The compartmentation of genetic information is a fundamental feature of the eukaryotic cell. The metabolic capacity of a eukaryotic (plant) cell and the steps leading to it are overwhelmingly an endeavour of a joint genetic cooperation between nucleus/cytosol, plastids, and mitochondria. Alter ation of the genetic material in anyone of these compartments or exchange of organelles between species can seriously affect harmoniously balanced growth of an organism. Although the biological significance of this genetic design has been vividly evident since the discovery of non-Mendelian inheritance by Baur and Correns at the beginning of this century, and became indisputable in principle after Renner's work on interspecific nuclear/plastid hybrids (summarized in his classical article in 1934), studies on the genetics of organelles have long suffered from the lack of respectabil ity. Non-Mendelian inheritance was considered a research sideline~ifnot a freak~by most geneticists, which becomes evident when one consults common textbooks. For instance, these have usually impeccable accounts of photosynthetic and respiratory energy conversion in chloroplasts and mitochondria, of metabolism and global circulation of the biological key elements C, N, and S, as well as of the organization, maintenance, and function of nuclear genetic information. In contrast, the heredity and molecular biology of organelles are generally treated as an adjunct, and neither goes as far as to describe the impact of the integrated genetic system.

Bold illustrations and elementary text teach young readers the basics of cellular biology.

The purpose of this volume is to provide a synopsis of present knowledge of the structure, organisation, and function of cellular organelles with an emphasis on the examination of important but unsolved problems, and the directions in which molecular and cell biology are moving. Though designed primarily to meet the needs of the first-year medical student, particularly in schools where the traditional curriculum has been partly or wholly replaced by a multi-disciplinary core curriculum, the mass of information made available here should prove useful to students of biochemistry, physiology, biology, bioengineering, dentistry, and nursing.It is not yet possible to give a complete account of the relations between the organelles of two compartments and of the mechanisms by which some degree of order is maintained in the cell as a whole. However, a new breed of scientists, known as molecular cell biologists, have already contributed in some measure to our understanding of several biological phenomena notably interorganelle communication. Take, for example, intracellular membrane transport: it can now be expressed in terms of the sorting, targeting, and transport of protein from the endoplasmic reticulum to another compartment. This volume contains the first ten chapters on the subject of organelles. The remaining four are in Volume 3, to which sections on organelle disorders and the extracellular matrix have been added.

to Bioinformatics A Theoretical and Practical Approach Edited by Stephen A. Krawetz, PhD Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit MI and David D. Womble, PhD Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI ~ Springer Science+ ~ Business Media, LLC © 2003 Springer Science+Business Media New York Originally published by Humana Press !ne. in 2003 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1 st edition 2003 humanapress.com Ali rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise without written permission from the Publisher. Ali papers, comments, opinions, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This publication is printed on acid-free paper. G) ANSI Z39.48-1984 (American Standards Institute) Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials. Production Editor: Mark J. Breaugh. Cover design by Patricia F. Cleary and Paul A. Thiessen. Cover illustration by Paul A. Thiessen, chemicalgraphics.com.