A wide range of topics are covered, including articles on nucleic acid structure, through their interactions with proteins to the control of gene expression. A number of authors address the subject of RNA, including the difficult but important subject of its chemical synthesis, the complexities of its structures and the mechanisms of transcript splicing. The probing of DNA structure is reviewed in papers on the application of hydroxyl radical and 1,10 phenanthroline copper cleavages. A number of important DNA-protein interactions are discussed, including DNA polymerase, the tryptophan and deoR repressors, and the resolvase enzymes which cleave Holliday junctions in recombination. Gene transcription is also covered, from the points of view of DNA methylation, mammalian ribosomal and avian lysozyme genes, and the control of transcription in the proto-oncogene c-fos. Finally, the plant kingdom has not been forgotten with articles on development and transposition in plants.