Introduction To Biophysical Methods For Protein And Nucleic Acid Research

The first of its kind, Introduction to Biophysical Methods for Protein and Nucleic Acid Research serves as a text for the experienced researcher and student requiring an introduction to the field. Each chapter presents a description of the physical basis of the method, the type of information that may be obtained with the method, how data should be analyzed and interpreted and, where appropriate, practical tips about procedures and equipment. Key Features * Modern Use of Mass Spectroscopy * NMR Spectroscopy * Molecular Modeling and Graphics * Macintosh and DOS/Windows 3.x disks

Praise for the First Edition “essential reading for any physical scientist who is interested in performing biological research.” ―Contemporary Physics "an ambitious text.... Each chapter contains protocols and the conceptual reasoning behind them, which is often useful to physicists performing biological experiments for the first time." –Physics Today This fully updated and expanded text is the best starting point for any student or researcher in the physical sciences to gain firm grounding in the techniques employed in molecular biophysics and quantitative biology. It includes brand new chapters on gene expression techniques, advanced techniques in biological light microscopy (super-resolution, two-photon, and fluorescence lifetime imaging), holography, and gold nanoparticles used in medicine. The author shares invaluable practical tips and insider’s knowledge to simplify potentially confusing techniques. The reader is guided through easy-to-follow examples carried out from start to finish with practical tips and insider’s knowledge. The emphasis is on building comfort with getting hands "wet" with basic methods and finally understanding when and how to apply or adapt them to address different questions. Jay L. Nadeau is a scientific researcher and head of the Biomedical Engineering in Advanced Applications of Quantum, Oscillatory, and Nanotechnological Systems (BEAAQONS) lab at Caltech and was previously associate professor of biomedical engineering and physics at McGill University.

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The first chapter is a general introduction to the covalent structures and conformations of macromolecules. The remaining chapters deal with the nucleic acids. The structural and chemical properties of DNA are the basis of its central role in storing and transmitting the genetic information(Chapter 2). DNA molecules tend to be immensely long, equivalent to a rope that is many kilometers long, which gives them special topological properties that must be accommodated (Chapter 3). The structure of RNA differs from DNA only very slightly, but this gives it remarkably different properties and functions (Chapter 4). The abilities of individual strands of DNA and RNA to base-pair with other strands with complementary nucleotide sequences are central to many techniques of molecular biology and increasingly to molecular medicine (Chapter 5). The ability to manipulate nucleic acidsis central to molecular biology and described in Chapter 6.Central to the functions of proteins and nucleic acids is their interactions with other molecules, and some of the physiologically most important interactions are those between proteins and nucleic acids (Chapter 7). The most impressive and important property of proteins is their ability of catalyze the rates of chemical reactions by many orders of magnitude, and usually incredibly specifically; nucleic acids also share in this ability (Chapter 8).

Increasing numbers of physicists, chemists, and mathematicians are moving into biology, reading literature across disciplines, and mastering novel biochemical concepts. To succeed in this transition, researchers must understand on a practical level what is experimentally feasible. The number of experimental techniques in biology is vast and often specific to particular subject areas; nonetheless, there are a few basic methods that provide a conceptual underpinning for broad application. Introduction to Experimental Biophysics is the ideal benchtop companion for physical scientists interested in getting their hands wet. Assuming familiarity with basic physics and the scientific method but no previous background in biology or chemistry, this book provides: A thorough description of modern experimental and analytical techniques used in biological and biophysical research Practical information and step-by-step guidance on instrumentation and experimental design Recipes for common solutions and media, lists of important reagents, and a glossary of biological terms used Developed for graduate students in biomedical engineering, physics, chemical engineering, chemistry, mathematics, and computer science, Introduction to Experimental Biophysics is an essential resource for scientists to overcoming conceptual and technical barriers to working in a biology wet lab.