The aim of this volume is to provide a step-by-step guide for implementing a selection of novel techniques in the lab. Each protocol in this volume is presented as a standalone chapter, specifically geared towards addressing practical needs without presuming prior knowledge of the technique at hand. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, C. elegans: Methods and Applications, Second Edition aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this dynamic field.

Not so long ago, karyology was considered a vanguard biological discipline, which could solve nearly all problems of systematics and phylogenetics. We liked to believe in the bright future, in a magician who will appear like a Jack-in-the-box and reveal the truth to us. However, excessive hopes related to the chromosomal study came true only in part. In the meantime, new candidates claimed the place of the magician, i. e. phenetics succeeded by cladistics and now by molecular methods in systematics and phylogeny. Nevertheless, it becomes progressively more ob- ous nowadays that cladistics is just a bright envelope for the fairly primitive and theoretically vulnerable approach that deprives living organisms and their groups of the traces of integrity and reduces them to the plain sum of characters. Modern molecular techniques look more perceptive and may yield more reliable results, although the details are sometimes embarrassing, and comparison with the fossil record does not necessarily reveal their superiority over cladistics. These methods are accessible by research teams with massive funding and good equipment and this strongly decreases the range and diversity of the material studied. However, classi?cations are often created by individual systematists with the restricted access to molecular methods. In this context, karyological techniques are in the preferable position, although they certainly do not provide direct and immaculate markers of taxonomic and p- logenetic relationships: chromosomal study is a morphological method with all its advantages and drawbacks.

This book is a compilation of recent global measures to conserve bio-resources and manage biotic and abiotic stresses. It highlights emerging issues related to agriculture, abiotic and biotic stress factors, ethnic knowledge, climate change and global warming, as well as natural resources and their sustainable management. It also focuses on the consolidated efforts of scientists and academics engaged in addressing a number of issues related to resource management and combating stresses in order to protect the Earth. Crop production and productivity have been significantly improved, however, there have been no corresponding practical advances in sustainable agriculture.This book offers a wide range of affordable approaches to managing bio-resources with a focus on sustainability. Lastly, it describes research highlights and future areas of research.

The immune systems of human and non-human primates have diverged over time, such that some species differ considerably in their susceptibility, symptoms, and survival of particular infectious diseases. Variation in primate immunity is such that major human pathogens - such as immunodeficiency viruses, herpesviruses and malaria-inducing species of Plasmodium - elicit striking differences in immune response between closely related species and within primate populations. These differences in immunity are the outcome of complex evolutionary processes that include interactions between the host, its pathogens and symbiont/commensal organisms. The success of some pathogens in establishing persistent infections in humans and other primates has been determined not just by the molecular evolution of the pathogen and its interactions with the host, but also by the evolution of primate behavior and ecology, microflora, immune factors and the evolution of other biological systems. To explore how interactions between primates and their pathogens have shaped their mutual molecular evolution, Primates, Pathogens and Evolution brings together research that explores comparative primate immune function, the emergence of major and neglected primate diseases, primate-microorganism molecular interactions, and related topics. This book will be of interest to anyone curious as to why infectious diseases manifest differently in humans and their closest relatives. It will be of particular interest to scholars specializing in human and non-human primate evolution, epidemiology and immunology, and disease ecology. Primates, Pathogens and Evolution offers an overview and discussion of current findings on differences in the molecular mechanics of primate immune response, as well as on pathogen-mediated primate evolution and human and non-human primate health.

This monograph presents complex data on Fascioloides magna from all aspects of its research (general information, distribution, spectrum of hosts) and summarizes the latest information on molecular structure of informative genes which were recently applied in resolving taxonomy and biogeography of this veterinary important parasite. The giant liver fluke, Fascioloides magna, is important liver parasite of free-living and domestic ruminants. Due to its biology, distribution, medical impact, and invasive character, this liver fluke attracts attention of wide spectrum of specialists - veterinary doctors, hunters and farmers, as well as scientists. The parasite utilizes wide range of free living and domestic ruminants as definitive hosts, with various pathological impacts ranging from moderate infections towards lethal effects. Fascioloides magna is of North American origin where it occurs in five enzootic regions. It was introduced to Europe along with its deer hosts in 19th century and it has established three permanent natural foci. The giant liver fluke represents an outstanding model for studying the origin, spatial distribution, migratory routs, and invasion processes of introduced species.

