BIOLOGY OF THE INNER SPACE - VOIDS IN BIOPOLYMERS

Dynamic states of biopolymers are associated with appearance and disap pearance of spaces, or voids, to an extent larger than what is hithert o recognized. Current awareness of the existence of free space in biop olymers is by and large restricted in terms of (i) essentially small p ores obeying Boltzman distribution of sizes and energy and (ii) rigid structures dictated by structural constraints, whose volume merely exh ibits fluctuations within the thermal limits. Interconnectivity of the se spaces within biopolymers such as membranes gives rise to new possi bilities in addressing some of the long standing problems in understan ding catalysis, transport and the derived biological phenomena. Given the a priori recognition that other kinds of spaces can exist in biopo lymers, which are dynamic, predominantly inducible and possibly larger , a new kind of experimentation becomes possible as also a new set of constraints for the acceptability of molecular models of interactions in the explanation of biological phenomena. The theory of adsorption o f liquids and presence of structural cavities as exemplified by zeolit es competently accounts for; much of the current thinking in our under standing of cavities in biopolymers. Induction of (larger) voids requi res approaches that are significantly different. We suggest that it is necessary to consider a reservoir of inner space as a specific contri bution to the energetics of polymer dynamics. We outline a methodologi cal approach that helps identify these voids as well as biological phe nomena in which the notion of dynamics of voids would bring novel insi ghts. (C) 1998 Academic Press.