The fibroblast growth factor receptor family consists of four receptor tyrosine kinases which bind with varying affinity and specificity to a family of at least fifteen polypeptide ligands. The receptors and ligands perform many essential functions during growth, development and repair. Recent discoveries show that a growing number of skeletal abnormalities result from mutations in the fibrobla...

The rabbit is an important and de facto animal model in the study of ischemic disease and angiogenic therapy. Additionally, fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF-1) is emerging as one of the most important growth factors for novel proangiogenic and pro-arteriogenic therapy. However, despite its significance, the fundamental biophysical properties of rabbit FGF-1, including its X-ray structure, have n...

With an increasing clinical demand for functional therapeutic proteins every year, there is an increasing requirement for the massive production of bioactive recombinant human acidic fibroblast growth factor (r-haFGF). In this present study, we delicately explore a strategy for the mass production of r-haFGF protein with biological activity in the transgenic silkworm cocoons. The sequence-optim...

Human acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-1) is a member of the beta-trefoil superfold, a protein architecture that exhibits a characteristic threefold axis of structural symmetry. FGF-1 contains 11 beta-turns, the majority being type I 3:5; however, a type I 4:6 turn is also found at three symmetry-related locations. The relative uniqueness of the type I 4:6 turn in the FGF-1 structure sugges...