The Smallest Biomolecules: Diatomics and their Interactions with Heme Proteins

This is not a book on NO biology, nor about hemoglobin, nor about heme-based sensors per se. Of course, it covers all these topics and more, but above all, it aims at providing a truly multidisciplinary perspective of heme-diatomic interactions. The overarching goal is to build bridges among disciplines, to bring about a meeting of minds. The contributors to this book hail from diverse university departments and disciplines – chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, zoology, physics, medicine and surgery, bringing with them very different views of heme-diatomic interactions. The hope is that the juxtaposition of this diversity will lead to increased exchanges of ideas, approaches, and techniques across traditional disciplinary boundaries. The authors represent a veritable Who’s Who of heme protein research and include John Olson, Tom Spiro, Walter Zumft, F. Ann Walker, Teizo Kitagawa, W. Robert Scheidt, Pat Farmer, Marie-Alda Gilles-Gonzalez, and many other equally distinguished scientists. Extremely distinguished list of authors Multidisciplinary character – equally suitable for chemists and biochemists Covers the hottest topics in heme protein research: sensors, NO biology, new roles of hemoglobin, etc.

The Chemistry and Biology of Nitroxyl (HNO) provides first-of-its-kind coverage of the intriguing biologically active molecule called nitroxyl, or azanone per IUPAC nomenclature, which has been traditionally elusive due to its intrinsically high reactivity. This useful resource provides the scientific basis to understand the chemistry, biology, and technical aspects needed to deal with HNO. Building on two decades of nitric oxide and nitroxyl research, the editors and authors have created an indispensable guide for investigators across a wide variety of areas of chemistry (inorganic, organic, organometallic, biochemistry, physical, and analytical); biology (molecular, cellular, physiological, and enzymology); pharmacy; and medicine. This book begins by exploring the unique molecule’s structure and reactivity, including important reactions with small molecules, thiols, porphyrins, and key proteins, before discussing chemical and biological sources of nitroxyl. Advanced chapters discuss methods for both trapping and detecting nitroxyl by spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and fluorescent inorganic cellular probing. Expanding on the compound’s foundational chemistry, this book then explores its molecular physiology to offer insight into its biological implications, pharmacological effects, and practical issues. Presents the first book on HNO (nitroxyl or azanone), an increasingly important molecule in biochemistry and pharmaceutical research Provides a valuable coverage of HNO’s chemical structure and significant reactions, including practical guidance on working with this highly reactive molecule Contains high quality content from recognized experts in both industry and academia

The series Structure and Bonding publishes critical reviews on topics of research concerned with chemical structure and bonding. The scope of the series spans the entire Periodic Table and addresses structure and bonding issues associated with all of the elements. It also focuses attention on new and developing areas of modern structural and theoretical chemistry such as nanostructures, molecular electronics, designed molecular solids, surfaces, metal clusters and supramolecular structures. Physical and spectroscopic techniques used to determine, examine and model structures fall within the purview of Structure and Bonding to the extent that the focus is on the scientific results obtained and not on specialist information concerning the techniques themselves. Issues associated with the development of bonding models and generalizations that illuminate the reactivity pathways and rates of chemical processes are also relevant. The individual volumes in the series are thematic. The goal of each volume is to give the reader, whether at a university or in industry, a comprehensive overview of an area where new insights are emerging that are of interest to a larger scientific audience. Thus each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years should be presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. A description of the physical basis of the experimental techniques that have been used to provide the primary data may also be appropriate, if it has not been covered in detail elsewhere. The coverage need not be exhaustive in data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the new principles being developed that will allow the reader, who is not a specialist in the area covered, to understand the data presented. Discussion of possible future research directions in the area is welcomed. Review articles for the individual volumes are invited by the volume editors. Readership: research scientists at universities or in industry, graduate students Special offer for all customers who have a standing order to the print version of Structure and Bonding, we offer free access to the electronic volumes of the Series published in the current year via SpringerLink.

This latest volume in Advances in Microbial Physiology continues the long tradition of topical and important reviews in microbiology. Contains contributions from leading authorities in the field of microbial physiology Informs and updates on all the latest developments in the field

The series Structure and Bonding publishes critical reviews on topics of research concerned with chemical structure and bonding. The scope of the series spans the entire Periodic Table and addresses structure and bonding issues associated with all of the elements. It also focuses attention on new and developing areas of modern structural and theoretical chemistry such as nanostructures, molecular electronics, designed molecular solids, surfaces, metal clusters and supramolecular structures. Physical and spectroscopic techniques used to determine, examine and model structures fall within the purview of Structure and Bonding to the extent that the focus is on the scientific results obtained and not on specialist information concerning the techniques themselves. Issues associated with the development of bonding models and generalizations that illuminate the reactivity pathways and rates of chemical processes are also relevant. The individual volumes in the series are thematic. The goal of each volume is to give the reader, whether at a university or in industry, a comprehensive overview of an area where new insights are emerging that are of interest to a larger scientific audience. Thus each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years should be presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. A description of the physical basis of the experimental techniques that have been used to provide the primary data may also be appropriate, if it has not been covered in detail elsewhere. The coverage need not be exhaustive in data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the new principles being developed that will allow the reader, who is not a specialist in the area covered, to understand the data presented. Discussion of possible future research directions in the area is welcomed. Review articles for the individual volumes are invited by the volume editors. Readership: research scientists at universities or in industry, graduate students Special offer For all customers who have a standing order to the print version of Structure and Bonding, we offer free access to the electronic volumes of the Series published in the current year via SpringerLink.

