Physico-chemical Properties of Nucleic Acids, Volume III revolves around three major concepts, which are intra- and intermolecular interactions, radiation effects in DNA cells, and repair mechanisms. This volume also presents the stage of specific biological functions and how repair mechanisms relate to the problem of evolution. Comprised of six chapters, this volume begins with the concept of renaturation of polynucleotides. Interactions in nucleic acids and nucleotides are discussed in several chapters. Other topics covered in this volume include polymer and salt-induced condensation of DNA and strand-breaks in the DNA of mammalian cells. The last chapter explores the stability and evolution of DNA in terms of molecular radiobiology. This chapter also presents and reviews some evolutionary problems, specifically the prebiotic evolution. The elements of stabilization and variability of genetic information are also discussed in the last chapter. As with the other volumes, this volume is a valuable reference for students and researchers in the fields of chemistry, biology, molecular biology, microbiology, and biophysics.

Contributors
Preface

Foreword

Contents Vol. 1

Contents Vol. 2

17. Renaturation of DNA in the Absence and in the Presence of Cu2+ Ions

I. Introduction

II. Renaturation Kinetics of Polynucleotides in the Absence of Cupric Ions

III. Renaturation Kinetics of DNA in the Presence of Cupric Ions

IV. Conclusion

References

18. Interactions in Nucleic Acids

I. Monomer Interactions

II. Structure and Conformation of Polynucleotides

III. Interactions between Nucleic Acids and Small Aromatic Molecules

References

19. The Polymer and Salt-induced Condensation of DNA

I. Polymer and Salt Induced Condensation

II. Volume Exclusion and Phase Separation

III. Monomolecular Condensation

IV. Interaction Properties

V. The effect on Water Activity

VI. Secondary and Tertiary Structure

VII. Collapse of Single Molecules

VIII. Folds in DNA

IX. Summary

References

20. The Interaction of Nucleotides with Bovine Pancreatic Ribonuclease

I. Introduction

II. Description of the Ribonuclease-Nucleotide Complex as Determined by X-Ray Crystallography and its Implications for Specificity

III. The Catalytic Mechanism

IV. Correlation of the Information Obtained by Other Techniques with the Model of Ribonuclease-Nucleotide Complex Obtained from X-Ray Crystalography

V. Conformational Changes of Ribonuclease

VI. Some Outstanding Problems in our Understanding of Ribonucleasenucleotide Interactions

References

Note added in Proof

Acknowledgments

21. The Measurement of Radiation-Induced Strand Breaks in the DNA of Mammalian Cells

I. Introduction

II. Experimental Techniques

III. Analysis of Data

IV. Experimental Studies of Native DNA

V. Experimental Studies of Denatured DNA

VI. The Introduction of Strand Breaks by Agencies other than High Energy Radiation

Acknowledgments

References

Note added in proof

22. Stability and Evolution of DNA from the Point of View of Molecular Radiobiology

I. Some General Evolutionary Problems: Outline of the Present Review

II. Prebiotic Evolution

III. Elements of Stabilization of Genetic Information

IV. Elements of Variability of Genetic Information

V. Increase in Genetic Information and Cellular Radiation Radiosensitivity

Acknowledgments

References

Author Index

Subject Index