Book excerpt: Extensively revised and updated, the new edition of the highly regarded Handbook of Proteolytic Enzymes is an essential reference for biochemists, biotechnologists and molecular biologists. Edited by world-renowned experts in the field, this comprehensive work provides detailed information on all known proteolytic enzymes to date. This two-volume set unveils new developments on proteolytic enzymes which are being investigatedin pharmaceutical research for such diseases as HIV, Hepatitis C, and the common cold. Volume I covers aspartic and metallo petidases while Volume II examines peptidases of cysteine, serine, threonine and unknown catalytic type. A CD-ROM accompanies the book containing fully searchable text, specialised scissile bond searches, 3-D color structures and much more. - The only comprehensive book on proteolytic enzymes - Includes 671 chapters, each written by experts in their field, on proteolytic enzymes from all groups of living organisms and the viruses, including those that are currently major targets of pharmaceutical research - Accompanying CD-ROM provides fully searchable text, 2D structures of peptidases in color and links directly to PubMed and MEROPS databases - Each chapter describes in detail the enzyme name, its history, activity and specificity, structural chemistry, preparation, biological aspects and distinguishing features - Over 1000 peptidases included