non-affinity absorption techniques, affinity procedures, non-absorption techniques and methods for monitoring protein purity. There is an overview of protein strategy and equipment, followed by discussions and examples of each technique and its applications. The basic theory and simple explanations given in Protein Purification make it an ideal handbook for final year undergraduates, and postgraduates, who are conducting research projects. It will also be a useful guide to more experienced researchers who need a good overview of the techniques and products used in protein purification.

Hans Neurath has written that this is the second golden era of enzymology {Protein Science [1994], vol. 3, pp. 1734—1739); he could with justice have been more general and referred to the second golden age of protein chemistry. The last two decades have seen enormous advances in our understanding of the structures and functions of pro teins arising on the one hand from improvements and developments in analytical techniques {see the companion volume, Basic Protein and Peptide Protocols, in this series) and on the other hand from the tech nologies of molecular genetics. Far from turning the focus away from protein science, the ability to isolate, analyze, and express genes has increased interest in proteins as gene products. Hence, many laborato ries are now getting involved in protein isolation for the first time, either as an essential adjunct to their work in molecular genetics or because of a curiosity to know more about the products of the genes that they have been studying. Protein Purification Protocols is aimed mainly at these newcom ers to protein purification, but it is hoped that it will also be of value to established practitioners who may find here techniques that they have not tried, but which might well be most applicable in their work. With the exception mainly of the first and last chapters, the format of the contributions to the present book conform to the established format of the Methods in Molecular Biology series.