Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology

Synthesis of Small Nuclear RNAs.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Two Classes of U snRNA Genes.- 3 RNA Polymerases Transcribing U snRNA Genes.- 3.1 TMG-Capped snRNAs.- 3.2 MepppG-Capped snRNAs.- 4 Organization of U snRNA Genes.- 4.1 Human.- 4.2 Rodent.- 4.3 Chicken.- 4.4 Xenopus.- 4.5 Drosophila.- 4.6 Sea Urchin.- 4.7 Trypanosome.- 4.8 C. elegans.- 4.9 Yeast.- 4.10 Plants.- 4.11 Viral U RNAs.- 5 Cis-Acting Elements in U snRNA Genes.- 5.1 Initiation Nucleotide.- 5.2 Proximal Sequence Element (PSE).- 5.3 TATA Box.- 5.4 Distal Sequence Element (DSE).- 5.5 3?-End Formation.- 6 Interconversion of U snRNA Promoters.- 6.1 SnRNA and mRNA Gene Promoters Are Distinct.- 6.2 Transcription of snRNA Genes in Vitro and in Heterologous Systems.- 7 Regulation of snRNA Synthesis.- 8 Formation of Cap Structure in U snRNAs.- 8.1 Signal for U6 snRNA Capping.- 8.2 Post-Transcriptional Capping of U6 snRNA.- 8.3 Other snRNAs with mepppG Cap Structure.- 8.4 Functions of Cap Structures.- 9 Summary.- References.- The DNA-Activated Protein Kinase, DNA-PK.- 1 Nuclear Protein Kinases.- 2 Nucleic Acid Effects on Protein Kinase Activity.- 3 Detection of DNA-Stimulated Protein Phosphorylation in Cell Extracts.- 4 Purification of DNA-PK from HeLa Cells.- 5 Physical Characteristics of DNA-PK.- 6 Subcellular Localization.- 7 Phosphate Donor and Cofactor Requirements.- 8 Effects of Inhibitors.- 9 Substrate Specificity.- 9.1 Autophosphorylation.- 9.2 Substrate Preference and Phosphorylation Sites.- 10 Effects of Polynucleotides.- 11 Occurrence of DNA-PK in Other Cells.- 12 Comparison with Other Nuclear Protein Kinases.- 13 Conclusions and Future Directions.- References.- The Cytoskeleton During Early Development: Structural Transformation and Reorganization of RNA and Protein.- 1 Introduction.- 2 The Cytoskeleton in the Early Development of Chordates.- 2.1 Ascidians.- 2.2 Amphibians.- 2.3 Mammals.- 3 The Cytoskeleton in the Early Development of Nonchordates.- 3.1 Annelids.- 3.2 Oligochaetes.- 3.3 Nematodes.- 3.4 Insects.- 3.5 Echinoderms.- 4 Conclusion.- References.- Developmental Regulations of Heat-Shock Protein Synthesis in Unstressed and Stressed Cells.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Expression of Heat-Shock Genes During Gametogenesis and Early Development in the Absence of Stress.- 2.1 An Ancient Developmental Response: Heat-Shock Protein Hyperexpression During Sporulation and Gametogenesis.- 2.2 Heat-Shock Proteins, First Major Products of the Zygotic Genome Transcription in Mammals.- 2.3 Constitutive Heat-Shock Protein Expression During Early Mouse Embryogenesis.- 2.4 Constitutive Heat-Shock Protein Expression in Mouse Embryonal Carcinoma (EC) Cells.- 2.5 High Levels of B2 Transcripts in Heat-Shocked Fibroblasts and in Undifferentiated Mouse Embryonic Cells.- 3 Heat-Shock Protein Synthesis in Differentiation Processes.- 3.1 Specificities of the Heat-Shock Protein Synthesis Associated with Blood Cell Differentiation.- 3.2 Hormone-Induced Heat-Shock Protein Expression.- 3.3 Entering or Leaving a Quiescent State.- 4 Deficient Heat-Shock Responses.- 4.1 Sporulation and Gametogenesis.- 4.2 Early Embryogenesis.- 4.3 Cultured Cells.- 5 Concluding Remarks.- References.- The Interactions of Water and Proteins in Cellular Function.- 1 Introduction.- 2 The Cluster Model of Liquid Structure.- 2.1 Cluster Size.- 2.2 Cluster Energetics.- 3 The Domain Model of Protein Structure.- 3.1 Domain Size.- 3.2 Domain Energetics.- References.