The aim of the Protein Reviews is to serve as a publication vehicle for review articles that
focus on crucial current vigorous aspects of protein structure function evolution and
genetics. The volumes will appear online before they are published in a printed book. Articles
are selected according to their importance to the understanding of biological systems their
relevance to the unravelling of issues associated with health and disease or their impact on
scientific or technological advances and developments. Volume 19 focusses on Purinergic
receptors also termed purinoceptors. These are plasma membrane proteins present in nearly all
mammalian tissues. They participate in a number of cell functions that include proliferation
and migration of neural stem cells vascular reactivity apoptosis and cytokine secretion and
have been associated with learning and memory feeding conduct movement and sleep. They
facilitate relaxation of smooth muscle of the gut in response to adenosine (P1 receptors) or
ATP (P2 receptors). The chapters in this volume are authored by experts in the field. They deal
with aspects of structure and biological activity of selected receptor proteins. The first
chapter in this volume reviews the current research on the Mechanism of channel gating and
regulation of the activity of calcium-activated chloride channel ANO1. This is followed by a
chapter dealing with Structure and function of the two-component cytotoxins of Staphylococcus
aureus and a chapter on Membrane Fusion and Infection involving the Influenza virus
Hemagglutinin. The fourth chapter reviews the impact of arrhythmogenic mutations through the
structural determination of the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel. Then there is a chapter
that discusses some open questions pertaining to histone post-translational modifications and
nucleosome organization in transcriptional regulation. The next chapter deals with regulation
of the extracellular SERPINA5(protein C inhibitor) penetration through cellular membranes. This
is followed by a chapter on coding of Class I and II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases a chapter on
regulation of nephrin phosphorylation in diabetes and chronic kidney injury and a chapter on
The Structure-Forming Juncture in oxidative protein folding and the events in the ER. Finally
the last chapter deals with the polyspecificity of anti-lipid antibodies and its relevance to
the development of autoimmunity. This volume is intended for research scientists clinicians
physicians and graduate students in the fields of biochemistry cell biology molecular biology
immunology and genetics.
