Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics of Macromolecular Systems

Reviewing statistical mechanics concepts for analysis of macromolecular structure formation processes, for graduate students and researchers in physics and biology.

Auteur

Michael Bachmann is Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Georgia. His major fields of interest include theoretical physics, computational physics, statistical physics, biophysics, and chemical physics.

Résumé
Reviewing statistical mechanics concepts and tools necessary for the study of structure formation processes in macromolecular systems, this book provides insight into modern research at this interface between physics, chemistry, biology, and nanotechnology. It is an excellent reference for graduate students and researchers.

Contenu

Preface and outline; 1. Introduction; 2. Statistical mechanics: a modern review; 3. The complexity of minimalistic lattice models for protein folding; 4. Monte Carlo and chain growth methods for molecular simulations; 5. First insights to freezing and collapse of flexible polymers; 6. Crystallization of elastic polymers; 7. Structural phases of semiflexible polymers; 8. Generic tertiary folding properties of proteins in mesoscopic scales; 9. Protein folding channels and kinetics of two-state folding; 10. Inducing generic secondary structures by constraints; 11. Statistical analyses of aggregation processes; 12. Hierarchical nature of phase transitions; 13. Adsorption of polymers at solid substrates; 14. Hybrid protein-substrate interfaces; 15. Concluding remarks and outlook; Notes; References; Index.