Molecules and Life, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1970
An Introduction to Molecular Biology

acids. The achievements of molecular biology testify to the success of material science in a realm which, until recently, appeared totally enig­ matic and mysterious. Further scientific developments should bring to mankind vast developments both in theoretical knowledge and in practical applications, namely, in agriculture, medicine, and technology. The purpose of this book is to explain molecular biophysics to all who might wish to learn about it, to biologists, to physicists, to chemists. This book contains descriptive sections, as well as sections devoted to rigorous mathematical treatment ofa number of problems, some of which have been studied by the author and his collaborators. These sections may be omitted during a first reading. Each chapter has a selected bibliography. This book is far from an exhaustive treatise on molecular biophysics. It deals principally with questions related to the structures and functions of proteins and nucleic acids. M. V. Vol'kenshtein Leningrad, September, 1964 CONTENTS Chapter 1 Physics and Biology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Physics and Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Molecular Physics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Molecular Biophysics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Thermodynamics and Biology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Information Theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Chapter 2 Cells, Viruses, and Heredity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 The Living Cell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Cell Division. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Viruses and Bacteriophages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Basic Laws of Genetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Mutations and Mutability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Genetics of Bacteria and Phages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Chapter 3 Biological Molecules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Amino Acids and Proteins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Asymmetry of Biological Molecules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Primary Structure of Proteins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Nucleic Acids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Some Biochemical Processes in the Cell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Chapter 4 Physics of Macromolecules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Physical Properties of Macromolecules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 Physics and Biology.- Physics and Life.- Molecular Physics.- Molecular Biophysics.- Thermodynamics and Biology.- Information Theory.- 2 Cells, Viruses, and Heredity.- The Living Cell.- Cell Division.- Viruses and Bacteriophages.- Basic Laws of Genetics.- Mutations and Mutability.- Genetics of Bacteria and Phages.- 3 Biological Molecules.- Amino Acids and Proteins.- Asymmetry of Biological Molecules.- Primary Structure of Proteins.- Nucleic Acids.- Some Biochemical Processes in the Cell.- 4 Physics of Macromolecules.- Physical Properties of Macromolecules.- Rotational-Isomeric Theory of Macromolecules.- Macromolecules-Cooperative Systems.- Crystalline Polymers.- Methods for Studying Macromolecules in Solution.- Polyelectrolytes.- 5 The Physics of Proteins.- Secondary Structure of Proteins.- Tertiary and Supramolecular Structures of Proteins.- Interactions Which Determine the Three-Dimensional Structure of Proteins.- Conformational Transitions of Proteins.- Theory of Helix-Coil Transitions.- Optical Properties of Proteins and Polypeptides.- Optical Activity of Polypeptide Chains.- Anomalous Dispersion of Magneto-Optical Rotation.- 6 The Physics of Nucleic Acids.- Biological Role of Nucleic Acids.- Secondary Structure of DNA, RNA, and Polynucleotides.- Denaturation of DNA.- Renaturation of DNA and Forces Which Stabilize the Double Helix.- DNA Reduplication.- Statistical Physics and Kinetics of DNA Reduplication.- 7 Protein Synthesis.- Problems of the Genetic Code.- Matrix Synthesis of Proteins.- The Genetic Code.- Point Mutations.- Problems of Regulation.- 8 Biological Specificity and Structure of Molecules.- Immunity.- Antibodies and Antigens.- Enzyme Reactions.- Nature of Enzymatic Action.- Allostery and Oxygenation of Hemoglobin.- Nucleoproteins and Synapsis of Chromosomes.- 9 Mechanochemical Processes.- The Nature of Mechanochemical Processes.- Muscle Action.- Molecular Theories of Muscle Action.- Motion of Cells and Mitosis.- 10 Problems of Molecular Biophysics.- Macromolecules and Biology.- Molecular Biophysics and Quantum Mechanics.- 11 Conclusion.- References.