Quote:
Originally Posted by avandonk
You only have to check out the extremophiles. Single celled bacteria that can live at high temperatures. Their enzymes are very robust not to mention the way they package their DNA and RNA.
Your whole physiology depends on DNA, RNA and proteins all interacting in an aqueous environment. You would not exist without Hydrogen bonds.
Without Hydrogen bonds organic life would not exist.
It gets even better as all organic macromolecules have a 'shell' of water bound by Hydrogen bonds. I have seen ordered water 'shells' in high resolution xray structures.
Check out this substance called trehalose it mimics water and can protect living organisms from dessication and or freezing.
Bert
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Interesting enough Bert they are currently redefining our understandings of the hydrogen bond from a strongish dipole-dipole attraction. Current research has shown a far greater interaction between valence electrons then first thought with some evidence of electrons jumping between molecules. The IUPAC mob are considering taking it out of Vander Waals (used very loosely here) and giving a status all of its own. We have so much to learn even about the things we think we know.
Mark