Nucleic-acid related proteins

The molecules that form the foundation of living systems are often organized into four categories. They are the primary metabolites nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. The categories can be grouped together in different ways, based on features that they have in common. For example, nucleic acids, proteins, and polysaccharides are polymeric. Nucleic acids and proteins are further related because they are templated polymers. Other classification systems are also possible.1 Interest in the development of size-expanded versions of biomolecules has grown over the past... 

Masuda, Y., Auxin-induced expansion growth of Jerusalem artichoke tuber tissue in relation to nucleic acid and protein metabolism, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 144, 68-80, 1967. 

Much as liquid water is essential for life, frozen water, ice, is frequently lethal, especially if ice formation occurs within the cell. Upon formation of ice, loss of liquid water may impair or preclude the four basic water-related functions listed above. In particular, the structures and the activities of macromolecules and membranes may be severely damaged. In fact, the harmful effects of ice formation are due to a suite of physical and chemical effects. Physical damage from ice crystals that form within a cell can lead to rupture of membranes and the consequent dissipation of concentration gradients between the cell and external fluids or between membrane-bounded compartments within the cell. Ice formation in the extracellular fluids also can lead to damage to membranes as well as to lethal dehydration of the cell, as water moves down its concentration gradient from the intracellular space to the now depleted pool of liquid water in the extracellular space. Dehydration of the cell not only deprives it of water, but also leads to harmful and perhaps lethal increases in the concentrations of inorganic ions, which remain behind in the cell. Because the activities and structures of nucleic acids and proteins are affected by the concentrations of ions in their milieu, dehydration is expected to lead to perturbation of macromolecular structure and metabolic activity. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that with rare exceptions such as the fat body cells of certain cold-tolerant insects (Lee et al., 1993b Salt, 1962), ice formation within cells is lethal. 

Bernstein, I. A., Relation of the Nucleic Acids to Protein Synthesis in the... 

Comparisons of various ligand-binding aptamer structures with proteins which bind related molecules showed that nucleic acids and proteins use strikingly similar strategies for the formation of well-defined binding pockets. Structures of nucleic acid/ligand complexes that have been published so far are summarized in Table 9.1. 

The tumor cells of KHE manifest expression of several endothelial markers. CD34, PPN, and FLTl are generally found, but factor Vlll-related antigen and UEAI are usually absent.KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV [HTIV8])-related nucleic acid or proteins have not been found in KHE. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 has been identihed in this tumor, in common with other endothelial proliferations. ... 

The principles of attachment of molecules to polysaccharides with concomitant insolubilization, discussed in the preceding two Sections, also apply to nucleic acids. The insolubilization of nucleic acids and polynucleotides provides materials useful (a) for fractionation and purification of other nucleic acids and related compounds,(b) for multiplication and isolation of single nucleic acid strands by base-pairing, " (c) for base-sequence determination, (d) as afiR-nants, " templates, and substrates for nucleic acid-related enzymes, and (e) as aflBnants for nucleic acid-binding proteins. ... 

To the extent to which we have grounds to believe today that inheritance is linked to nucleic acids and that the primary products of nucleic acids, beside perhaps other nucleic acids, are proteins and no other types of molecules, the notion of molecular disease relates exclusively to the inheritance of altered protein and nucleic acid molecules. Abnormal glycogens, for instance (Cori, 1954), are to be traced to abnormal enzymes, proteins responsible for their production. 

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