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Historically, the structural and functional characterization of biological macromolecules and their specific interactions with reaction partners has taken place in solutions that are dilute in macromolecules, in order to eliminate nonspecific interactions. However, the cellular interior contains a cumulatively high concentration of macromolecules that may interact nonspecifically with specified macromolecular species of interest (“targets”). In order to understand the behavior of target species in their native environment, it is necessary to understand how nonspecific interactions of the target species with nearby elements of that environment affect their conformation and reactivity. Nonspecific interactions may be repulsive or attractive or a combination of both, and may be between molecules in solution or between molecules in solution and the surfaces of structural elements such as membranes or fibers. We will explore the relationship between these various types of interactions and their influence upon macromolecular structure and function in complex physiological media.
Recommended reading:
Rivas G, Minton AP. 2016. Macromolecular crowding in vitro, in vivo, and in between. Trends Biochem Sci 41: 970-981.
Rivas G, Minton AP. 2018. Toward an understanding of biochemical equilibria within living cells. Biophys Revs 10: 241-253.
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