Studies of Protein Function by Various Mutagenic Strategies: β-Lactamase

Structure unambiguously determines the function of proteins; the linear amino acid sequence in turn dictates three-dimensional structure. Important insights into the molecular origins of the functional behavior of a particular protein become possible if one can alter in prescribed ways the structure of that protein, thereby allowing one to undertake structure-function studies of the type that have a long history of success in organic and pharmaceutical chemistry. Changes in the structure of a protein can be most expeditiously accomplished by appropriate changes in the base sequence of the DNA encoding that protein.