title: The development of A. N. Belozersky's ideas in polyphosphate biochemistry.
abstract: This review covers some trends and approaches to the study of inorganic polyphosphates that originated from the fruitful ideas and pioneering works of A. N. Belozersky. This is, first of all, the elucidation of a close relationship between these biopolymers and nucleic acids in organisms at different evolutionary stages; second, the study of "fossil" reactions in polyphosphate metabolism that permit an understanding of their role in the evolution of phosphorus turnover and cell bioenergetics; third, the possible use of the conservative enzymes of polyphosphate metabolism, e.g., exopolyphosphatases, as molecular chronometers for obtaining additional data concerning the theory of the endosymbiotic origin of eukaryotic cells from prokaryotes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142292, Russia. alla@ibpm.serpukhov.su
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Kulaev
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Vagabov
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Kulakovskaya
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Lichko
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Andreeva
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Trilisenko
mesh_terms: D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D001671:Biochemistry / Q000266:history; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D049673:History, 20th Century; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000266:history; D012426:Russia; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism; D013559:Symbiosis
chemical_list: D011122:Polyphosphates; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases; C020137:exopolyphosphatase