Water is an active matrix of life for cell and molecular biology

Abstract

Szent-Gy} orgi called water the "matrix of life" and claimed that there was no life without it. This statement is true, as far as we know, on our planet, but it is not clear whether it must hold throughout the cosmos. To evaluate that question requires a close consideration of the many varied and subtle roles that water plays in living cells-a consideration that must be free of both an assumed essentialism that gives water an almost mystical life-giving agency and a traditional tendency to see it as a merely passive solvent. Water is a participant in the "life of the cell," and here I describe some of the features of that active agency. Water's value for molecular biology comes from both the structural and dynamic characteristics of its status as a complex, structured liquid as well as its nature as a polar, protic, and amphoteric reagent. Any discussion of water as life's matrix must, however, begin with an acknowledgment that our understanding of it as both a liquid and a solvent is still incomplete.water | hydration | hydrophobic effect | protein chemistry | solvation chemistry

Self‐Assembly of Functional Discrete Three‐Dimensional Architectures in Water

“…[7][8][9][10] Water is also the solvent of choice for biological systems, [10] where exquisite control of reactivity has been demonstrated in complex reaction mixtures. [11,12] If we seek to emulate this level of complexity we must acknowledge,u nderstand and eventually exploit the physical properties of water that make it unique from most other solvents. [13] Forscientists,the use of water as as olvent provides both opportunities and challenges.W ater is able to act as both ah ydrogen-bond donor and acceptor,a nd can form intermolecular interactions with neighbouring water molecules in addition to readily dissolving other polar molecules.T his, however, also means that water can compete with many types of supramolecular interactions that hold self-assembled structures together,p utting constraints on the applicable molecular entities.F urthermore,i tm eans that the ionic strength and pH of the medium can vary significantly,just by making small changes in the solute composition.…”

“…[13] Forscientists,the use of water as as olvent provides both opportunities and challenges.W ater is able to act as both ah ydrogen-bond donor and acceptor,a nd can form intermolecular interactions with neighbouring water molecules in addition to readily dissolving other polar molecules.T his, however, also means that water can compete with many types of supramolecular interactions that hold self-assembled structures together,p utting constraints on the applicable molecular entities.F urthermore,i tm eans that the ionic strength and pH of the medium can vary significantly,just by making small changes in the solute composition. Theh ydrophobic effect, [13,14] which is operative exclusively in aqueous media, may be used to dictate supramolecular interactions between hydrophobic surfaces,w hereas competing hydrogen-bonding interactions with the solvent may prevent the desired interaction of more polar species.S ignificant insights into each of these processes have been gained in recent years through the concerted efforts of the physical chemistry community.Asaresult, the fundamental properties of water with respect to its behaviour at interfaces, [15] with ions [16,17] and importantly with the biological substrates,w ith which it so fruitfully interacts, [12,18,19] are now well characterised. Recently,t he underexploited synergy between the physical chemical and the supramolecular communities in understanding these intricacies of aqueous self-assembly,w as highlighted.…”

Exploring the Reasons for Decrease in Binding Affinity of HIV-2 Against HIV-1 Protease Complex Using Interaction Entropy Under Polarized Force Field

“…Philip Ball called water “an active matrix of life for cell and molecular biology” (Ball, 2017). In this paper, the bridging water molecules and their hydrogen bond networks are analyzed to explore its impact on the binding of PR and inhibitors.…”

The Future of Polar Organometallic Chemistry Written in Bio‐Based Solvents and Water

“…It is well‐known that water is of paramount importance in biological processes, and interactions with surrounding water is crucial for both three‐dimensional folding and function of biomolecules . Can we parallel the role played by water in biomolecules with that played in organometallic compounds?…”