The subject of this book is the amazing enzyme ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), the enzyme responsible for the conversion of ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides. The prerequisite for DNA-synthesis and DNA-repair in all living cells is the supply of the four deoxyribonucleotides. Such molecules result from the enzymatically difficult radical-induced reduction of ribonucleotides, a multistep chemical process catalyzed by RNR. RNR was the first enzyme in which the presence of an amino acid radical (a tyrosyl) in E. coli Class Ia RNR has been proven; since then several other biological amino acid radical species have been found on e.g. tryptophan, glycine, cysteine, lysine residues and on amino acid derived small cofactors like 2 tryptophanes in thryptophan-trypthanyl-radical or cysteine-tyrosyl-radical in other enzymes. As all known cellular life forms store their genetic information as DNA, RNR is likely to be found in all growing cells of every living organism, a fact that is confirmed by a rapidly increasing number of genomic screenings.

Rev. ed. of: Biochemistry / Pamela C. Champe, Richard A. Harvey, Denise R. Ferrier. 4th ed. c2008.

The key role played by iron, as well as other transition metals, in microbial metabolism is investigated in this volume. Topics covered include: iron chelation and siderophores; receptor-mediated bacterial iron transport; and the nitogenases.

This book focuses on the latest progress in chemotherapy for leukemia and related diseases, including still-ongoing but promising studies. The effectiveness of treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia and acute promyelocytic leukemia has been dramatically improved in recent years. This improvement has been made possible with the development of molecular targeted agents such as bcr-abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors and all-trans retinoic acid. The antibody for the unique target of chemokine receptor 4 for adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, or FLT3 inhibitors (signaling inhibitors) has been applied to other leukemias. Also, chemotherapeutic agents including antimetabolite analogues such as clofarabine, and azacitidine (an epigenetic regulator) have undergone progressive development. Meanwhile, the novel concept of therapy targeting leukemic stem cells has been developed. The contributors discuss prospective results of basic and preclinical studies and clinical possibilities based on the effects for leukemic stem cells. This work facilitates a comprehensive understanding of modern treatment methodology for leukemia. The volume therefore will greatly benefit not only hematologists but also oncologists, all physicians who specialize in blood cancer, and pharmacologists who are involved in the development of therapeutic agents for leukemia.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "DNA Replication Controls" that was published in Genes

Molecular biology is one of the most rapidly developing and at the same time most exciting disciplines. The key to molecular biology lies in the understanding of nucleic acids - their structure, function, and interaction with proteins. Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology keeps scientists informed of the explosively growing information and complies with the great interest in this field by offering a continued high standard of review. A substantial part of this volume has been devoted to the analysis of different aspects of nucleic acid-protein-interactions including RNA-protein-interaction.