What’s it really like to be a chemist? Leading chemists share what they do, how they do it, and why they love it. “Letters to a young ...” has been a much-loved way for professionals in a field to convey their enthusiasm and the realities of what they do to the next generation. Now, Letters to a Young Chemist does the same for the chemical sciences. Written with a humorous touch by some of today’s leading chemists, this book presents missives to “Angela,” a fictional undergraduate considering a career in chemistry. The different chapters offer a mix of fundamental principles, contemporary issues, and challenges for the future. Marye Anne Fox, Chancellor of the University of California San Diego, talks about learning to do research and modern physical organic chemistry. Brothers Jonathan and Daniel Sessler explain the chemistry of anesthetics that make modern surgery possible while Elizabeth Nolan talks about biological imaging. Terry Collins talks about green chemistry, a more sustainable way of doing chemistry, while several authors including Carl Wamser, Harry Gray, John Magyar, and Penny Brothers discuss the crucial contributions that chemists can make in meeting global energy needs. Letters to a Young Chemist gives students and professionals alike a unique window into the real world of chemistry. Entertaining, informative, and full of honest and inspiring advice, it serves as a helpful guide throughout your education and career. “The different chapters describe both the wonders of the molecular world and the practical benefits afforded by chemistry ... and if any girl out there thinks that chemistry is a man’s world, this book should be a good antidote.” —Marye Anne Fox, Chancellor of the University of California, San Diego, and winner of the 2009 US National Medal of Science “Letters to a Young Chemist offers significant ammunition for motivating young people to consider chemistry as a career. ... This book should also be required reading for all faculty members who teach chemistry in high schools, colleges, and universities.” —Stephen J. Lippard, Arthur Amos Noyes Professor of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and winner of the 2006 US National Medal of Science

Involved as it is with 95% of the periodic table, inorganic chemistry is one of the foundational subjects of scientific study. Inorganic catalysts are used in crucial industrial processes and the field, to a significant extent, also forms the basis of nanotechnology. Unfortunately, the subject is not a popular one for undergraduates. This book aims to take a step to change this state of affairs by presenting a mechanistic, logical introduction to the subject. Organic teaching places heavy emphasis on reaction mechanisms - "arrow-pushing" - and the authors of this book have found that a mechanistic approach works just as well for elementary inorganic chemistry. As opposed to listening to formal lectures or learning the material by heart, by teaching students to recognize common inorganic species as electrophiles and nucleophiles, coupled with organic-style arrow-pushing, this book serves as a gentle and stimulating introduction to inorganic chemistry, providing students with the knowledge and opportunity to solve inorganic reaction mechanisms. • The first book to apply the arrow-pushing method to inorganic chemistry teaching • With the reaction mechanisms approach ("arrow-pushing"), students will no longer have to rely on memorization as a device for learning this subject, but will instead have a logical foundation for this area of study • Teaches students to recognize common inorganic species as electrophiles and nucleophiles, coupled with organic-style arrow-pushing • Provides a degree of integration with what students learn in organic chemistry, facilitating learning of this subject • Serves as an invaluable companion to any introductory inorganic chemistry textbook

What is biophysics? As with all subjects which straddle traditional boundaries between fields, it eludes a precise definition. Furthermore, it is impossible to do biophysics without having a certain foundation of knowledge in biology, physics, physical chemistry, chemistry and biochemistry. One approach to a biophysics textbook would be to refer the student to the literature of these neighboring fields, and to leave the selection of the appropriate supplementary material up to the student. The editors of this volume are of the opinion that it is more useful and less time-consuming to present a selection of the supplementary knowledge, in concentrated form, together with the subject matter specific to biophysics. The reader will thus find in this book introductions to such subjects as the structure and function of the cell, the chemical structure of biogenic macromolecules, and even theoretical chemistry. What, indeed, is biophysics? Must we consider it to include physiology, electromedicine, radiation medicine, etc. ? The field has evolved continuously in recent years. Molecular understanding oflife processes has come more and more to the fore. Just as the field of molecular physics has developed to describe structures and processes in the realm of non-living systems, there has been a corresponding development of molecular biophysics.

Aerobic organisms have evolved to utilise the intrinsic oxidising power of oxygen from the atmosphere. This so-called 'activation' of oxygen is often catalysed by a heme-containing enzyme. This book highlights the many and varied catalytic activities of O2-dependent heme–iron enzymes, including monoxygenases and cytochrome P450, dioxygenases, oxidases and model heme systems. Dioxygen-dependent Heme Enzymes will be a useful resource for postgraduate students and researchers in biochemistry and metallobiology working in, or moving into, research areas involving heme proteins.

