Journal article
NUCLEATION AND ENTROPY COMPENSATION IN BIOLOGICAL ASSEMBLY
Journal of Proteins and Proteomics
01 Dec 2012
Abstract
The assembly of molecules from solution into larger aggregates de-activates their independent rotational
and translational motion, which would represent an insuperable penalty in free energy without a compensatory
mechanism for regaining at least some of the lost entropy. Such compensation is provided by the internal rigidbody
motion of molecules in protein aggregates such as polymers and crystals. While the concepts behind the
contributions of these entropic elements, known as vibrational entropy, are not new, the magnitude of the effects
is little appreciated. Based on extensive experiments on sickle cell hemoglobin polymerization, we present
examples showing the magnitude of the effects and the role they play in explaining such things as the rapid
assembly of fibers compared with crystals. While the example will be drawn from sickle hemoglobin, the
principles and applications of the concepts are quite general.
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Details
- Title
- NUCLEATION AND ENTROPY COMPENSATION IN BIOLOGICAL ASSEMBLY
- Creators
- Frank A. Ferrone
- Publication Details
- Journal of Proteins and Proteomics
- Publisher
- International Science Press
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Physics
- Identifiers
- 991019238811804721