Entomology as a science of inter-depended branches like molecular entomology, insect biotechnology, has made rapid progress. This also implies that there is an urgent need to manage the available resources. In the past five decades, entomology has taken giant steps ahead. The aim of this work is to integrate perspectives across molecular and biochemistry, physiology, reproduction, developmental biology, molecular evolution, genetics and RNAi applications. This century is proclaimed as the Era of Biotechnology and it consists of all types of Mol-Bio-Gen applications, which is an essential component for a thorough understanding of the insect biology. The aim of this work is to provide the comprehensive review of recent research from various geographic areas around the world and contributing authors that are recognized experts in their respective field of Genomic entomology. This Volume emphasizes upon the need for and relevance of studying molecular aspects of entomology in Universities, Agricultural Universities and other centers of molecular research. It will also serve as a landmark source for Insect advance science technology.

Quantitative Real-Time PCR: Methods and Protocols focuses on different applications of qPCR ranging from microbiological detections (both viral and bacterial) to pathological applications. Several chapters deal with quality issues which regard the quality of starting material, the knowledge of the minimal information required to both perform an assay and to set the experimental plan, while the others focus on translational medicine applications that are ordered following an approximate logical order of their medical application. The last part of the book gives you an idea of an emerging digital PCR technique that is a unique qPCR approach for measuring nucleic acid, particularly suited for low level detection and to develop non-invasive diagnosis. Written for the Methods in Molecular Biology series, most chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, laboratory protocols and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Practical and authoritative, Quantitative Real-Time PCR: Methods and Protocols aims to aid researchers seeking to devise new qPCR-based approaches related to his or her area of investigation.

A DNA barcode in its simplest definition is one or more short gene sequences taken from a standardized portion of the genome that is used to identify species through reference to DNA sequence libraries or databases. In DNA Barcodes: Methods and Protocols expert researchers in the field detail many of the methods which are now commonly used with DNA barcodes. These methods include the latest information on techniques for generating, applying, and analyzing DNA barcodes across the Tree of Life including animals, fungi, protists, algae, and plants. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, the chapters include the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is crucial for getting optimal results in the laboratory. Thorough and intuitive, DNA Barcodes: Methods and Protocols aids scientists in continuing to study methods from wet-lab protocols, statistical, and ecological analyses along with guides to future, large-scale collections campaigns.

Researchers in the field of ecological genomics aim to determine how a genome or a population of genomes interacts with its environment across ecological and evolutionary timescales. Ecological genomics is trans-disciplinary by nature. Ecologists have turned to genomics to be able to elucidate the mechanistic bases of the biodiversity their research tries to understand. Genomicists have turned to ecology in order to better explain the functional cellular and molecular variation they observed in their model organisms. We provide an advanced-level book that covers this recent research and proposes future development for this field. A synthesis of the field of ecological genomics emerges from this volume. Ecological Genomics covers a wide array of organisms (microbes, plants and animals) in order to be able to identify central concepts that motivate and derive from recent investigations in different branches of the tree of life. Ecological Genomics covers 3 fields of research that have most benefited from the recent technological and conceptual developments in the field of ecological genomics: the study of life-history evolution and its impact of genome architectures; the study of the genomic bases of phenotypic plasticity and the study of the genomic bases of adaptation and speciation.

