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........ published in NEWSLETTER # 65

BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS
A review by Dr. Warner L. Peticolas, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene/OR (U.S.A.)

One of the remarkable scientific advances in modern times is the development of very sophisticated computer work stations and the software that allows one to calculate (often ab initio) models of biological macromolecules and their dynamic behavior. This advance is developing so rapidly that it is difficult to keep up with work in the various laboratories. This book "Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics", edited by G. Vergoten and T. Theophanides (NATO ASI SERIES E342) is a timely compendium of recent advances in molecular modeling and experimental verification. The authors are well known international experts in their various fields.

Part I entilted Modeling and Computer Simulations, deals with the modeling of secondary protein structure, protein-ligand binding, biomolecular dynamics, enzyme activity, and various physicochemical properties. Of particular interest is the comparison of molecular simulation versus X-ray and far-infrared experiments showing that the simulation of proteins dynamics is becoming a reliable technique.

After this general theoretical introduction come applications to proteins and lipids in Part II and nucleic acids in Part III. Here we find more detailed discussion of experimental techniques, particularly infrared and Raman spectroscopy and vibrational circular dichroism. The quality of these papers is high and this book will undoubtdely find a large readership amongst the large number of laboratories now involved in the structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules.
Reference books: C330, C386, C446, E342

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