Theoretical molecular biophysics (Q5920065)

Before reviewing this book, I went on its Springer site, \url{https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783662556702}, and found the following Publisher's description: ``This book gives an introduction to molecular biophysics. It starts from material properties at equilibrium related to polymers, dielectrics and membranes. Electronic spectra are developed for the understanding of elementary dynamic processes in photosynthesis including proton transfer and dynamics of molecular motors. Since the molecular structures of functional groups of biosystems were resolved, it has become feasible to develop a theory based on the quantum theory and statistical physics with emphasis on the specifics of the high complexity of biosystems. This introduction to molecular aspects of the field focuses on solvable models. Elementary biological processes provide as special challenge the presence of partial disorder in the structure which does not destroy the basic reproducibility of the processes. Apparently the elementary molecular processes are organized in a way to optimize the efficiency. Learning from nature by means exploring the relation between structure and function may even help to build better artificial solar cells. The reader is exposed to basic concepts in modern biophysics, such as entropic forces, phase separation, potential of mean force, electron and proton transfer, heterogeneous reactions, coherent and incoherent energy transfer as well as molecular motors. Basic knowledge in classical and quantum mechanics, electrostatics and statistical physics is desirable. Simplified models are presented which can be solved in limited cases analytically from the guiding lines to generate the basis for a fundamental understanding of the more complex biophysical systems. Chapters close with challenging problems whose solutions are provided at the end of the book to complete the pedagogical treatment in the book. To the second edition several new chapters were added. The medium polarization is treated self-consistently using basic elements of polaron theory and more advanced nonlinear Schrödinger equations to describe the dynamics of solvation. Ion transport through a membrane was extended by the discussion of cooperative effects. Intramolecular transitions are now discussed in the new edition in much more detail, including also radiationless transitions. Very recent developments in spectroscopy are included, especially two-dimensional and hole-burning spectroscopy. The discussion of charge transfer processes was extended by including recent results of hole transfer in DNA in connection with the super-exchange mechanism. The chapter on molecular motors was rewritten to include the most recent developments of new models. The book is a useful text for students and researchers wanting to go through the mathematical derivations in the theories presented. This book attracts a group of applied mathematically oriented students and scholars to the exciting field of molecular biophysics.'' Below are my additions to this review which I begin with quoting Abraham Lincoln: ``Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all.'' The present book is not an exception. Biophysics is usually defined as a part of biology that studies ``physical aspects of existence of living nature at all levels, from molecules and cells to the entire biosphere'' (Wikipedia). The word ``biophysics'' originates from greek sub-words: \(\beta\iota o \varsigma\) meaning life, and \(\varphi \upsilon \sigma \iota \varsigma \) -- nature. Biophysics is not so old science: the term `biophysics' [precisely, ``bio-physics'': ``This branch of science which endeavours to show that the facts of Biology -- of morphology, embryology and physiology -- constitute particular cases of general physical laws has been termed etiology. It would perhaps be better to call it bio-physics] was originally introduced by Karl Pearson in 1892 [\textit{K. Pearson}, The grammar of science. London: Walter Scott (1892; JFM 23.0048.02)]; Second edition, revised and enlarged. London: Adam and Charles Black (1900; JFM 31.0075.02)] (see also [\textit{R. Glaser}, Biophysics: An Introduction. Berlin: Springer (2012)]) whose history can be divided into two periods: before quantum theory and after. A so-called ``classical'' period goes back to Luigi Galvani, Herman von Helmholtz who measured the speed at which the signal is carried along a nerve fiber, to James Clerk Maxwell (spectral basis of color vision), Carl F. Ludwig, and Johannes Peter Müller. At this period, bio-physics united with molecular physics and it was named molecular biophysics defined as ``the overlap of molecular physics and molecular biology'' [\textit{M. V. Vol'kenshtein}, Molecular Biophysics (in Russian). Moscow; Nauka (1975)]. The second period started with the birth of quantum mechanics when the belief was spread that new physics may solve a secret of life and when the work ``Study of life and new physics'' by \textit{V. I. Vernadsky} [Izvestiya Akad. Nauk USSR VII, Ser. 3, 403--437 (1931)] appeared and later, in 1945, the famous book [\textit{E. Schrödinger}, What is life? The physical aspect of the living cell. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1944)] which is based on lectures delivered in the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies at Trinity College, Dublin, in February 1943. Max Delbrück was inspired by Schrödinger's book and helped spur quantum physicists' interest in biology. Actually, this period of biophysics is reflected in Parts V, VI and VII of the present book which are devoted to Marcus' theory of electron transfer, Born-Oppenheimer approximation, incoherent energy transfer, theory of hydrogen bonding, and charge transfer in DNA. In summary, I think that this is an excellent introductory book for non-specialists to biophysics, though I would recommend it to all curious researchers, to graduate students in particular, whose perception of the world that surrounds us raises the questions of `what is life?' and `what are the molecular basis for life?'.