This book provides insight into the instances in which wildlife species can create problems. Some species trigger problems for human activities, but many others need humans to save them and to continue to exist. The text addresses issues faced by economists and politicians dealing with laws involving actions undertaken to resolve the problems of the interaction between humans and wildlife. Here, the words 'problematic species' are used in their broadest sense, as may be appreciated in the short introductions to the various sections. At times, the authors discuss special cases while always extending the discussion into a more general and broad vision. At others, they present real cutting-edge analysis of ecological topics and issues. The book will be of interest to biologists, ecologists and wildlife managers involved in research on wildlife, parks, and environmental management, as well as to government departments and agencies, NGOs and conservation wildlife organizations. Even those in contact with nature, such as hunters, herders, and farmers, will be able to find a great deal of important information. Specific case studies are selected from among the most significant and prevalent cases throughout the world. A total of 26 papers have been selected for this book, written by zoologists, biologists and ecologists. Many have an interdisciplinary approach, with contributions by economists, criminologists, technical specialists, and engineers.

This book, written by experienced geneticists, covers topics ranging from the natural history of the mouse species, its handling and reproduction in the laboratory, and its classical genetics and cytogenetics, to modern issues including the analysis of the transcriptome, the parental imprinting and X-chromosome inactivation. The strategies for creating all sorts of mutations, either by genetic engineering or by using mutagens, are also reviewed and discussed in detail. Finally, a last chapter outlines the methodology used for the analysis of complex or quantitative traits. The authors also discuss the importance of accurate phenotyping, which is now performed in the mouse clinics established worldwide and identify the limits of the mouse model, which under certain circumstances can fail to present the phenotype expected from the cognate condition in the human model. For each chapter an up-to-date list of pertinent references is provided. In short, this book offers an essential resource for all scientists who use or plan to use mice in their research.

This book presents 19 selected contributions to the 16th Evolutionary Biology Meeting, which took place in September 2012 in Marseilles. The aims of these annual meetings, which gather together leading evolutionary biologists and other scientists, are to promote the exchange of ideas and to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations. The first chapter deals with the history of a great discovery: The first experiments on ascidian and sea urchin egg fertilization. The remaining contributions are grouped under the following categories: * Evolutionary biology concepts * Exobiology and the origin of life * Evolutionary mechanisms Offering an up-to-date overview of recent findings in the field of evolutionary biology, this book is an invaluable source of information for scientists, teachers and advanced students.

Somatic genome manipulation is required when a sexual crossing approach cannot be used in breeding or genetic treatment of an individual organism. Examples can include gene- or cell-therapy of a person to correct disease, genetic improvement of vegetatively propagated plants, and genetic replacement of cytoplasm without significantly modifying the nuclear genome. The advantage of somatic genome manipulation is maintenance of the general genotype while correcting one or more traits. Somatic genome manipulation is also an option for genetic improvement of sexually propagated plants in polyploidy breeding or in overcoming issues of sexual incompatibility. Recent novel technologies in somatic genome manipulation are developing quickly but much of this literature is fragmented and difficult or inconvenient to access. This book represents the first attempt to assemble updated reviews, detailed protocols, and their applications in all fields in which somatic genome manipulation has thrived. This is a truely one-of-a-kind work that brings together the most important and relevant advances in somatic genome manipulation in plants, algae, microorganisms, humans and animals, and demonstrates where the science interacts and where it diverges. The chapters are written by experts on the topic with ready-to-use protocols that were originally developed or adapted from the literature in their laboratories. We expect that this book will be useful for students, researchers, and teachers in both plant and animal research as a resource for the latest information on somatic genome manipulation and for its useful laboratory methods.

Books on bioinformatics which began appearing in the mid 80s primarily served gene-hunters, and biologists who wished to construct family trees showing tidy lines of descent. Given the great pharmaceutical industry interest in genes, this trend has continued in most subsequent texts. These deal extensively with the exciting topic of gene discovery and searching databases, but hardly consider genomes as information channels through which multiple forms and levels of information, including genic information, have passed through the generations.

The annual Evolutionary Biology Meetings in Marseille aim to bring together leading scientists, promoting an exchange of state-of-the-art knowledge and the formation of inter-group collaborations. This book presents the most representative contributions to the 13th meeting, which was held in September 2009. It comprises 21 chapters, which are organized into the following three categories: * Evolutionary Biology Concepts * Genome/Molecular Evolution * Morphological Evolution/Speciation This book offers an up-to-date overview of evolutionary biology concepts and their use in the biology of the 21st century.

