Current Issues in Molecular Biology

1538 KiB

Open AccessReview

by Maria D. Ermolaev

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2001, 3(4), 91-97; https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.003.091 - 1 Oct 2001

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 912

In most bacteria, synonymous codons are not used with equal frequencies. Different factors have been proposed to contribute to codon usage preference, including translational selection, GC composition, strand-specific mutational bias, amino acid conservation, protein hydropathy, transcriptional selection and even RNA stability. The review [...] Read more.

In most bacteria, synonymous codons are not used with equal frequencies. Different factors have been proposed to contribute to codon usage preference, including translational selection, GC composition, strand-specific mutational bias, amino acid conservation, protein hydropathy, transcriptional selection and even RNA stability. The review discusses these factors and their contribution to bias in synonymous codon usage in bacterial genomes. Full article

1383 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cellular Responses to Tumor Necrosis Factor

by Zheng-gang Liu and Jiahuai Han

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2001, 3(4), 79-90; https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.003.079 - 1 Oct 2001

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 608

Abstract

TNF is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in many physiological and pathological conditions through the regulation of immunological reactions. Many of TNF functions have been proven to be cell type-specific, and the specificity of TNF- induced cellular responses in a [...] Read more.

TNF is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in many physiological and pathological conditions through the regulation of immunological reactions. Many of TNF functions have been proven to be cell type-specific, and the specificity of TNF- induced cellular responses in a given cell is determined by the specific intracellular signaling pathways that are activated by TNF. Although current information is insufficient to sort out how the cell type specificity is controlled by the different intracellular signaling pathways, a number of signaling pathways that are commonly activated in many types of cells by TNF have been revealed. This review weighs the current knowledge of these TNF-induced signaling pathways. Full article

1176 KiB

Open AccessReview

The RNase III Family: A Conserved Structure and Expanding Functions in Eukaryotic dsRNA Metabolism

by Bruno Lamontagne, Stéphanie Larose, Jim Boulanger and Sherif Abou Elela

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2001, 3(4), 71-78; https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.003.071 - 1 Oct 2001

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 713

Abstract

The last few years have witnessed the appreciation of dsRNA as a regulator of gene expression, a potential antiviral agent, and a tumor suppressor. However, in spite of these clear effects on the cell function, the mechanism that controls dsRNA maturation and stability [...] Read more.

The last few years have witnessed the appreciation of dsRNA as a regulator of gene expression, a potential antiviral agent, and a tumor suppressor. However, in spite of these clear effects on the cell function, the mechanism that controls dsRNA maturation and stability remains unknown. Recently, the discovery of eukaryotic orthologues of the bacterial dsRNA specific ribonuclease III (RNase III) suggested a central role for these enzymes in the regulation of dsRNA and eukaryotic RNA metabolism in general. This article reviews the structure-function features of the eukaryotic RNase III family and their roles in dsRNA metabolism with an emphasis on the yeast RNase III. Yeast RNase III is involved in the maturation of the majority of snRNAs, snoRNAs, and rRNA. In addition, perturbation of the expression level of yeast RNase III alters meiosis and causes sterility. These basic functions of the yeast RNase III appear to be widely conserved which makes it a good model to understand the importance of eukaryotic dsRNA metabolism. Full article

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Curr. Issues Mol. Biol., Volume 3, Issue 4 (October 2001) – 3 articles

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