Peptides or Small Molecules in Protein–Protein Interaction

Dear Colleagues,

Protein recognition and associations play a crucial role in biological systems, regulating many physiological and pathological conditions. Therefore, the knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms that regulate these interactions and the possibility of predicting their existence is assuming an increasingly important role not only in advancing the knowledge of biological systems, but also in opening up new possibilities for the development of drugs and/or diagnostics.

Although it is possible to derive some general principles of PPI, structural studies illustrate the remarkable diversity of interactions, both in terms of interfacial size and nature. Because protein domains are the building blocks of proteins, PPIs mainly rely on given combinations of domain–domain interactions, although a particularly interesting class of PPIs involves intrinsically disordered protein. Moreover, post-translational modification, e.g., phosphorylation, is often required for PPI, reaching a remarkable specificity.

Modulating protein–protein interactions is a promising but challenging way to develop new therapeutic agents capable of countering and overcoming numerous diseases. Peptides and small molecules represent two classes of compounds well-suited for protein recognition and, of course, to modulate protein–protein interactions.

This Special Issue will consider reviews and original research manuscripts that provide an overview of the current status and recent advances in the study of protein–protein interactions, highlighting promising and compelling computational tools developed to design bioactive peptides/peptidomimetics/small molecules, as well as successful examples of peptides or small molecules, which by targeting a protein–protein recognition site are able to modulate a biological response.

Dr. Paolo Ruzza
Dr. Claudia Honisch
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• protein domains
• protein–protein interactions
• peptides
• peptidomimetics
• small molecules
• human diseases