Molecular Biophysics for the Life Sciences

This book covers research themes and strategies in molecular biophysics. It explains the goals of biophysical research as well as details investigative tools, the relevance of biological research to other fields, and future opportunities in the field.

This volume provides an overview of the development and scope of molecular biophysics and in-depth discussions of the major experimental methods that enable biological macromolecules to be studied at atomic resolution. It also reviews the physical chemical concepts that are needed to interpret the experimental results and to understand how the structure, dynamics, and physical properties of biological macromolecules enable them to perform their biological functions. Reviews of research on three disparate biomolecular machinesDNA helicases, ATP synthases, and myosin--illustrate how the combination of theory and experiment leads to new insights and new questions.

Provides an overview of major research themes and research strategies in contemporary molecular biophysics Introduces new investigators to major areas of biophysics Explains the goals of biophysical research, while offering the tools available for investigation, the relevance of biological research to other fields, and future opportunities in the field

Autorentext

Dr. Norma M. Allewell is Professor of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and Affiliate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, where she served as Dean of the College of Chemical and Life Sciences for a decade. Her research focuses on protein structure, function and dynamics, and metabolic regulatory mechanisms and diseases.

Dr. Linda Narhi is a Scientific Executive Director in the Product Attribute Science Group at Amgen, where her responsibilities include solution stability assessment of all protein-based therapeutic candidates, and developing and implementing predictive assays for protein stability to process, storage, and delivery conditions.

Dr. Ivan Rayment is Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he holds the Michael G. Rossmann Professorship in Biochemistry. He has a wide range of interests in structural biology and has made seminal contributions to our understanding of the structural basis of motility, enzyme evolution, cobalamin biosynthesis, and transposition.

Klappentext

This volume of the series Biophysics for the Life Sciences focuses on the conceptual framework and major research tools of contemporary molecular biophysics. It is designed to enable non-specialistsboth students and professionals in other fieldsto understand how these approaches can be used across the biosciences and in medicine, agriculture, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development and other fields. The scope of this volume is appropriate for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in biophysics and biophysical chemistry.

The book begins with an overview of the development of molecular biophysics and a brief survey of structural, physical, and chemical principles. Subsequent chapters written by experts present, with examples, the major experimental methods: optical spectroscopy, X-ray and neutron diffraction and scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and single molecule methods. The relationship between the biophysical properties of biological macromolecules and their roles as molecular machines is emphasized throughout and illustrated with three examplesDNA helicases, rotary motor ATPases, and myosin. The concluding chapter discusses future prospects in X-ray and neutron scattering, mass spectrometry, and pharmaceutical development.

Dr. Norma M. Allewell is Professor of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and Affiliate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, where she served as Dean of the College of Chemical and Life Sciences for a decade. Her research focuses on protein structure, function and dynamics, and metabolic regulatory mechanisms and diseases.

Dr. Linda Narhi is a Scientific Executive Director in the Product Attribute Science Group at Amgen, where her responsibilities include solution stability assessment of all protein-based therapeutic candidates, and developing andimplementing predictive assays for protein stability to process, storage, and delivery conditions.

Dr. Ivan Rayment is Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he holds the Michael G. Rossmann Professorship in Biochemistry. He has a wide range of interests in structural biology and has made seminal contributions to our understanding of the structural basis of motility, enzyme evolution, cobalamin biosynthesis, and transposition.

Inhalt

Introduction: Molecular Biophysics and the Life Sciences.- Structural, Physical, and Chemical Principles.- Part I. The Experimental Tools of Molecular Biophysics.- Optical Spectroscopic Methods for the Analysis of Biological Macromolecules.- Diffraction and Scattering of X-Rays and Neutrons.- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.- Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.- Mass Spectrometry.- Single Molecule Methods.- Part II. Biological Macromolecules as Molecular Machines: Three Examples.- Helicase Unwinding at the Replication Fork.- Rotary Motor ATPases.- Biophysical approaches to understanding the action of myosin as a molecular machine.- Part III. Future Prospects.- Future Prospects.