This book examines how biotechnology can improve livestock breeding and farming, and thereby also animal products. In the first chapters the reader will discover which techniques and approaches are currently used to improve animal breeding, animal health and the value of animal products. Particular attention is given to reproduction techniques, animal nutrition and livestock vaccines that not only enhance animal health but also have a significant effect on human health by ensuring safe food procurement and preventing zoonotic diseases. In addition, modern biotechnology can increase not only productivity but also the consistency and quality of animal food, fiber and medical products. In the second part of the book, issues such as how animal biotechnology could affect the environment and the important topic of animal waste management are explored. In the concluding chapter, the authors discuss future challenges related to animal biotechnology. This work will appeal to a wide readership, from scientists and professionals working in animal production, to those in farm animal management and veterinary science.

For nearly 50 years, pest control was mostly based on broad-spectrum conv- tional insecticides such as organochlorines, organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids. However, the severe adverse effects of pesticides on the environment, problems of resistance reaching crisis proportions and public protests led to stricter regulations and legislation aimed at reducing their use. Ways to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides in plant protection and to use more alternative and novel me- ods for pest control or biorational control are the challenges of pest control for the twenty-first century. The term biorational (biological + rational) pesticides can be defined as the use of specific and selective chemicals, often with a unique modes of action, that are compatible with natural enemies and the environment, with minimal effect on n- target organisms. Biorational control is based on a diversity of chemical, biological and physical approaches for controlling insect pests which results in minimum risk to man and the environment.

Bemisia tabaci (Gennedius) has distinguished itself from the more than 1,000 whitefly species in the world by its adaptability, persistence and potential to damage a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops in all six of the world's inhabited continents. B. tabaci inflicts plant damage through direct feeding, inducement of plant disorders, vectoring of plant viruses and excretion of honeydew. This book collates multiple aspects of the pest ranging from basic to applied science and molecular to landscape levels of investigation. Experts in multiple disciplines provide broad, but detailed summaries and discussion of taxonomy, genetics, anatomy, morphology, physiology, behavior, ecology, symbiotic relationships, virus vector associations and various tactics for integrated management of this pest insect. The book is focused primarily on progress during the last 10-15 years and is directed at workers in the field as well as the informed professional who may not necessarily specialize in whitefly research. The book is unique in providing broad coverage in relatively few chapters by recognized experts that highlight the state-of-the-art in our understanding of this fascinating but troublesome cosmopolitan pest.

Despite the widespread belief that natural is better when it comes to sex, pregnancy, and parenting, most of us have no idea what "natural" really means; the origins of our reproductive lives remain a mystery. Why are a quarter of a billion sperm cells needed to fertilize one egg? Are women really fertile for only a few days each month? How long should babies be breast-fed?
In "How We Do It," primatologist Robert Martin draws on forty years of research to locate the roots of everything from our sex cells to the way we care for newborns. He examines the procreative history of humans as well as that of our primate kin to reveal what's really natural when it comes to making and raising babies, and distinguish which behaviors we ought to continue--and which we should not. Although it's not realistic to raise our children like our ancestors did, Martin's investigation reveals surprising consequences of--and suggests ways to improve upon--the way we do things now. For instance, he explains why choosing a midwife rather than an obstetrician may have a greater impact than we think on our birthing experience, examines the advantages of breast-feeding for both mothers and babies, and suggests why babies may be ready for toilet training far earlier than is commonly practiced.
"How We Do It" offers much-needed context for our reproductive and child-rearing practices, and shows that once we understand our evolutionary past, we can consider what worked, what didn't, and what it all means for the future of our species.

Written by an international panel of recognized leaders in the field, Neural Crest Induction and Differentiation discusses all aspects of modern neural crest biology from its evolutionary significance to its specification, migration, plasticity and contribution to multiple lineages of the vertebrate body, to the pathologies associated with abnormal neural crest development and function. Abundant color figures enhance the text providing clear and attractive illustrations of central issues and concepts.

