Hello FISers,
I was willing to add a very brief comment about physical aspects of
molecular recognition. From my thermodynamic point of view (terribly
limited!) it is very difficult to find a unitary property covering the
whole "complementarity" processes involved in molecular recognition apart
from the classical thermodynamic properties: free energy, entropy,
enthalpy... For instance, the term co-resonance proposed by Pedro could do
acceptably for protein/protein recognition interactions but I think it
would fare less conveniently in most of the other cases. So, I am tempted
to suggest symmetrization as a more general alternative (in the dynamic
sense proposed by Shu Kun and Michael in their postings before vacations).
But on the other side, "resonance" is a term with a very strong
"oscillation" meaning in several field of physics, and then I think it may
be convenient in order to de-geometrize the vision of molecular processes.
I mean, bonds are seen as "sticks and balls", and recognition phenomena as
"locks and keys". That is a very impoverished approach, sadly predominant
among all my thermodynamic students and most molecular biologists, I often
realize. In general we need less "mechanical linearity" and more
"informational networks" thinking, and that is particularly needed in my
own turf of thermoeconomic analysis.
Enough philosophy for today!!!
Have a nice weekend
Luis
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Received on Fri Sep 12 13:01:01 2003
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