The Thermodynamic Machinery of Life presents the relevant foundations of nonequilibrium thermodynamics as applied to biological processes taking place at the subcellular level. The biological cell is considered as a complex open thermodynamic system far from equilibrium that enzymatically controls various biochemical reactions and transport processes across internal and the cytoplasmatic membrane. The enzymatic free energy and signal transduction processes are described in detail. All the biological molecular machines, also pumps and motors are considered to be effective chemo-chemical free energy transducers. Special attention is paid to the role of the mesoscopic internal dynamics of biomolecules in the activity control of enzymes and the action of molecular machines.

A must for all biophysicists and cell biologists as well as interdisciplinary interested physicists and chemists Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Autorentext
The Thermodynamic Machinery of Life presents the relevant foundations of nonequilibrium thermodynamics as applied to biological processes taking place at the subcellular level. The biological cell is considered as a complex open thermodynamic system far from equilibrium that enzymatically controls various biochemical reactions and transport processes across internal and the cytoplasmatic membrane. The enzymatic free energy and signal transduction processes are described in detail. All the biological molecular machines, also pumps and motors are considered to be effective chemo-chemical free energy transducers. Special attention is paid to the role of the mesoscopic internal dynamics of biomolecules in the activity control of enzymes and the action of molecular machines.

Inhalt
Biophysics: An Experimental Tool of Biology or the Physics of Animate Matter?.- Statistical Description of Matter.- Thermodynamic State.- Origins and Evolution of Life.- Molecular Biology of the Eukaryotic Cell.- Chemical Reactions.- Enzymatic Catalysis.- Biological Free Energy Transduction.- Lack of Partial Thermodynamic Equilibrium.- Thermodynamic Supplement.- Stochastic Processes.- Structure of Biomolecules.- Dynamics of Biomolecules.