The Machinery of Life

• Main Author: Goodsell, David S. (Author)
• Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
• Format: Electronic eBook
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY : Springer New York : Imprint: Copernicus, 2009.
• Edition: 2.
• Subjects: Life sciences.; Biochemistry.; Cell biology.; Microbiology.; Medicine.; Health.; Life Sciences.; Biochemistry, general.; Cell Biology.; Popular Science in Medicine and Health.

Imagine that we had some way to look directly at the molecules in a living organism. An x-ray microscope would do the trick, or since we’re dreaming, perhaps an Asimov-style nanosubmarine (unfortunately, neither is currently feasible). Think of the wonders we could witness firsthand: antibodies atta...

Table of Contents:

• Molecular Machines
• The Processes of Living
• Molecules in Cells: Escherichia coli
• A Human Cell: The Advantages of Compartments
• The Human Body: The Advantages of Specialization
• Life and Death
• Viruses
• You and Your Molecules.