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Binding of DNA and of RNA are no longer considered functionally distinct, partly owing to the discovery that DNA- and RNA-binding proteins (DRBPs) can bind long non-coding RNAs and DNA. The unique functional characteristics of DRBPs stem from their specific structural features and allow them to regulate various cellular processes.
The adhesive interaction of cells with the environment through integrins regulates multiple aspects of cellular physiology. The prominence of gene mutations in specific constituents of integrin-mediated adhesions, which are collectively known as the 'integrin adhesome', in diverse pathological states, is providing insight into the molecular mechanisms that underlie these diseases.