Chemical Biology, Selected Papers Of H G Khorana (With Introductions)

Selected Papers of H Gobind Khorana (with Introductions)

H Gobind Khorana

• Publisher: World Scientific
• Year: 2000
• Print ISBN: 9789810233310, 9789810233310
• eBook ISBN: 9789812813626
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Science General
• Index: Biological Sciences

The first two chapters of this invaluable book trace the developments of the chemistry and macromolecular structures, respectively, of proteins and nuclei acids. Similarly, the introductions to the succeeding chapters review, step by step, the historical landmarks in the topics covered. These include discoveries of biological phosphate esters, nucleotides and nucleotide coenzymes (important in intermediary metabolism), the nature of the genetic material and biological synthesis of proteins, formulation of the problem of the genetic code, and perspectives on bioenergetics.The selected papers illustrate the developments of the chemical synthesis of nucleotides and nucleotide coenzymes of ribo- and deoxy-ribo-polynucleotides (RNA, DNA), of the total synthesis of genes in the laboratory, and principles for gene amplification (PCR). Another major section covers studies of enzymes that degrade nucleic acids, the structure of transfer RNA and its role in protein synthesis, and the author's work on the elucidation of the genetic code. Finally, there are descriptions of the studies on biological membranes and the membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin, a biological proton pump. These studies elucidated the mechanism of proton translocation, which is central to bioenergetics.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Preface
• Chapter 1 Development of the Chemistry and Macromolecular Structures of Proteins
• Chapter 2 Development of the Chemistry and Macromolecular Structures of Nucleic Acids
• Chapter 3 Carbodiimides as Synthetic Reagents
• Chapter 4 Phosphoric Acid Esters in Intermediary Metabolism: Development of Methods for Their Synthesis
• Chapter 5 Chemical Synthesis of Polynucleotides
• Chapter 6 Enzymes That Degrade Nucleic Acids
• Chapter 7 The Genetic Code: (A) Specificity in Protein Synthesis; the Transfer Ribonucleic Acids
• Chapter 8 The Genetic Code: (B) Basic Features and Codon Assignments
• Chapter 9 The Total Synthesis of Genes
• Chapter 10 Gene Amplification (PCR)
• Chapter 11 Bioenergetics: Bacteriorhodopsin, a Light-Driven Proton Pump
• Selected Reviews and Published Lectures
• HAR GOBIND KHORANA
• FROM CARBODIIMIDE TO GENE SYNTHESIS
• Epilogue