The book is based on lectures presented on the International Summer School on Biophysics held in Croatia in September 2009. The advantage of the School is that it provides advanced training in very broad scope of areas related to biophysics contrary to other similar schools or workshops that are centered mainly on one topic or technique. In this volume, tenth in the row, the papers in the field of biophysics are presented. The topics are biological phenomena from single protein to macromolecular aggregations structure by using variant physical methods (NMR, EPR, FTIR, Mass Spectrometry, etc.). The interrelationship of supramolecular structures and their functions is enlightened by applications of principals of these physical methods in the biophysical and molecular biology context.

During the past decade we have witnessed not only an increase in knowledge of the "traditional" biophysical problems, but also an understanding of the molecular basis of various biological phenomena. The principles and methods of biophysics now provide an underpin ning of all of the basic biosciences and are the rational language for discussion between scientists of different disciplines. The International School on Biophysics Supramolecular Structure and Function held in Dubrovnik in September 1984 had as its goal to provide comprehensive discussions on a large number of subjects both for younger scientists at the doctoral or postdoctoral level interested in the molecular nature of fundamental biological entities, and for experienced scientists wishing to gain a broader insight into molecular structures and functions. The topics discussed at the School were inter- and intramolecular interactions in biological systems, and the structure, organization, and function of biological macromolecules and supramolecular assemblies. A number of topics were centered around either a biological problem or a physical technique, sometimes giving an unbalanced view of the field under discussion. Some of the topics required previous knowledge of basic biophysical principles, which were then applied to gain greater insight into the molecular functions of diverse supramolecular systems. Although not all the lectures could be prepared for publication in this volume, I hope that it contains valuable up-to-date information on various aspects of the molecular basis of life.

This book is an up-to-date text covering topics in utilizing hydrogen bonding for constructing functional architectures and supramolecular materials. The first chapter addresses the control of photo-induced electron and energy transfer. The second chapter summarizes the formation of nano-porous materials. The following two chapters introduce self-assembled gels, many of which exhibit unique functions. Other chapters cover the advances in supramolecular liquid crystals and the versatility of hydrogen bonding in tuning/improving the properties and performance of materials. This book is designed to bring together in a single volume the most important and active fields of hydrogen bonding strategy for designing supramolecular materials. The book will be a valuable resource for graduates and researchers working in the fields of supramolecular chemistry and materials sciences. Zhan-Ting Li, PhD, is a Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, China Li-Zhu Wu, PhD, is a Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

To preserve tissue by freezing is an ancient concept going back pre sumably to the practice of ice-age hunters. At first glance, it seems as simple as it is attractive: the dynamics of life are frozen in, nothing is added and nothing withdrawn except thermal energy. Thus, the result should be more life-like than after poisoning, tan ning and drying a living cell as we may rudely call the conventional preparation of specimens for electron microscopy. Countless mishaps, however, have taught electron microscopists that cryotechniques too are neither simple nor necessarily more life-like in their outcome. Not too long ago, experts in cryotechniques strictly denied that a cell could truly be vitrified, i.e. that all the solutes and macro molecules could be fixed within non-crystalline, glass-like solid water without the dramatic shifts and segregation effects caused by crystallization. We now know that vitrification is indeed pos sible. Growing insight into the fundamentals of the physics of water and ice, as well as increasing experience of how to cool cells rapidly enough have enlivened the interest in cryofixation and pro duced a wealth of successful applications.

This monograph describes the behavior of molecules confined to small spaces. The small spaces are created by the self-assembly of modules into hollow capsular structures through hydrogen bonding; capsules assembled by metal/ligand binding or other forces are not included. Topics discussed include how assembly of capsules occurs, how molecules get in and out of the capsules, new spatial arrangements (stereochemistry) created in the capsules, and the altered shapes, interactions and reactivities of molecules held inside the small spaces. The descriptions emphasize molecular recognition phenomena and the perspective is that of physical organic chemistry.The book is the first monograph to treat reversible molecular encapsulation. More than 20 university and institute groups worldwide engage in this research, which represents the leading edge of activity in molecular recognition and the physical organic chemistry of confined molecules.

Provides deep insight into the concepts and recent developments in the area of supramolecular chemistry in water Written by experts in their respective field, this comprehensive reference covers various aspects of supramolecular chemistry in water?from fundamental aspects to applications. It provides readers with a basic introduction to the current understanding of the properties of water and how they influence molecular recognition, and examines the different receptor types available in water and the types of substrates that can be bound. It also looks at areas to where they can be applied, such as materials, optical sensing, medicinal imaging, and catalysis. Supramolecular Chemistry in Water offers five major sections that address important topics like water properties, molecular recognition, association and aggregation phenomena, optical detection and imaging, and supramolecular catalysis. It covers chemistry and physical chemistry of water; water-mediated molecular recognition; peptide and protein receptors; nucleotide receptors; carbohydrate receptors; and ion receptors. The book also teaches readers all about coordination compounds; self-assembled polymers and gels; foldamers; vesicles and micelles; and surface-modified nanoparticles. In addition, it provides in-depth information on indicators and optical probes, as well as probes for medical imaging. -Covers, in a timely manner, an emerging area in chemistry that is growing more important every day -Addresses topics such as molecular recognition, aggregation, catalysis, and more -Offers comprehensive coverage of everything from fundamental aspects of supramolecular chemistry in water to its applications -Edited by one of the leading international scientists in the field Supramolecular Chemistry in Water is a one-stop-resource for all polymer chemists, catalytic chemists, biochemists, water chemists, and physical chemists involved in this growing area of research.

Supramolecular Enzyme Organization: Quaternary Structure and Beyond provides a comprehensive discussion of enzyme interactions. It attempts to place conceptually related phenomena in a common perspective by first scrutinizing enzyme interactions at the quaternary level and then moving on towards higher orders of organization. The book begins with a discussion of the hierarchy of enzymes, covering the structure of monomeric enzymes, enzyme structures beyond the monomeric stage, and protein-protein interactions. Separate chapters cover the chemistry of protein associations; the quaternary structure of enzymes; multienzyme systems; multienzyme complexes and conjugates; the association of enzymes with cellular structures; and metabolite compartmentation. The final chapters discuss trends in the study of enzyme systems and the dialectics of enzymology. This book is intended, not for the specialist, who knows much more about the individual questions than the text offers, but rather for the general biochemical reader interested in enzyme organization. There is practically no mathematics involved. Instead, quite elementary things are described, so that students and biologists with less background knowledge on enzymes will be able to join in.