Reprint of the original 1979 edition.
Macromolecules in the Functioning Cell contains nineteen contributions on some of the most relevant topics in modern molecular biology and biochemistry presented by leading scientists of the USSR and Italy. One group of papers are mainly concerned with the structure and functions of the genetic elements in eukaryote cells; among the topics are the following: Nucleosome structure, characteriza tion of the nuclear matrix, ribosomal gene organization, gene ex pression during the cell cycle, and mapping of the mitochondrial transcripts. Several other aspects of macromolecule structure and function have been discussed: tRNA modification, translation fac tors, RNA interaction with RNA-polymerase, DNA-dependent ATPases, proteins involved in active transport, enzyme induction, iron and sulfur proteins, etc. Furthermore, some studies on macromolecule changes in embryonic development and cell differentiation have been presented, including DNA methylation and macromolecular synthesis in sea urchins, polyribosomes in loach, and histone modifications in spermiogenesis. Finally, a stimulating and brilliant presenta tion on protein – nucleic acid interaction by Professor Engelhardt closes the scientific contributions.
The papers collected in Macromolecules in the Functioning Cell have been presented at the First Soviet-Italian Symposium on Macromolecules in the Functioning Cell sponsored by the Italian Society of Biochemistry, the USSR Academy of Sciences, and the Capri Center for Cell Biology and Natural Sciences, and supported mainly by the Italian National Research Council (CNR). The efforts of Professor A. Ruffo, as Chairman of the Scientific Committee, have to be particularly ack nowledged as being instrumental in the success of the symposium.
I: Structure and Functions of the Genetic Elements
- Yeast Ribosomal Genes
- Characterization of the Nuclear Matrix of Rat Liver and Hepatoma 27
- The Physical Map of the Various Transcripts of Rat Liver Mitochondrial DNA
- Organization of lac Repressor, RNA Polymerase and Histones on DNA
- Organization of the Ribosomal Genes Cluster of the Loach
- A Novel Type of Gene Organization in Eukaryotic Chromosomes
- Differential Gene Expression During the Cell Life Cycle
II: Macromolecule Structure and Function
- Eukaryotic Translation Factors and RNA-Binding Proteins
- Methylation of Transfer Ribonucleic Acid
- Interaction of E. coli RNA Polymerase with Substrates During Initiation of RNA Synthesis at Different Promoters
- DNA-Dependent ATPases and vice versa
- Biosynthesis of Iron-Sulfur Structures in Iron-Sulfur Proteins
- Some Properties of Two Proteins Involved in Membrane Transport
- Enzyme Induction and Deinduction in Animal Cell Associations
III: Macromolecule Changes in Embryonic Development and Cell Differentiation
- Enzymatic Modifications of Nuclear DNA in the Early Embryonic Development of the Sea Urchin
- Regulation of Macromolecular Synthesis During Sea Urchin Development
- Nucleus-Associated Polyribosomes in Early Embryos of Loach
- Nucleic Acids, Histones and Spermiogenesis: The Poly(Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose) Polymerase System
- On the Principles of Nucleic Acid-Protein Interaction
- Introductory Talk
- Closing Talk
- Closing Talk
- Contributors
- Participants