Biological systems are regulated by the thermodynamic parameters of pressure and temperature. With the help of new spectroscopic methods it is now possible to study the structure and function of such systems under extreme pressures and temperatures. This book described the resulting theory and applications of these pressure and temperature effects. The subjects covered include the use of high pressure in food processing and even the theory of the origin and evolution of life. Readers exploring the world of biology in extreme environments will find this book particularly useful.

Inhalt

1 Liquid Water at Low Temperature: Clues for Biology?.- 2 Ab Initio Theoretical Study of Water: Extension to Extreme Conditions.- 3 The Behavior of Proteins Under Extreme Conditions: Physical Concepts and Experimental Approaches.- 4 High-Pressure NMR Spectroscopy of Proteins.- 5 Pressure-Induced Secondary Structure Changes of Proteins Studied by FTIR Spectroscopy.- 6 The Small Angle X-Ray Scattering from Proteins Under Pressure.- 7 Accurate Calculations of Relative Melting Temperatures of Mutant Proteins by Molecular Dynamics/Free Energy Perturbation Methods.- 8 Enzyme Kinetics: Stopped-Flow Under Extreme Conditions.- 9 Pressure Effects on the Intramolecular Electron Transfer Reactions in Hemoproteins.- 10 Marine Microbiology: Deep Sea Adaptations.- 11 Submarine Hydrothermal Vents as Possible Sites of the Origin of Life.- 12 The Effect of Hydrostatic Pressure on the Survival of Microorganisms.- 13 Dynamics of Cell Structure by Pressure Stress in the Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.