The eukaryotic translation machinery must recognize the site on a messenger RNA (mRNA) where decoding should begin and where it should end. The selection of the translation start site is generally given by the ?rst AUG codon encoding the amino acid methionine. D- ing initiation soluble translation initiation factors (eukaryotic translation initiation factors eIFs] in eukaryotes and prokaryotic translation initiation factors IFs] in prokaryotes) bind the mRNA, deliver the initiator Met-tRNA, and assemble to form a complete 80S ribosome from the 40S and 60S subunits. By progressing along the...

Gastric acid plays a primary role in digestion as well as in the sterilization of food and water. Gastric juice contains the most concentrated physiological acid solution (pH 1) as a result + - of H and Cl ion secretion hydrochloric acid (HCl) production] by parietal cells in the oxyntic mucosa of the stomach. The combined output of the parietal cells leads to the sec- tion of 1-2 l of HCl at a concentration of 150-160 mmol/l into the interior of the stomach. In order to facilitate the production of acid, the parietal cell relies on the generation of a high + concentration of H ions that are...

H. Wegele, L. Muller, and J. Buchner: Hsp70 and Hsp90 - A Relay Team for Protein Folding R. Schulein: The Early Stages of the Intracellular Transport of Membrane Proteins: Clinical and Pharmacological Implications L. Schild: The Epithelial Sodium Channel: From Molecule to Disease

H; J. Apell: Structure -Function Relationship in P-Type ATPases - A Biophysical Approach; H. Koepsell, B. Schmitt, and V. Goboulev: Organic Cation Transporters; W.G. Wier and K.G. Morgan: Alpha 1- Adrenergic Signaling Mechanisms in Mammalian Resistance Arteries; G. Ahnert-Hilger, M. Holtje, I. Pahner, S. Winter and I.

D. Kamimura, K. Ishihara, T. Hirano: IL-6 Signal Transduction and its Physiological Roles: The Signal Orchestration Model; M. Tanaka and A. Miyajima: Oncostatin M, a Multifunctional Cytokine; G; J. van de Geijn, L.H.J. Aarts, S.J. Erkeland, J. Prasher, and I.P.

In this volume of Reviews of Physiology there are three outstanding contributions, the first on Selenium-containing proteins in mammals and other forms of life, and the second on constitutively active and G-protein coupled inward rectifier K+ channels: Kir2.0 and Kir3.0 and the third on Chloroplast quest: a journey from the cytosol into the chloroplast and beyond.

Topics covered in this volume include pheromone reception in mammals, elucidation of mammalian bitter taste, synaptic modulation in pain pathways, the vertebrate phototransduction cascade, and amplification and termination mechanisms.