Swiss Army knife

Nykjaer A, Willnow TE (2002) The low-density lipoprotein receptor gene family a cellular Swiss army knife Trends Cell Biol 12 273-280... 

Blunting the Swiss Army Knife of Hepatitis C Virus Inhibitors of NS3/4A Protease ... 

BLUNTING THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS... 

Swiss-Army knife, scissors, Phillips and regular screwdrivers... 

Duffy JB (2002) GAL4 system in Drosophila a fly geneticist s Swiss army knife. Genesis 34 1-15... 

Gould, K.S., Nature s Swiss army knife the diverse protective roles of anthocyanins in leaves, J. Biomed. Biotechnol, 5, 314, 2004. 

Gould KS. 2004. Nature s Swiss Army knife The diverse protective roles of anthocya-nins in leaves. J Biomed Biotechnol 2440 314—320. 

In the half dark of early morning I put on my pants, getting ready to go to work. Pam peers across the bedroom and her not-so-sharp eyes somehow instantly notice something is amiss. Is that a hole in your pants I look down. There bulging from my left thigh, the Swiss Army knife in my pocket has indeed worn a hole through the pant leg. I m not surprised. The knife comes with me wherever I go. 

First to match parts and later mismatch parts (to gain advantage), e.g. pocket-knife with one blade, then many blades, finally with scissors, screw-drivers, can openers etc. (Swiss Army Knife). 

A rock climber become trapped by his arm in a rock fall. To save his life he amputated his own arm with a Swiss army knife without anaesthetic. 

All the steps above require some distinct molecular component, each analogous to a key or other tool. Thus, if many imminent agents are not actually yet like a machine, they can at least look like a complex multi-tool, like a Swiss Army Knife . In most cases the carrying function part can be distinguished as a component called the vehicle. Such a trucking role sounds fairly simple. It could be simple molecules with attachment points like chemical hooks. But it could be a more complex protein construct like a virus, the exterior of which provides also the support for the other tools. Under the electron microscope, it would start looking more like a nanobot from science fiction. 

Ueda M, Nakamura Y (2010) Plant phenolic compounds controlling leaf-movement. In Santos-Buelga C, Escribano-Bailon MT, Lattanzio V (eds) Recent advances in polyphenol research, vol II. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK, pp 226-237 Lee DW, Gould KS (2002) Why leaves turn red. Am Sci 90 524-531 Gould KS (2004) Nature s Swiss army knife the diverse protective roles of anthocyanins in leaves. J Biomed Biotech 5 314-320... 

Enzymes today use vitamin for at least three very different reactions, making it the Swiss army knife of enzyme cofactors. The active group on PLP is a reactive form of oxygen-carbon-hydrogen called an aldehyde (which has a memorable stink). PLP uses this aldehyde like a sharp blade to break and make bonds. Today, it is vital, as a vitamin should be. 

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