From within complex structures of organisms and cells down to the molecular level, biological processes all involve movement. Muscular fibers slide on each other to activate the muscle, as polymerases do along nucleic acids for replicating and transcribing the genetic material. Cells move and organize themselves into organs by recognizing each other through macromolecular surface-specific interactions. These recognition processes involve the mu tual adaptation of structures that rely on their flexibility. All sorts of conformational changes occur in proteins involved in through-membrane signal transmission, showing another aspect of the flexibility of these macromolecules. The movement and flexibility are inscribed in the polymeric nature of essential biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. For instance, the well-defined structures formed by the long protein chain are held together by weak noncovalent interac tions that design a complex potential well in which the protein floats, permanently fluctuating between several micro- or macroconformations in a wide range of frequencies and ampli tudes. The inherent mobility of biomolecular edifices may be crucial to the adaptation of their structures to particular functions. Progress in methods for investigating macromolecular structures and dynamics make this hypothesis not only attractive but more and more testable.

A collection of articles looking at modern structural biology, summarizing the applications of physical methods - such as x-ray diffraction, high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular dynamics - to the study of protein structure and dynamics. There is a review of contemporary thoughts within the field, looking at the mechanisms of alloateric transitions and allosteric control, the transmission of information within protein structures and the role of dynamics in determining the specificity of protein - ligand interactions. There is also a look at future innovations.

"This excellent work fills the need for an upper-level graduate course resource that examines the latest biochemical, biophysical, and molecular biological methods for analyzing the structures and physical properties of biomolecules... This reviewer showed [the book] to several of his senior graduate students, and they unanimously gave the book rave reviews. Summing Up: Highly recommended..." CHOICE Chemical biology is a rapidly developing branch of chemistry, which sets out to understand the way biology works at the molecular level. Fundamental to chemical biology is a detailed understanding of the syntheses, structures and behaviours of biological macromolecules and macromolecular lipid assemblies that together represent the primary constituents of all cells and all organisms. The subject area of chemical biology bridges many different disciplines and is fast becoming an integral part of academic and commercial research. This textbook is designed specifically as a key teaching resource for chemical biology that is intended to build on foundations lain down by introductory physical and organic chemistry courses. This book is an invaluable text for advanced undergraduates taking biological, bioorganic, organic and structural chemistry courses. It is also of interest to biochemists and molecular biologists, as well as professionals within the medical and pharmaceutical industry. Key Features: A comprehensive introduction to this dynamic area of chemistry, which will equip chemists for the task of understanding and studying the underlying principles behind the functioning of biological macro molecules, macromolecular lipid assemblies and cells. Covers many basic concepts and ideas associated with the study of the interface between chemistry and biology. Includes pedagogical features such as: key examples, glossary of equations, further reading and links to websites. Clearly written and richly illustrated in full colour.

Over the past decade, a myriad of techniques have shown that solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) can be used in a broad spectrum of applications with exceptionally impressive results. Solid-state NMR results can yield high-resolution details on the structure and function of many important biological solids, including viruses, fibril-formin

The aim of this book volume is to explain the importance of Markov state models to molecular simulation, how they work, and how they can be applied to a range of problems. The Markov state model (MSM) approach aims to address two key challenges of molecular simulation: 1) How to reach long timescales using short simulations of detailed molecular models. 2) How to systematically gain insight from the resulting sea of data. MSMs do this by providing a compact representation of the vast conformational space available to biomolecules by decomposing it into states sets of rapidly interconverting conformations and the rates of transitioning between states. This kinetic definition allows one to easily vary the temporal and spatial resolution of an MSM from high-resolution models capable of quantitative agreement with (or prediction of) experiment to low-resolution models that facilitate understanding. Additionally, MSMs facilitate the calculation of quantities that are difficult to obtain from more direct MD analyses, such as the ensemble of transition pathways. This book introduces the mathematical foundations of Markov models, how they can be used to analyze simulations and drive efficient simulations, and some of the insights these models have yielded in a variety of applications of molecular simulation.

This book provides the first systematic treatment of the thermodynamic theory of site-specific effects in biological macromolecules. It describes the phenomenological and conceptual bases required to allow a mechanistic understanding of these effects from analysis of experimental data. The thermodynamic theory also results in novel experimental strategies that enable the derivation of information on local, site-specific properties of a macromolecular system from analysis of perturbed global properties. The treatment focuses on binding phenomena, but is amenable to extension both conceptually and formally to the analysis of other cooperative processes, such as folding and helix-coil transitions. This book will interest any scientist involved in structure-function studies of biological macromolecules, or as a text for graduate students in biochemistry and biophysics.