l’rotein structure is under genetic control;’-3 yet the precise mechanism by which DNA$ influences the formation of specific amino acid sequences in proteins is unknown. Several years ago, it was discovered that infection of Escherichia coli with certain virulent bacteriophages induces the formation of an RNA fraction possessing both a high metabolic turnover rate and a base composition corresp...

Molecular beacons (MBs) of DNA and RNA have aroused increasing interest because they allow a continuous readout, excellent spatial and temporal resolution to observe in real time. This kind of dual-labeled oligonucleotide probes can differentiate between bound and unbound DNA/RNA in homogenous hybridization with a high signal-to-background ratio in living cells. This review briefly summarizes t...