Protein-based machines and

Urry DW (2005) What sustains life Consilient mechanisms for protein-based machines and materials. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York... 

Urry, D.W. (2006) What Sustains Life Consilient Mechanisms for Protein-based Machines and Materials, Springer, New York, N.Y. 

Due to the struggle to survive under circumstances of limited food supply, organisms evolve to use the most efficient mechanism available to their composition. The most efficient mechanism available to the proteins that sustain Life would seem to be the apolar-polar repulsive free energy of hydration as observed for the inverse temperature transitions for hydrophobic association. The efficiency of designed elastic-contractile protein-based machines and a number of additional properties make designed protein-based materials of substantial promise for the marketplace of the future. 

The following set of axioms provides the basis for the engineering of diverse protein-based machines and of the design of molecular machines from amphiphilic polymers in general, as considered in Chapter 9. They also open the door to new insights into the function of biology s protein-based machines, as discussed in Chapters 7 and 8. 

Of course, the basic issue in science always remains the extent to which any concept continues to bear fruit. The wonderful thing about scientific pursuit is that there is a correct and unchanging truth and that progress is best achieved by hewing to that path as closely as possible. This was attempted, as reported in part in Chapter 5, by repeatedly designing new protein-based machines and testing those designs for intended function. 

This chapter discusses key protein-based machines of biology to demonstrate the relevance of the hydrophobic and elastic consilient mechanisms. The objective in this chapter, therefore, is to investigate selected examples of biology s protein-based machines and to look at the molecular level for a coherence of phenomena with the designed elastic model... 

ATPases, Biology s Workhorse Protein-based Machines, and AGap... 

E.3.2 Idols That Retard Utilization of the Elastic Consilient Mechanism in Understanding and Developing Protein-based Machines and Materials... 

Furthermore, the assumption of a uniform dielectric constant for all water structures interacting with protein-based machines and materials conceals the occurrence of competition for hydration between hydrophobic groups and charged groups. In the past there has been the practice of using a dielectric constant of 80 (that for bulk water) up to the surface of the protein and then decreasing the dielectric constant to 5 or less when within the protein. However, what Solomonic wisdom suffices for choice of dielectric constant to be used for ion-pair formation within the tortuous surfaces with clefts of varying shapes from acute to obtuse. As seen in Chapter 8, these clefts may reside inside the protein-based machine, as found in ATP synthase, or outside the protein-based machine, as occurs for the myosin II motor. 

This volume represents a sincere attempt, backed by extensive commitment and effort, to overcome some of the current idols which beset men s minds in the area of protein-based machines and materials. More broadly, it opens the door for a new look at the physical basis whereby amphiphilic polymers function in water and presents the basis with which to engineer protein-based polymers as has not previously been possible. TTie primary purpose is to extend knowledge of the forces that provide function for protein-based machines and materials and thereby to achieve a greater comprehension of living organisms and to develop new materials for the benefit of society. 

Consilient Mechanisms for Protein-Based Machines and Materials... 

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