During the past few decades we have witnessed an era of remarkable growth in the field of molecular biology. In 1950 very little was known ofthe chemical constitution of biological systems, the manner in which information was transmitted from one organism to another, or the extent to which the chemical basis of life is unified. The picture today is dramatically different. We have an almost bewildering variety of information detailing many different aspects oflife at the molecular level. These great advances have brought with them some breath-taking insights into the molecular mechanisms used...

Almost two centuries ago proteins were recognized as the primary materials (proteios = primary) oflife, but the significance and wide role of peptides (from pepsis = digestion) in practically all life pro cesses has only become apparent in the last few decades. Biologi cally active peptides are now being discovered at rapid intervals in the brain and in other organs including the heart, in the skin of amphibians and many other tissues. Peptides and peptide-like compounds are found among toxins and antibiotics. It is unlikely that this process, an almost explosive broadening of the field, will...

The slowly acting amatoxins bind to the DNA dependent nucleoplas mic RNA polymerase B (II) which is responsible for the transscription of m-RNA. This enables one to discriminate between form Band polymerase A (I), the enzyme catalyzing r-RNA synthesis, and to recognize all bio logical events depending on m-RNA synthesis (protein synthesis after hormonal stimulation, growth of certain virus species etc.). Also with the amatoxins is the affinity for the receptor dependent on the conformation, visible by ORD and CD. All of the toxic derivatives are inhibitory, whereas not all of the inhibitory...