Engineering Novel Bioactive Mini-Proteins on Natural Scaffolds

Novel bioactive mini-proteins have been engineered by a rational approach, implying the structural and functional reproduction of protein binding sites on stable natural protein structures, functioning as scaffolds. Such molecules, possessing a well-defined three-dimensional structure and a specific biological activity, represent new tools in biology, biotechnology, medical sciences, and also precious intermediates useful in drug design, facilitating the conversion of a protein functional epitope into a classical pharmaceutical.