Structural Dynamics of Membrane Proteins: Exploring Through the Lens of Chemical Kinetics

This book takes a comprehensive approach to exploring the connection between Membrane proteins' (MPs) structures and functions, employing the principles of chemical kinetics. It systematically presents the physical properties and biological significance of electrostatic membrane potential, while also analyzing the structure-function relationships within various MP families based on the principle of membrane-potential driving force among other novel concepts. To enhance understanding, the functional mechanisms of MPs are explained in accessible language and illustrated with simplified models. Whether utilized as a supplementary textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate students specializing in molecular biology and physics, or as a reference guide for researchers in related fields, this book offers valuable insights into the intricate world of structural biology.

X. Cai Zhang (张凯) is a principal investigator at the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and a professor at the School of Life Sciences, University of CAS. Zhang graduated from the Physics Department of Sichuan University in 1982. He then enrolled at the Institute of Biophysics, CAS, to study computational biology methods and obtained a master degree in molecular biology in 1985. From 1985 to 1987, he participated in the determination of the crystal structure of the trichosanthin protein, which marked the second 3D structure of a biological macromolecule solved by Chinese scientists after insulin. Subsequently, he pursued further studies at the Department of Physics and the Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, in the United States. Under the guidance of Prof. Brian Matthews, Zhang conducted research on protein stability. He completed his doctoral degree in biophysics in 1992 and continued working in the lab as a postdoctoral research fellow.From 1995 to 2009, he focused on structural biology research on proteases at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, where he held an endowed professorship. In 2010, he returned to the Institute of Biophysics, CAS, to conduct research on the structural biology of membrane proteins in the State Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules.