From a human viewpoint, the cold waters of deep sea and polar marine regions present an inhospitable and harsh environment for life. The study of organisms that have exploited this seemingly hostile ecological niche has revealed intriguing physiological adaptations. This volume summarizes the most recent information on the adaptations exhibited by representatives of the main groups of polar animals, including marine invertebrates, fish, mammals, and birds. The scales of adaptation range from the whole organism to the underlying molecular mechanisms. Unique in its breadth of coverage, this...

Post-translational modification of proteins, or what occurs after a protein has been synthesized by the cell, are now known to play a fundamental role in regulating the activity, location and function of a wide range of proteins. In plant cells work on different types of post-translational modifications has progressed largely along independent lines. This book brings research workers together to allow an exchange of ideas, and reflects a diversity of interest while also revealing common ground. An introductory chapter reviewing recent progress in the field is followed by reviews of protein...

In this text, leading researchers discuss the role that inducible proteins play in cellular metabolism and the approaches being used to delineate the underlying molecular events that lead to their synthesis. The use of both classical methods such as protein purification and characterization, as well as molecular methods such as the use of antisense DNA to down-regulate the synthesis of specific target enzymes, as approaches to investigate the role particular enzymes play in cellular metabolism are discussed. Other chapters discuss molecular approaches to the study of gene expression, the...

Advances in our understanding of biological mechanisms have frequently been associated with the development of new techniques. In situ hybridization is a classic case of just such an advance. The technique effectively combines histochemistry with molecular biology and enables the rapid analysis of the distribution of RNA, or DNA, in the tissues. The information gained from this has caused something of a revolution in our understanding of developmental biology, since a fundamental aspect of development is the spatial and temporal expression of genes. In addition the technique has found...

The techniques of molecular biology offer a powerful means of investigating and controlling the genetic basis of mechanisms operating in living organisms. Genetic research on aquatic animals can reveal important information relating to growth, development, adaptation to the environment, and the transfer of novel genes. This volume presents some of the most exciting advances in this rapidly expanding area, and contains contributions on the evolution of adaptation to low temperature, adaptation to short-term fluctuations in temperature and salinity, gene expression during growth and...

Photosynthetic plant cells are compartmentalized into subcellular organelles such as chloroplasts, mitochondria, peroxisomes, the cytosol, and the vacuole. Although this compartmentation serves to isolate particular functions to particular subcellular locations, the successful metabolic activity of the cell is actually dependent on a controlled and coordinated interaction between these organelles. In this book, leading scientists have contributed reviews of current research on the interaction of organelles in processes such as C3, C4, C3-C4 and CAM photosynthesis, photorespiration, substrate...

When this book was first published in 1996, the pollution of the earth's freshwater habitats was, as it is now, a topic of major concern. This synthesis considers the effects of pollutants on aquatic animals via a series of research and review articles that present experimental evidence of sublethal and lethal effects of a range of toxicants at the physiological, cellular and subcellular levels, and that explore techniques for detection of pollution damage. Topics covered include routes of uptake of toxicants; the effect of acute and chronic exposure to toxic metal ions, particularly zinc,...

First published in 1985, this book covers the physiological and environmental factors that regulate leaf growth.

First published in 1991. Nutrition is a major environmental factor in regulating plant growth, and is therefore of significant practical concern to agriculturalists and ecologists. In order to achieve efficient plant production, it is essential to gain a full understanding of the basic principles underlying the three-way interaction between the plant, its nutrition and its environment. This book addresses the role of nutrition in regulating plant growth, at the level of both the individual and the community, by exploring the biochemical, cellular and physiological processes involved in energy...

First published in 1985, this book examines the chemistry of the cell wall, its biosynthesis, and biochemical aspects of its functions.