Biomedical research will be revolutionised by the current efforts to sequence the human genome and the genomes of model organisms. Of the newly sequenced genes, 50% code for proteins of unknown functions, while as little as 5% of sequences in mammalian genomes code for proteins. New, genome-wide approaches are needed to draw together the knowledge that is emerging simultaneously in a number of fields of genome research.
This volume is a high-level survey of the newly emerging concepts of structural biology and functional genomics for biologists, biochemists and medical researchers interested in genome research. Topics included are chromosome and chromatin organisation, novel DNA and RNA structures, DNA flexibility, supercoiling, prediction of protein functions, strategies for large scale structural analysis, and computer modelling.

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Preface. Acknowledgements. The Skeletal Function of Non-Genic Nuclear DNA: New Evidence from Ancient Cell Chimaeras; T. Cavalier-Smith, M.J. Beaton. DNA Repeats in the Human Genome; P. Catasti, et al. Left-Handed Z-DNA: Structure and Function; A. Herbert, A. Rich. Superhelical DNA Studied by Solution Scattering and Computer Models; J. Langowski, et al. Micro-Mechanical Measurement of the Torsional Modulus of DNA; T.R. Strick, et al. Sequence-Dependent Modelling of Local DNA Bending Phenomena: Curvature Prediction and Vibrational Analysis; K. Vlahovicek, et al. Modelling DNA Stretching for Physics and Biology; R. Lavery, A. Lebrun. Single-Chain 434 Repressors With Altered DNA-Binding Specificities: Isolation of Mutant Single-Chain Repressors by Phenotypic Screening of Combinatorial Mutant Libraries; A. Simoncsits, et al. Fast Combinatorial Cartography by Fish on Combed Genomic DNA; D. Bensimon. RNA Folding and Catalysis; D.M.J. Lilley. Histone-DNA Contacts in Structure/Function Relationships of Nucleosomes as Revealed by Crosslinking; S.I. Usachenko, E.M. Bradbury. The Role of Histone H1 in Chromatin Condensation and Transcriptional Repression; M. Buttinelli, et al. Chromatin Control of HIV-1 Gene Expression; G. Marzio, M. Giacca. Mechanisms of Separation of the Complementary Strands of DNA During Replication; A.I. Alexandrov, et al. Exploring Structure Space: A Protein Structure Initiative; T.C. Terwilliger, J. Berendzen. The Protein Data Bank: Bridging the Gap between the Sequence and 3D Structure World; J.L. Sussman, et al. Functional Genomics and Enzyme Evolution: Homologous and Analogous Enzymes Encoded in Microbial Genomes; M.Y. Galperin, E.V. Koonin. The Beamlines of Elettra and Their Application to Structural Biology; F. Zanini, et al. Subject Index. Participants List.