An Introduction that describes the origin of cytochrome notation also connects to the history of the field, focusing on research in England in the pre-World War II era. The start of the modern era of studies on structure-function of cytochromes and energy-transducing membrane proteins was marked by the 1988 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, given to J. Deisenhofer, H. Michel, and R. Huber for determination of the crystal structure of the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center. An ab initio logic of presentation in the book discusses the evolution of cytochromes and hemes, followed by theoretical perspectives on electron transfer in proteins and specifically in cytochromes. There is an extensive description of the molecular structures of cytochromes and cytochrome complexes from eukaryotic and prokaryotic sources, bacterial, plant and animal. The presentation of atomic structure information has a major role in these discussions, and makes an important contribution to the broad field of membrane protein structure-function.

Melatonin, the pineal neurohormone, is a pleiotropic molecule acting in the center of the integrative molecular mechanisms of the organism, based on interconnections of the regulatory systems: neural, endocrine, immune, and genetic, conveying into the uniqueness of human architecture. This book provides a systematic and updated overview of melatonin biochemical mechanisms of action, pharmacological features, and clinical uses, clutching the subject with complete details of pharmaceutical formulations designed for different routes of administration and different health issues, aiming at optimal melatonin bioavailability when therapeutically delivered. The book addresses a broad range of audiences, from healthcare professionals, medically and pharmaceutically based, to highly profiled medical specialists and biomedical researchers, helping them to expand their knowledge of the physiological and pathological implications of melatonin and its metabolites.

Many physiological conditions such as host defense or aging and pathological conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes are associated with the accumulation of high levels of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. This generates a condition called oxidative stress. Low levels of reactive oxygen species, however, which are continuously produced during aerobic metabolism, function as important signaling molecules, setting the metabolic pace of cells and regulating processes ranging from gene expression to apoptosis. For this book we would like to recruit the experts in the field of redox chemistry, bioinformatics and proteomics, redox signaling and oxidative stress biology to discuss how organisms achieve the appropriate redox balance, the mechanisms that lead to oxidative stress conditions and the physiological consequences that contribute to aging and disease.

This book review series presents current trends in modern biotechnology. The aim is to cover all aspects of this interdisciplinary technology where knowledge, methods and expertise are required from chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, chemical engineering and computer science. Volumes are organized topically and provide a comprehensive discussion of developments in the respective field over the past 3-5 years. The series also discusses new discoveries and applications. Special volumes are dedicated to selected topics which focus on new biotechnological products and new processes for their synthesis and purification. In general, special volumes are edited by well-known guest editors. The series editor and publisher will however always be pleased to receive suggestions and supplementary information. Manuscripts are accepted in English.

Fluorescence spectroscopy is an important investigational tool in many areas of analytical science, due to its extremely high sensitivity and selectivity. With many uses across a broad range of chemical, biochemical and medical research, it has become an essential investigational technique allowing detailed, real-time observation of the structure and dynamics of intact biological systems with extremely high resolution. It is particularly heavily used in the pharmaceutical industry where it has almost completely replaced radiochemical labelling. Principles and Applications of Fluorescence Spectroscopy gives the student and new user the essential information to help them to understand and use the technique confidently in their research. By integrating the treatment of absorption and fluorescence, the student is shown how fluorescence phenomena arise and how these can be used to probe a range of analytical problems. A key element of the book is the inclusion of practical laboratory experiments that illustrate the fundamental points and applications of the technique.

This book contains important contributions from top international scientists on the-state-of-the-art of femtochemistry and femtobiology at the beginning of the new millennium. It consists of reviews and papers on ultrafast dynamics in molecular science.The coverage of topics highlights several important features of molecular science from the viewpoint of structure (space domain) and dynamics (time domain). First of all, the book presents the latest developments, such as experimental techniques for understanding ultrafast processes in gas, condensed and complex systems, including biological molecules, surfaces and nanostructures. At the same time it stresses the different ways to control the rates and pathways of reactive events in chemistry and biology. Particular emphasis is given to biological processes as an area where femtodynamics is becoming very useful for resolving the structural dynamics from techniques such as electron diffraction, and X-ray and IR spectroscopy. Finally, the latest developments in quantum control (in both theory and experiment) and the experimental pulse-shaping techniques are described.

De Novo Enzyme Design, the newest volume in the Methods in Enzymology series, continues the legacy of this premier serial with quality chapters authored by leaders in the field. This volume includes the design of metal binding maquettes, insertion of non-natural cofactors, Cu metallopeptides, non-covalent interactions in peptide assemblies, peptide binding and bundling, heteronuclear metalloenzymes, florinated peptides, De Novo imaging agents, and protein-protein interaction. Continues the legacy of this premier serial with quality chapters on de novo enzyme design Represents the newest volume in the Methods in Enzymology series, providing premier, quality chapters authored by leaders in the field Ideal reference for those interested in the study of enzyme design that looks at both structure and mechanism