Biomolecular Structure and Function covers the proceedings of the 1977 ?Cellular Function and Molecular Structure: Biophysical Approaches to Biological Problems? symposium. It summarizes the application of several biophysical techniques to molecular research in biology. This book starts by describing the use of deuterium-labeled lipids, as monitors of the degree of organization of membrane lipids. It also describes the use of carbon-13-labeled lipids, as indicators of molecular mobility. It explains the lipid-protein interactions involving two integral membrane proteins, mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase and calcium-dependent ATPase of muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. The book goes on to present NMR studies on the organization and conformation of phospholipids, chloroplast membranes, and erythrocyte membranes. It also presents the ESR study of spectrin-phospholipid associations. It discusses the use of fluorescence probes, electrokinetics, neutron diffraction and ion theory studies of phospholipid-protein association, hormone disease, and senescence effects on prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Moreover, this book presents the experiments and phosphorus-31 NMR methodology to simultaneously monitor the intracellular pH and phosphate metabolism in a beating heart, functioning kidney, or an intact living microorganism. This book then describes physical probing of intracellular fluidity and structural changes attending tissue or cell cycles. It also relates relatively narrow lines in the hydrogen-1 NMR spectrum of the extremely viscous complex of the muscle protein troponin and highly polymerized tropomyosin. Structure-function studies of fibrous proteins, such as collagen, actin, and myosin, and active site analysis of enzymes are also presented. Finally, a wide variety of methodologies and technologies is exemplified. This includes proton, carbon, fluorine, phosphorus, and lithium NMR spectroscopy; spin labeling and EPR spectroscopy; chemical studies; light scattering and fluorescence; and electron microscopy.

This is a collection of papers presented and discussed at the first EBSA workshop held at Saltsj6baden outside stockholm in Sweden, July 6-10, 1986. The common theme of these papers is dynamics of biomolecules, and how the dynamics depends on the molecular structure and organi zation, and connects to and determines the biological function. This is a rapidly expanding field of research which combines many different aspects of molecular bio physics. Much material is new and presented for the first time. Even if the work so far has been of the kind that is usually called basic research, practical applications are clearly indicated in some articles, and are waiting around the corner in several other cases. At the workshop only one third of the time was used for the formal presentations and two thirds for discussion. To this should also be added discussions during the poster sessions. During these lively and unrecorded discussions fresh viewpoints emerged and new ideas were created. Ad mittedly, our knowledge at present is only fragmentary but when pieces of the puzzle are brought together at a workshop or in a publication of this kind more extended and sometimes unexpected contours and shapes become vi sible. It is our hope that this rapid publication of camera-ready manuscripts will transfer some of the spi rit at the workshop to the reader, and in his or her institute or laboratory initiate further discussions, bring forward more ideas and start new experimental ap roaches.

Gathering together a number of the best experts in the world, the 27th Jerusalem Symposium was devoted to the theme of the modelling of biomolecular structures and mechanisms. As a result of recent growth in both importance and audience, the papers contained in this volume present a thorough evaluation of the status of the present knowledge in this field. The main topics covered by this year's Symposium include nucleic acids and their interactions, proteins and their interaction, membranes and their interactions, enzymatic processes and the pharmacological and medical aspects of these subjects. Readers will benefit from the interdisciplinary approach which provides an extensive coverage of both theoretical and experimental advances.