Loss of translational entropy in binding, folding, and catalysis.

There is a loss of translational entropy associated with the formation of a complex between two molecules in solution. Estimation of this contribution is essential for understanding binding, protein-protein association, and catalysis. Based on the cell model of liquids, it is possible to estimate the loss of translational entropy in all these cases. The resulting formulas are straightforward, and the calculations are easy to perform. Comparison of the results with experimental data suggests that the proposed method provides estimates that are much more accurate than those obtained with existing methods.