BiophysicsBiophysics, being an interdisciplinary topic, is of great importance in modern biology. This book addresses the needs of biologists, biochemists, and medical biophysicists for an introduction to the subject. The text is based on a one-semester course offered to graduate students of life sciences, and covers a wide range of topics from quantum mechanics to pre-biotic evolution. To understand the topics, only basic school level mathematics is required. The first chapter introduces and refreshes the reader's knowledge of physics and chemistry. The next chapters cover various physico-chemical techniques used to study biomolecular structures, followed by treatments of spectroscopy, microscopy, diffraction, and computational techniques. X-ray crystallography and NMR are dealt with in greater detail. The latter half of the book covers results obtained from applications of the above techniques. Some of the other topics dealt with are energy pathways, biomechanics, and neuro-biophysics. |
Contents
13 The Electronic Structure of Atoms | 3 |
14 Molecular Orbitals and Covalent Bonds | 5 |
15 Molecular Interactions | 8 |
16 Stereochemistry and Chirality | 11 |
17 Thermodynamics | 13 |
18 Radioactivity | 20 |
2 Separation Techniques | 24 |
23 Electrophoresis | 32 |
78 Structure Solution | 106 |
79 Refinement of the Structure | 108 |
710 Note on the Resolution of an Xray Structure | 111 |
NMR Spectroscopy | 112 |
83 NMR Theory and Experiment | 114 |
84 Classical Description of NMR | 115 |
85 NMR Parameters | 117 |
86 The Nuclear Overhauser Effect | 122 |
3 PhysicoChemical Techniques to Study Biomolecules | 37 |
32 Hydration of Macromolecules | 38 |
34 Diffusion | 39 |
35 Sedimentation | 41 |
36 The Ultracentrifuge | 43 |
37 Viscosity | 46 |
38 Rotational Diffusion | 48 |
39 Light Scattering | 51 |
310 Small Angle Xray Scattering | 54 |
4 Spectroscopy | 58 |
42 UltravioletVisible Spectroscopy | 59 |
44 Fluorescence Spectroscopy | 65 |
45 Infrared Spectroscopy | 67 |
46 Raman Spectroscopy | 71 |
47 Electron Spin Resonance | 74 |
5 Light Microscopy | 77 |
53 The Limits of Resolution | 79 |
54 Different Types of Microscopy | 82 |
6 Electron Microscopy | 86 |
65 Preparation of the Specimen for Electron Microscopy | 90 |
66 Image Reconstruction | 91 |
67 Electron Diffraction | 92 |
69 Atomic Force Microscope | 93 |
7 Xray Crystallography | 95 |
73 Crystal Systems | 96 |
74 Point Groups and Space Groups | 97 |
75 Growth of Crystals of Biological Molecules | 99 |
76 Xray Diffraction | 103 |
77 Xray Data Collection | 105 |
88 NMR Application in Biochemistry and Biophysics | 124 |
89 NMR in Medicine | 128 |
9 Molecular Modelling | 131 |
93 Optimising the Model | 138 |
10 Macromolecular Structure | 144 |
103 Protein Structure | 161 |
11 Energy Pathways in Biology | 174 |
113 Coupled Reactions | 176 |
114 Group Transfer Potential | 177 |
115 Role of Pyridine Nucleotides | 178 |
116 Photosynthesis | 179 |
117 Energy Conversion Pathways | 187 |
118 Membrane Transport | 194 |
12 Biomechanics | 199 |
123 Mechanical Properties of Muscles | 202 |
124 Biomechanics of the Cardiovascular System | 205 |
13 Neurobiophysics | 210 |
133 Physics of Membrane Potentials | 213 |
134 Sensory MechanismsThe Eye | 217 |
135 Physical Aspects of Hearing | 227 |
136 Signal Transduction | 230 |
14 Origin and Evolution of Life | 232 |
142 Prebiotic Earth | 233 |
143 Theories of Origin and Evolution of Life | 234 |
144 Laboratory Experiments on the Formation of Small Molecules | 235 |
FURTHER READING | 243 |
| 247 | |
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Common terms and phrases
absorbed absorption amino acids angle atoms axis axons basilar membrane beam biological Biophysics birefringence Bravais lattices called carbon chemical shift chromatography chromophores coefficient components concentration conformation constant coupling crystal cycle diffraction diffusion dipole effect electron electrophoresis equation equilibrium example fibres Figure filament fluorescence Fourier transform free energy frequency function gradient groups helical helix hence hydrogen bonds intensity interactions ions known lattice lens light macromolecules magnetic field measured mechanical membrane potential method microscope molecular weight molecules muscle myosin negative nerve nucleic acids nucleus object obtained optical orbital organic orientation particles peptide phase photosystem plane polarised polypeptide position protein protons quantum number radiation Raman reaction centre receptors redox residues resonance rotation sample scattering secondary structural sedimentation sequence signal sodium solution solvent specimen spectroscopy spectrum spin technique temperature thermodynamic tropomyosin vibrational voltage wave wavelength X-ray