Protein Physics is a lively presentation of the most general problems of protein structure, folding and function from the physics and chemistry perspective, based on lectures given by the authors. It deals with fibrous, membrane and, most of all, with the best studied water-soluble globular proteins, in both their native and denatured states. The major aspects of protein physics are covered systematically, physico-chemical properties of polypeptide chains; their secondary structures; tertiary structures of proteins and their classification; conformational transitions in protein molecules and their folding; intermediates of protein folding; folding nuclei; physical backgrounds of coding the protein structures by their amino acid sequences and protein functions in relation to the protein structure. The book will be of interest to undergraduate and graduate level students and researchers of biophysics, biochemistry, biology and material science.
* Designed for a wide audience of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as being a reference for researchers in academia and industry
* Covers the most general problems of protein structure, folding, and function and introduces the key concepts and theories
* Deals with fibrous, membrane and especially water-soluble globular proteins, in both their native and denatured states
* Summarizes and presents in a systematic form the results of several decades of world wide fundamental research on protein physics, structure and folding
* Examines experimental data on protein structure in the post-genome era
Industry Reviews
"It is not always easy to translate a good lecture course into an equally engaging textbook, but Finkelstein and Ptitsyn have succeeded in this difficult task. The twenty-five chapters are not only an accurate and detailed introduction to the physics of proteins, but also remarkably lively. ...the book is a pleasure to read and is well suited both as a textbook used in a course on protein science and as a tool for self-study." -Ulrich H. E. Hansmann for the BULLETIN OF MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY, Sept. 2003 "The lectures are unique... anticipating questions from the students, and answering them, with an interspersion of simple examples...a good introduction to protein physics for students, ...will help chemists, physicists, and biologists acquire a widespread knowledge of current issues in protein structure, properties, and reactions." - Harold A. Scheraga, Todd Professor of Chemistry, Cornell University, USA "Protein Physics provides all the essential information. ...concise, reliable and very well written" - Israel M. Gelfand, Distinguished Professor Rutgers University, USA. "Rigorous and thorough analysis of physical basis of protein structure...unique in its profound professionalism ... free, colloquial style." - Alexander S. Spirin, Professor of Biochemistry, Moscow University, Russia