This physics rule built biology's language. Here's how. | EoB Ch1

Emil Fischer proposed the lock-and-key model of molecular recognition in 1894. Linus Pauling refined this to the induced-fit model emphasizing complementary charge distributions. Modern structural biologists use crystallography and cryo-EM to visualize electrostatic complementarity enabling specific binding.

Linus Pauling pioneered the understanding of chemical bonding and molecular interactions in biological systems during the 1930s-1950s. Biochemists and structural biologists apply these four force types to explain protein folding, DNA structure, and molecular recognition. Physical chemists quantify interaction strengths across biological molecules.

Charles-Augustin de Coulomb formulated the inverse-square law governing electrostatic interactions in 1785. Biochemists study ionic interactions between charged amino acids, nucleotides, and cofactors. Protein engineers manipulate salt bridges to modulate stability and function.

Fritz London explained quantum mechanical origins of dispersion forces in 1930. Johannes van der Waals identified weak intermolecular forces in 1873. Structural biologists recognize induced dipoles as crucial for protein stability and molecular packing despite their individual weakness.

Linus Pauling quantified electronegativity scales in 1932, explaining dipole formation. Physical chemists measure dipole moments to characterize molecular polarity. Biochemists recognize permanent dipoles as essential for water’s properties and protein-ligand interactions.

Linus Pauling characterized hydrogen bonding in proteins during the 1930s-1940s, predicting α-helices and β-sheets. Watson and Crick recognized hydrogen bonds as essential for DNA base pairing in 1953. Biochemists study hydrogen bonding patterns to understand molecular recognition and structural stability.

James Watson and Francis Crick discovered complementary base pairing in 1953, building on Chargaff’s rules and Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray data. Molecular biologists exploit base pairing specificity for PCR, sequencing, and CRISPR technologies. Geneticists study how base pairing enables heredity and information storage.

Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray crystallography data revealed the antiparallel arrangement of DNA strands in 1952. Watson and Crick recognized this arrangement as essential for base pairing geometry. Molecular biologists account for strand polarity in all DNA replication and sequencing experiments.

James Watson and Francis Crick proposed the double helix model in 1953, integrating Rosalind Franklin’s crystallography data and Chargaff’s base composition rules. Structural biologists study DNA helix variations—A-form, B-form, Z-form—and how proteins recognize helical geometry.

Francis Crick formulated the central dogma in 1958, describing information flow from DNA to RNA to protein. Molecular biologists study the machinery executing these transfers—polymerases, ribosomes, and regulatory proteins. Biotechnologists exploit central dogma principles for recombinant protein production and gene therapy.

Roger Kornberg elucidated RNA polymerase II structure and mechanism, earning the 2006 Nobel Prize. Molecular biologists study how polymerases and transcription factors locate specific promoter sequences among billions of DNA base pairs. Synthetic biologists engineer promoters with desired recognition properties.