Bio-orthogonal and combinatorial approaches for the design of binding growth factors

Merrifield chemistry enables the convenient synthesis of oligonucleotides and peptides, while recombinant DNA technology has facilitated protein engineering. Recently, protein engineering has been extended into bio-orthogonal protein engineering by the development of specific chemical or enzymatic modification technologies. The combinatorial approach of molecular evolutionary engineering (or in vitro selection) has also provided a new design tool for functional peptides. These methodologies have enabled the development of various new proteinaceous materials for biological and medical applications. Here, we will discuss recent progress in the molecular design of proteins with respect to the preparation of binding growth factors, which are of increasing importance in the biomaterials field.