Molecular Biology

This book emphasizes the experimental data and results that support the concepts of molecular biology: DNA transcription, translation, replication and repair. Experimental methods are extensively covered. The text presumes a prior course in general genetics. The text has been updated throughout to reflect the most current ideas, tools, mechanisms and data used to interpret genetic processes and there is new material on genomics and DNA damage and repair. With this new edition, all line art (which is in full colour), tables and many photographs are available as jpeg files on the Visual Resource Library CD-ROM and text-specific website.

Molecular Biology is the story of the molecules of life, their relationships, and how these interactions are controlled. It is an expanding field in life sciences, and its applications are wide and growing. We can now harness the power of molecular biology to treat diseases, solve crimes, map human history, and produce genetically modified organisms and crops, and these applications have sparked a multitude of fascinating legal and ethical debates. In this Very Short Introduction, Aysha Divan and Janice Royds examine the history, present, and future of Molecular Biology. Starting with the building blocks established by Darwin, Wallace and Mendel, and the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953, they consider the wide range of applications for Molecular Biology today, including the development of new drugs, and forensic science. They also look forward to two key areas of evolving research such as personalised medicine and synthetic biology. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Molecular Biology is the story of the molecules of life, their relationships, and how these interactions are controlled. It is an expanding field in life sciences, and its applications are wide and growing. We can now harness the power of molecular biology to treat diseases, solve crimes, map human history, and produce genetically modified organisms and crops, and these applications have sparked a multitude of fascinating legal and ethical debates. In this Very Short Introduction, Aysha Divan and Janice Royds examine the history, present, and future of Molecular Biology. Starting with the building blocks established by Darwin, Wallace and Mendel, and the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953, they consider the wide range of applications for Molecular Biology today, including the development of new drugs, and forensic science. They also look forward to two key areas of evolving research such as personalised medicine and synthetic biology. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Written and illustrated with unsurpassed clarity, Molecular Biology: Principles and Practice introduces fundamental concepts while exposing students to how science is done. The authors convey the sense of joy and excitement that comes from scientific discovery, highlighting the work of researchers who have shaped—and who continue to shape—the field today. The second edition addresses recent discoveries and advances, corresponding to our ever-changing understanding of molecular biology. There are numerous new figures and photos, along with significantly updated figures in every chapter. There are also new end-of-chapter questions for every chapter and many new Unanswered Questions. This textbook is available with LaunchPad. LaunchPad combines an interactive ebook with high-quality multimedia content and ready-made assessment options, including Learning Curve adaptive quizzing. See ‘Instructor Resources’ and ‘Student Resources’ for further information.

Written and illustrated with unsurpassed clarity, Molecular Biology: Principles and Practice introduces fundamental concepts while exposing students to how science is done. The authors convey the sense of joy and excitement that comes from scientific discovery, highlighting the work of researchers who have shaped—and who continue to shape—the field today. The second edition addresses recent discoveries and advances, corresponding to our ever-changing understanding of molecular biology. There are numerous new figures and photos, along with significantly updated figures in every chapter. There are also new end-of-chapter questions for every chapter and many new Unanswered Questions. This textbook is available with LaunchPad. LaunchPad combines an interactive ebook with high-quality multimedia content and ready-made assessment options, including Learning Curve adaptive quizzing. See ‘Instructor Resources’ and ‘Student Resources’ for further information.

The biological world operates on a multitude of scales - from molecules to cells to tissues to organisms to ecosystems. Throughout all these levels runs a common thread: the communication and onward passage of information - from cell to cell, from organism to organism and, ultimately, from generation to generation. But how does this information - no more than a static repository of data - come alive to govern the processes that constitute life? The answer lies in the concerted action of molecular components which cooperate through a series of carefully-regulated processes to bring the information in our genome to life. These components and processes lie at the heart of one of the most fascinating subjects to engage the minds of scientists today: molecular biology. Molecular Biology: Principles of Genome Function offers a fresh, distinctive approach to the teaching of molecular biology. It is an approach that reflects the challenge of teaching a subject that is in many ways unrecognizable from the molecular biology of the 20th century - a discipline in which our understanding has advanced immeasurably, but about which many questions remain to be answered. It is written with several guiding themes in mind: - A focus on key principles provides a robust conceptual framework on which students can build a solid understanding of the discipline; - An emphasis on the commonalities that exist between the three kingdoms of life, and the discussion of differences between the three kingdoms where such differences offer instructive insights into molecular processes and components, gives students an accurate depiction of our current understanding of the conserved nature of molecular biology, and the differences that underpin biological diversity; - An integrated approach demonstrates how certain molecular phenomena have diverse impacts on genome function by presenting them as themes that recur throughout the book, rather than as artificially separated topics At heart, molecular biology is an experimental science, and a central element to the understanding of molecular biology is an appreciation of the approaches taken to yield the information from which concepts and principles are deduced. Yet there is also the challenge of introducing the experimental evidence in a way that students can readily comprehend. Molecular Biology responds to this challenge with Experimental Approach panels, which branch off from the text in a clearly-signposted way. These panels describe pieces of research that have been undertaken, and which have been particularly valuable in elucidating different aspects of molecular biology. Each panel is carefully cross-referenced to the discussion of key molecular biology tools and techniques, which are presented in a dedicated chapter at the end of the book. Beyond this, Molecular Biology further enriches the learning experience with full-colour, custom-drawn artwork; end-of-chapter questions and summaries; relevant suggested further readings grouped by topic; and an extensive glossary of key terms. Among the students being taught today are the molecular biologists of tomorrow; these individuals will be in a position to ask fascinating questions about fields whose complexity and sophistication become more apparent with each year that passes. Molecular Biology: Principles of Genome Function is the perfect introduction to this challenging, dynamic, but ultimately fascinating discipline.

