Question

What is the hierarchical organization of protein structure? Indicate the nature of covalent and non-covalent forces which determine the protein structure.

Answer 1

Increasingly, drug developers are looking to large molecules and particularly proteins as a therapeutic option. Formulation of a protein drug product can be quite a challenge, but without a good understanding of the nature of protein structure and the conformational characteristics of the specific protein being formulated, the results can be ruinous. This technical brief aims to give the reader a quick overview of protein structure. It will also cover briefly how protein structure can be affected during formulation and some of the analytical methods which can be used both to determine the structure and analyze the stability of the protein.