Applications of an optimization technique in submolecular biology

Some applications of an optimization technique due to Levenberg in theoretical submolecular biology are described. This technique has proved a very useful tool for the generation of three‐dimensional structures of molecules having cyclic components or other constrained regions. The generated molecular structures provide the starting point for quantum chemical calculations of great value in solving problems of biological interest. The mechanism of transport of alkali metal cations by valinomycin is one such example and this paper describes briefly how various conformations of valinomycin were obtained using the optimization technique. A variant of the same method has been suggested as a new technique for the detection of topographical similarities between apparently dissimilar molecules which are substrates for the same enzyme or receptor site. The technique is illustrated with a comparison of a tricyclic antidepressant with norepinephrine both of which have been postulated to compete for a common receptor site in the “amine pump” of peripheral adrenergic nerve cell membranes. Another area in which the optimization technique has proved useful is in developing an optimum separable localized bond function method designed for rigorous calculations on large saturated molecules. This method is briefly described.