This book serves as an introduction to targeted genome editing, beginning with the background of this rapidly developing field and methods for generation of engineered nucleases. Applications of genome editing tools are then described in detail, in iPS cells and diverse organisms such as mice, rats, marine invertebrates, fish, frogs, and plants. Tools that are mentioned include zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and CRISPR/Cas9, all of which have received much attention in recent years as breakthrough technologies. Genome editing with engineered nucleases allows us to precisely change the target genome of living cells and is a powerful way to control functional genes. It is feasible in almost all organisms ranging from bacteria to plants and animals, as well as in cultured cells such as ES and iPS cells. Various genome modifications have proven successful, including gene knockout and knock-in experiments with targeting vectors and chromosomal editing. Genome editing technologies hold great promise for the future, for example in biomedical research, clinical medicine, and generation of crops and livestock with desirable traits. A wide range of readers will find this book interesting, and with its focus on applications in a variety of organisms and cells, the book will be valuable for life scientists in all fields.

This volume provides a comprehensive selection of recent studies addressing insect hearing and acoustic communication. The variety of signalling behaviours and hearing organs makes insects highly suitable animals for exploring and analysing signal generation and hearing in the context of neural processing, ecology, evolution and genetics. Across a variety of hearing species like moths, crickets, bush-crickets, grasshoppers, cicadas and flies, the leading researchers in the field cover recent scientific progress and address key points in current research, such as:

. How can we approach the evolution of hearing in insects and what is the developmental and neural origin of the auditory organs?

. How are hearing and sound production embedded in the natural lifestyle of the animals, allowing intraspecific communication but also predator avoidance and even predation?

. What are the functional properties of hearing organs and how are they achieved at the molecular, biophysical and neural levels?

. What are the neural mechanisms of central auditory processing and signal generation?

The book is intended for students and researchers both inside and outside of the fascinating field of bioacoustics and aims to foster understanding of hearing and acoustic communication in insects."

Prenatal life is the period of maximal development in animals, and it is well recognised that factors that alter development can have profound effects on the embryonic, fetal and postnatal animal. Scientists involved in research on livestock productivity have for decades studied postnatal consequences of fetal development on productivity. Recently, however, there has been a surge in interest in how to manage prenatal development to enhance livestock health and productivity. This has occurred largely due to the studies that show human health in later life can be influenced by events during prenatal life, and establishment of the Fetal Origins and the Thrifty Phenotype Hypotheses. This book, Managing the Prenatal Environment to Enhance Livestock Productivity reviews phenotypic consequences of prenatal development, and provides details of mechanisms that underpin these effects in ruminants, pigs and poultry. The chapters have been divided into three parts: Quantification of prenatal effects on postnatal productivity, mechanistic bases of postnatal consequences of prenatal development and regulators of fetal and neonatal nutrient supply. Managing the Prenatal Environment to Enhance Livestock Productivity is a reference from which future research to improve the level of understanding and capacity to enhance productivity, health and efficiency of livestock in developing and developed countries will evolve. It is particularly timely given the development of molecular technologies that are providing new insight into regulation and consequences of growth and development of the embryo, fetus and neonate.

The second edition of this book constitutes a comprehensive manual of new techniques for setting up mammalian cell lines for production of biopharmaceuticals, and for optimizing critical parameters for cell culture considering the whole cascade from lab to final production. The chapters are written by world-renowned experts and the volume's five parts reflect the processes required for different stages of production. This book is a compendium of techniques for scientists in both industrial and research laboratories that use mammalian cells for biotechnology purposes.

In this book internationally recognized investigators describe cutting-edge laboratory techniques for the study of Production and In Vivo Applications of Gene Transfer Vectors and Design and Characterization of Gene Transfer Vectors. Readers will find a comprehensive resource of current and emerging methods for the production of viral and non-viral gene transfer vectors, as well as detailed protocols for applications in stem cell biology, cancer research and infectious disease.