Antisense technology is the ability to manipulate gene expression within mammalian cells providing powerful experimental approaches for the study of gene function and gene regulation. For example, methods that inhibit gene expression permit studies which probe the normal function of a specific product within a cell. Such methodology can be used in many disciplines such as pharmacology, oncology, genetics, cell biology, developmental biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and neurosciences. This volume will be a truly important tool in biomedical-oriented research.The critically acclaimed laboratory standard for more than forty years, Methods in Enzymology is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now with more than 300 volumes (all of them still in print), the series contains much material still relevant today--truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences.

RNA-Ligand Interactions, Part A focuses on structural biology methods. Major topics covered include semisynthetic methodologies (RNA synthetic methods and derivatization of RNA); RNA structure determination (X-ray crystallography, NMR, EM); techniques for monitoring RNA conformation and dynamics (solution methods and electrophoretic and spectroscopic methods); and modeling tertiary structure: Part B, its companion Volume 318 of Methods in Enzymology, focuses on molecular biology methods.The critically acclaimed laboratory standard for more than forty years, Methods in Enzymology is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now with more than 300 volumes (all of them still in print), the Series contains much material still relevant today--truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences.

RNA-Ligand Interactions, Part B focuses on molecular biology methods. Major topics covered include: solution probe methods, tethered-probe methodologies, in vitro affinity selection methodologies, genetic methodologies for detecting RNA-protein interactions, protein engineering methodologies useful for RNA-protein interaction studies, and cell biology methods.RNA-Ligand Interactions, Part A, its companion, VOLUME 317 focuses on structural biology methods.The critically acclaimed laboratory standard for more than forty years, Methods in Enzymology is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now with more than 300 volumes (all of them still in print), the series contains much material still relevant today--truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences.

he past fifteen years have seen tremendous growth in our understanding of T the many post-transcriptional processing steps involved in producing func tional eukaryotic mRNA from primary gene transcripts (pre-mRNA). New processing reactions, such as splicing and RNA editing, have been discovered and detailed biochemical and genetic studies continue to yield important new insights into the reaction mechanisms and molecular interactions involved. It is now apparent that regulation of RNA processing plays a significant role in the control of gene expression and development. An increased understanding of RNA processing mechanisms has also proved to be of considerable clinical importance in the pathology of inherited disease and viral infection. This volume seeks to review the rapid progress being made in the study of how mRNA precursors are processed into mRNA and to convey the broad scope of the RNA field and its relevance to other areas of cell biology and medicine. Since one of the major themes of RNA processing is the recognition of specific RNA sequences and structures by protein factors, we begin with reviews of RNA-protein interactions. In chapter 1 David Lilley presents an overview of RNA structure and illustrates how the structural features of RNA molecules are exploited for specific recognition by protein, while in chapter 2 Maurice Swanson discusses the structure and function of the large family of hnRNP proteins that bind to pre-mRNA. The next four chapters focus on pre-mRNA splicing.

The combination of faster, more advanced computers and more quantitatively oriented biomedical researchers has recently yielded new and more precise methods for the analysis of biomedical data. These better analyses have enhanced the conclusions that can be drawn from biomedical data, and they have changed the way that experiments are designed and performed. This volume, along with previous and forthcoming 'Computer Methods' volumes for the Methods in Enzymology serial, aims to inform biomedical researchers about recent applications of modern data analysis and simulation methods as applied to biomedical research.

Methods in Enzymology volumes provide an indispensable tool for the researcher. Each volume is carefully written and edited by experts to contain state-of-the-art reviews and step-by-step protocols. In this volume, we have brought together a number of core protocols concentrating on RNA, complementing the traditional content that is found in past, present and future Methods in Enzymology volumes. - Indispensable tool for the researcher - Carefully written and edited by experts to contain step-by-step protocols - In this volume we have brought together a number of core protocols concentrating on RNA