STRUCTURAL ORDER AND PARTIAL DISORDER IN BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS:
STRUCTURAL "FUZZINESS" UNDERLYING BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONI.C.BaianuauthorThe presence of structural order and partial disorder is discussed for several important biological molecules such as DNA, enzymes and proteins, as well as for cellular structures such as nerve myelin. The relationship between structural "fuzziness" and biological function is discussed
as an important aspect of biological complexity and biodynamics. The possible effects of partial disorder on the electron density of states in biological structures is predicted based on known quantum theoretical computations for lattices in solids. Important phenomena such as Anderson delocalization, Hall effect and quantum tunneling are predicted to affect biological function. Novel experiments are being suggested by pulsed lasers, pulsed/FT-NMR and optical/NIR spectroscopy in order to monitor the effects of structural partial disorder and "fuzziness" on biological function. Novel methods for computer analysis of paracrystalline lattices such as nerve myelin and oriented DNA fibers are also being proposed based on molecular models that include partial disorder.
Statistical ModelsDynamical SystemsComplexity TheoryNeural NetsTheoretical Biology1980-09Pergamon Press Ltd.Journal (Paginated)