Beyond the Planck–Benzinger thermal work function: New insights into the role of molecular switches in biology

The Planck‐Benzinger methodology provides a means of determining the innate temperature‐invariant enthalpy, Δ H °( T 0 ), thermal agitation energy, or the heat capacity integrals ∫ Δ Cp °( T ) dT , and allows precise determination of 〈 T Cp 〉, 〈 T h 〉, 〈 T s 〉, and 〈 T m 〉. It is a method for evaluating [Δ H − Δ H °( T 0 )], the heat of reaction for biologic molecules at room temperature, and provides for a better understanding of cooperative thermodynamic compensation. The Planck‐Benzinger methodology demonstrates that macromolecular interactions will always exhibit a negative value of the Gibbs free energy change at a well‐defined temperature. It can be used for determination of the thermodynamic molecular switch, where there is a change of sign in Δ Cp °( T ) reaction which determines the behavior patterns of the Gibbs free energy change. equation image All interacting biologic systems that we have thus far examined using the Planck‐Benzinger approach point to the universality of this thermodynamic switch.