vi The intent, therefore, was to provide for a fresh and original review of all relevant topics and issues in the field, following a comprehensive and coherent programme. Such an ambitious goal could only be reached thanks to the unlimited collaboration of the lecturers: They were requested to produce nothing less than "freer, broader, speculative and personal "considerations of the subjects" they had to cover *** And so they did: their presentations unfolded a fantastic picture, a most fascinating and meaningful identification of the field, its present problems and trends. But participants at this conference contributed many valuable observations while discussing specific points. Unfortunately, more often than not, it proved impossible to identify them in the records. Accordingly, we incorporated here and there some of these "anonymous" contributions as part of the edited version of the texts. To all of the participants, I would like to express my gratitude for their actively taking part in all the scientific (and social *** ) activities (lectures, round tables, posters, encounters) of this N.A.T.O. ASl. The result was a stimulating atmosphere, conducive to authentic scientific exchanges. Hence, the success of this meeting should be credited only to them. Finally, on behalf of all participants, I would like to thank Professor Sissini, the Mayor of Maratea, and Mr. B. Vitolo, the Chairman of its Tourist Office: their enthusiastic support greatly contributed to make of our time in their wonderful seaside resort an unforgettable one.

vi The word ppotein, coined one and a half century ago from the 1TpOTE:toa ("proteios" = of primary importance), underlines the "primary importance" ascribed to proteins from the time they were described as biochemical entities. But the unmatched compl~xity of the process involved in their biosynthesis was (understandably) overlooked. Indeed, protein biosynthesis was supposed to be nothing more than the reverse of protein degradation, and the same enzymes known to split a protein into its constituent amino acids were thought to be able, under adequate conditions, to reconstitute the peptide bond. This oversimplified view persisted for more than 50 years: It was just in 1940 that Borsook and Dubnoff examined the thermodynamical aspects of the process, and concluded that protein synthesis could not be the reverse of protein degradation, such an "uphill task being thermody- namically impossible *** * " The next quarter of a century witnessed the unravelling of the basic mechanisms of protein biosynthesis, a predictable aftermath of the Copernican revolution in biology which followed such dramatic de- velopments as the discovery of the nature of the genetic material, the double helical structure* of DNA, and the determination of the ge- netic code. Our present understanding of the sophisticated mechan- isms of regulation and control is a relatively novel acquisition, and recent studies have shed some light into the structure and organi- zation of the eukaryotic gene.