Topics in Biochemistry for Outside Reading

• Holiday Junctions are DNA structures that propagate "crossing over" of 2 double stranded DNA molecules. There is an interesting animation on the page.

• Garrett and Grisham site for MBB students -- this also contains some nice animations. You should give username "student" password "lipids" (plural).

• The F1 ATPase makes ATP via conformational changes (open, loose, and tight) which are driven by the rotation of Fo.

• Phenylketonuria is caused by incorrect metabolism of Phenylalanine. Here is a discussion of the disease.

• Viagra is an inhibitor of PDE-5, an enzyme which breaks down cyclic GMP.

• DHEA or Dehydroepiandrosterone is a human steroidal hormone -- production falls off sharply after age 40.

• Homocysteine is an unusual amino acid which seems to be linked to heart trouble.

• Celebra is the brand name for an inhibitor of cox-2, a specific cyclo-oxygenase. It reduces inflammation by preventing formation of certain prostaglandins.

• Nitric Oxide causes vasodilation -- it is the only known case of a gas functioning as a transmitter.

• CAMSHAFTS! are useful for understanding how the rotation of Fo causes conformational changes of F1 in mitochondria.