Fractal Symmetry of Protein Interior [Paperback]

The essential question that fractal dimensions attempt to answer is about the scales in Nature. For a system as non-idealistic and complex as a protein, studying scale-invariance becomes particularly important.

Fractal Symmetry of Protein Interior investigates the diverse facets of the various scales at which we describe protein biophysical and biochemical phenomena. Following a thorough introduction to fractal dimensions, fractal-dimension-based approaches, that have been employed to study protein interior biophysical properties, are described. The focus is on the question which scales are scale-invariant? Investigations related to scaling of biophysical and biochemical behaviors may one day help us to formulate a fundamental theory about protein biophysics; which, in turn, may help us to understand fundamental principles of proteins.

Introduction: How did it all begin.- Brief history of fractal dimension.- Introduction to Fractals.- Misconceptions about fractals.- Studying Protein Interior with Fractal Dimension.- Why, at all, does one need fractal dimension to study protein interior.- Schools of protein interior fractal studies.- Results obtained with fractal dimension-based investigations.- Gaining new knowledge about protein interior with FD-based investigations.- New directions in FD-based protein interior research.

Gives a comprehensive account of this new fractal dimension based methods

Introduces into this mathematical approach to biology

Explains the range of use and the limits of these applications