The biological world operates on a multitude of scales - from molecules to cells to tissues to organisms to ecosystems. Throughout all these levels runs a common thread: the communication and onward passage of information - from cell to cell, from organism to organism and, ultimately, from generation to generation. But how does this information - no more than a static repository of data - come alive to govern the processes that constitute life? The answer lies in the concerted action of molecular components which cooperate through a series of carefully-regulated processes to bring the information in our genome to life. These components and processes lie at the heart of one of the most fascinating subjects to engage the minds of scientists today: molecular biology. Molecular Biology: Principles of Genome Function offers a fresh, distinctive approach to the teaching of molecular biology. It is an approach that reflects the challenge of teaching a subject that is in many ways unrecognizable from the molecular biology of the 20th century - a discipline in which our understanding has advanced immeasurably, but about which many questions remain to be answered. It is written with several guiding themes in mind: - A focus on key principles provides a robust conceptual framework on which students can build a solid understanding of the discipline; - An emphasis on the commonalities that exist between the three kingdoms of life, and the discussion of differences between the three kingdoms where such differences offer instructive insights into molecular processes and components, gives students an accurate depiction of our current understanding of the conserved nature of molecular biology, and the differences that underpin biological diversity; - An integrated approach demonstrates how certain molecular phenomena have diverse impacts on genome function by presenting them as themes that recur throughout the book, rather than as artificially separated topics At heart, molecular biology is an experimental science, and a central element to the understanding of molecular biology is an appreciation of the approaches taken to yield the information from which concepts and principles are deduced. Yet there is also the challenge of introducing the experimental evidence in a way that students can readily comprehend. Molecular Biology responds to this challenge with Experimental Approach panels, which branch off from the text in a clearly-signposted way. These panels describe pieces of research that have been undertaken, and which have been particularly valuable in elucidating different aspects of molecular biology. Each panel is carefully cross-referenced to the discussion of key molecular biology tools and techniques, which are presented in a dedicated chapter at the end of the book. Beyond this, Molecular Biology further enriches the learning experience with full-colour, custom-drawn artwork; end-of-chapter questions and summaries; relevant suggested further readings grouped by topic; and an extensive glossary of key terms. Among the students being taught today are the molecular biologists of tomorrow; these individuals will be in a position to ask fascinating questions about fields whose complexity and sophistication become more apparent with each year that passes. Molecular Biology: Principles of Genome Function is the perfect introduction to this challenging, dynamic, but ultimately fascinating discipline.

Written and illustrated with unsurpassed clarity, Molecular Biology: Principles and Practice introduces fundamental concepts while exposing students to how science is done. The authors convey the sense of joy and excitement that comes from scientific discovery, highlighting the work of researchers who have shaped—and who continue to shape—the field today. The second edition addresses recent discoveries and advances, corresponding to our ever-changing understanding of molecular biology. There are numerous new figures and photos, along with significantly updated figures in every chapter. There are also new end-of-chapter questions for every chapter and many new Unanswered Questions. This textbook is available with LaunchPad. LaunchPad combines an interactive ebook with high-quality multimedia content and ready-made assessment options, including Learning Curve adaptive quizzing. See ‘Instructor Resources’ and ‘Student Resources’ for further information.

Written and illustrated with unsurpassed clarity, Molecular Biology: Principles and Practice introduces fundamental concepts while exposing students to how science is done. The authors convey the sense of joy and excitement that comes from scientific discovery, highlighting the work of researchers who have shaped—and who continue to shape—the field today. The second edition addresses recent discoveries and advances, corresponding to our ever-changing understanding of molecular biology. There are numerous new figures and photos, along with significantly updated figures in every chapter. There are also new end-of-chapter questions for every chapter and many new Unanswered Questions. This textbook is available with LaunchPad. LaunchPad combines an interactive ebook with high-quality multimedia content and ready-made assessment options, including Learning Curve adaptive quizzing. See ‘Instructor Resources’ and ‘Student Resources’ for further information.

Molecular Biology, Third Edition, provides a thoroughly revised, invaluable resource for college and university students in the life sciences, medicine and related fields. This esteemed text continues to meet the needs of students and professors by offering new chapters on RNA, genome defense, and epigenetics, along with expanded coverage of RNAi, CRISPR, and more ensuring topical content for a new class of students. This volume effectively introduces basic concepts that are followed by more specific applications as the text evolves.Moreover, as part of the Academic Cell line of textbooks, this book contains research passages that shine a spotlight on current experimental work reported in Cell Press articles. These articles form the basis of case studies found in the associated online study guide that is designed to tie current topics to the scientific community.

Molecular Biology, Third Edition, provides a thoroughly revised, invaluable resource for college and university students in the life sciences, medicine and related fields. This esteemed text continues to meet the needs of students and professors by offering new chapters on RNA, genome defense, and epigenetics, along with expanded coverage of RNAi, CRISPR, and more ensuring topical content for a new class of students. This volume effectively introduces basic concepts that are followed by more specific applications as the text evolves.Moreover, as part of the Academic Cell line of textbooks, this book contains research passages that shine a spotlight on current experimental work reported in Cell Press articles. These articles form the basis of case studies found in the associated online study guide that is designed to tie current topics to the scientific community.