Integrated molecular and cellular biophysics / Valerica Raicu, Aurel Popescu.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Raicu, Valerica.

Contributor:

Popescu, Aurel.

Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Biophysics.

Molecular Biology.

Medical Subjects:

Biophysics.

Molecular Biology.

Physical Description:

xi, 250 pages : illustrations(some color) ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

[Dordrecht] : Springer, [2008]

Summary:

This book integrates concepts and methods from physics, biology, biochemistry, and physical chemistry into a standalone, unitary text of biophysics that aims to provide a quantitative description of structures and processes occurring in living matter. The book introduces graduate physics students and physicists interested in biophysics research to "classical" as well as emerging areas of biophysics. Advanced undergraduate physics students and the scientists are also invited to join in, by building on their knowledge of basic physics. Essential notions of biochemistry and biology are introduced, as necessary, throughout the book, while the reader's familiarity with basic physics is assumed. Topics covered include interactions between biological molecules, physical chemistry of association of phospholipids into bilayer membranes, DNA and protein structure and folding, passive and active electrical properties of the cell membrane, classical as well as fractal aspects of reaction kinetics and diffusion in biological systems, structural and functional aspects of molecular machines (including channels, ion pumps, and light-harvesting antenna), as well as fundamental aspects of association of proteins in solutions and in living cells.

Contents:

1 The Molecular Basis of Life 7

1.1 Molecular Interactions 7

1.1.1 Interactions Between Polar Entities 8

1.1.2 van der Waals Interactions 10

1.2 Water and Polar Interactions 18

1.2.1 Physical Properties of Water 19

1.2.2 Overview of the Importance of Water for the Living Matter State 28

1.2.3 The pH 29

1.3 Hydrophobic "Interactions" and Molecular Self-Association 30

1.3.1 The Hydrophobic Effect 30

1.3.2 Amphiphilic Molecules 31

2 The Composition and Architecture of the Cell 39

2.1 The Cell: An Overview 39

2.1.1 Eukaryotic Cells 40

2.1.2 Cellular Self-Reproduction 43

2.1.3 Cellular Metabolism 46

2.2 Proteins 47

2.2.1 Protein Structure 47

2.2.2 Protein Folding 57

2.3 Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA): The Cell's Legislative Power 60

2.3.1 DNA Structure 60

2.3.2 DNA Replication (Gene Autoreproduction) 66

2.4 Determination of Molecular Structure 68

3 Cell Membrane: Structure and Physical Properties 73

3.1 Membrane Structure 73

3.1.1 Chemical Composition of the Plasma Membrane 74

3.1.2 Spatial Architecture of the Plasma Membrane 75

3.2 Surface Charges 78

3.2.1 Origin of the Surface Charges 78

3.2.2 Electrical Double Layer 79

3.2.3 Gouy-Chapman-Stern Theory of the Electrical Double Layer 79

3.3 Static Electrical Properties of Planar Membranes 88

3.3.1 Electrical Parameters as Complex Quantities 88

3.3.2 Dielectric Relaxation of a Dielectric Multi-Layer 90

3.3.3 Dielectric Properties of Random Suspensions of Particles with Particular Relevance to Biological Cells 95

4 Substance Transport Across Membranes 101

4.1 Brief Overview 101

4.2 Diffusion in Biological Systems 103

4.2.1 Fick's Laws of Diffusion 103

4.2.2 Simple Diffusion Through Membranes 105

4.2.3 Determination of Membrane Permeability from Membrane Potential Energy Profile 107

4.3 Osmosis and Osmotic Pressure 110

4.3.1 van't Hoff's Laws 111

4.3.2 Deviations from van't Hoff Laws 113

4.3.3 Osmotic Pressure of Biological Liquids 114

4.3.4 The Cellular "Osmotic Pressure Menace" 115

4.4 Facilitated Transport 116

4.4.1 Channel-Mediated Transport 116

4.4.2 Carrier-Mediated Transport 116

4.4.3 Main Characteristics of Facilitated Transport 120

4.5 Active Ion Transport 120

5 Reaction, Diffusion and Dimensionality 123

5.1 Equilibrium and the Law of Mass Action 123

5.1.1 Molecular Association 123

5.1.2 Determination of Affinity Constant by Equilibrium Dialysis 125

5.1.3 Competitive Binding 127

5.1.4 Allosteric Activation and Inhibition of Binding 128

5.2 Introduction to Fractals 131

5.2.1 "...The Measure of Everything" 132

5.2.2 Examples of Fractals of Biological Interest 136

5.2.3 Practical Considerations and Limitations of the Above Theory 138

5.3 Fractal Diffusion and the Law of Mass Action 140

5.3.1 Diffusion on Fractal Lattices 141

5.3.2 The Carrier-Mediated Transport of Glucose Revisited 143

6 Electrophysiology and Excitability 147

6.1 Electric Charges and the Transmembrane Potential 147

6.1.1 Models for Calculating the Transmembrane Potential 149

6.2 Excitable Membranes 155

6.2.1 Electrotonic Versus Action Potentials 155

6.2.2 The Voltage-Clamp Technique and Transmembrane Ionic Currents 160

6.2.3 The Hodgkin-Huxley Model of Action Potential 164

7 Structure and Function of Molecular Machines 173

7.1 Channels and Pores 173

7.1.1 Electrical Behavior of Individual Ion Channels 174

7.1.2 Structural Characterization by X-Ray Crystallography 177

7.2 X-Ray Investigations of Channels and Pores 181

7.3 Ion Pumps 185

7.3.1 The Na-K-ATPase 185

7.3.2 Other Ionic Pumps 188

7.4 Light Absorption in Photosynthesis 189

7.4.1 Brief Overview of the Mechanism of Photosynthesis 189

7.4.2 Thermodynamics of Light Absorption 190

8 Protein-Protein Interactions 195

8.1 Probing Protein Association In Vivo 195

8.1.1 Elementary Theory of Fluorescence and FRET 197

8.1.2 FRET-Based Determinations of Interaction Stoichiometry 201

8.2 Structural Studies of Protein-Protein Interactions 209

8.2.1 Principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) 209

8.2.2 Chemical Shift and the NMR Spectroscopy 211

8.2.3 NMR Studies of Protein-Protein Interactions 214.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

ISBN:

9781402082672

1402082673

9781402082689

1402082681

OCLC:

213112243