The discovery of the spatial structure of the double-stranded DNA molecule is one of the greatest achievements of science. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the DNA double helix is a distinguished symbol of modern biology.
Divided into three parts, DNA Liquid-Crystalline Dispersions and Nanoconstructions covers the information presently available on the condensation of various forms of DNA and describes practical applications of the peculiar properties of the liquid-crystalline particles.

• Part 1 describes the main methods used for condensation of linear high- and low-molecular mass DNA, including their complexes with polycations and circular DNA
• Part 2 compares the state and reactivity of double-stranded nucleic acid molecules fixed spatially in the liquid-crystalline as well as the same molecules under intracellular conditions
• Part 3 explains how the discovery of the fundamental principles underlying the formation of nucleic acid liquid-crystalline dispersion particles opens a gate for the operational use of these principles in the area of nanotechnology and biosensorics

With detailed coverage of DNA liquid crystals, this book provides an understanding of the information presently available on the condensation of various forms of DNA. Double-stranded nucleic acids, spatially organized in a liquid-crystalline structure, represent an important polyfunctional tool for molecular biology and nanobiotechnology. The possibility of programmed and controlled variations in the properties of these molecules and in the characteristics of their liquid-crystalline dispersions, provides wide options for the formation of biologically active three-dimensional structures with unique, widely applicable properties.

Providing an interface between dry-bench bioinformaticians and wet-lab biologists, DNA Methylation Microarrays: Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis presents the statistical methods and tools to analyze high-throughput epigenomic data, in particular, DNA methylation microarray data. Since these microarrays share the same underlying principles as gene expression microarrays, many of the analyses in the text also apply to microarray-based gene expression and histone modification (ChIP-on-chip) studies. After introducing basic statistics, the book describes wet-bench technologies that produce the data for analysis and explains how to preprocess the data to remove systematic artifacts resulting from measurement imperfections. It then explores differential methylation and genomic tiling arrays. Focusing on exploratory data analysis, the next several chapters show how cluster and network analyses can link the functions and roles of unannotated DNA elements with known ones. The book concludes by surveying the open source software (R and Bioconductor), public databases, and other online resources available for microarray research. Requiring only limited knowledge of statistics and programming, this book helps readers gain a solid understanding of the methodological foundations of DNA microarray analysis.

The classic personal account of one of the great scientific discoveries of the century.

By identifying the structure of DNA, the molecule of life, Francis Crick and James Watson revolutionized biochemistry and won themselves a Nobel Prize. At the time, Watson was only twenty-four, a brilliant young zoologist hungry to make his mark. His uncompromisingly honest account of the heady days of their thrilling sprint against other world-class researchers to solve one of science's greatest unsolved mysteries gives a dazzlingly clear picture of a world of brilliant scientists with great gifts, very human ambitions, and bitter rivalries. With humility unspoiled by false modesty, Watson relates his and Crick's desperate efforts to beat Linus Pauling to the Holy Grail of the life sciences, the identification of the basic building block of life. He is impressed by the achievements of the young man he was, but clear-eyed about his limitations. Never has such a brilliant scientist also been so gifted, and so truthful, in capturing in words the flavor of his work.

The Genome Incorporated examines the proliferation of human genomics across contemporary media cultures. It explores questions about what it means for a technoscience to thoroughly saturate everyday life, and places the interrogation of the science/media relationship at the heart of this enquiry. The book develops a number of case studies in the mediation and consumption of genomics, including: the emergence of new direct-to-the-consumer bioinformatics companies; the mundane propagation of testing and genetic information through lifestyle television programming; and public and private engagements with art and science institutions and events. Through these novel sites, this book examines the proliferating circuits of production and consumption of genetic information and theorizes this as a process of incorporation. Its wide-ranging case studies ensure its appeal to readers across the social sciences.

Numerous and charismatic, the Lepidoptera is one of the most widely studied groups of invertebrates. Advances in molecular tools and genomic techniques have reduced the need for large sizes and mass-rearing, and lepidopteran model systems are increasingly used to illuminate broad-based experimental questions as well as those peculiar to butterflies and moths. Molecular Biology and Genetics of the Lepidoptera presents a wide-ranging collection of studies on the Lepidoptera, treating them as specialized insects with distinctive features and as model systems for carrying out cutting-edge research. Leading researchers provide an evolutionary framework for placing moths and butterflies on the Tree of Life. The book covers progress in deciphering the silkworm genome and unraveling lepidopteran sex chromosomes. It features new information on sex determination, evolution, and the development of butterfly wing patterns, eyes, vision, circadian clocks, chemoreceptors, and sexual communication. The contributors discuss the genetics and molecular biology of plant host range and prospects for controlling the major crop pest genus Helicoverpa. They also explore the rise of insecticide resistance, the innate immune response, lepidopteran minihosts for testing human pathogens and antibiotics, and the use of intrahemocoelic toxins for control. The book concludes with coverage of polyDNA virus-carrying parasitoid wasps, and the cloning of the first virus resistance gene in the silkworm. Understanding the biology and genetics of butterflies and moths may lead to new species-selective methods of control, saving billions of dollars in pesticide use and protecting environmental and human health-making the sections on strategies for pest management extremely important. This book will open up new paths to the research literature for a broad audience, including entomologists, evolutionary and systematic biologists, geneticists, physiologists, biochemists, and molecular biologists.

"Genomics in Asia" focuses on issues dealing with the development and application of molecular biology and bioengineering technologies in Asian societies and cultures. The workshop on which this book is based aimed to gain an insight into bioethical issues with relation to the dynamics of Asian societies, cultures and religions. It was to generate debate on Asian Genomics and create a basis for comparative research into the relationship between the development and application of modern genetics, cultural values, and local interests in Asian societies. The papers first of all reflect a great variety of bioethical views discussed from the angle of different disciplinary and cultural backgrounds, creating a basis on which a further comparison between different local knowledge systems in relation to genomic practices will be feasible.

This book provides insights on research into the social, political and ethical aspects of genomics, and reflects the bioethical experiences of researchers from Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, Pakistan, India and Malaysia. The subjects of discussion vary from genetics in China to religious perspectives on cloning and genetic therapy. Themes include the commercial and medical application of new bioengineering technologies, such as the impact of preventive genetic medicine, genetic counselling, genetically modified organisms [GMOs] and stem-cell research on wealth distribution, cultural traditions, social well-being, and political and legal regulations and institutions. In the study of bioengineering in Asia, various perspectives were brought together at a concrete research level. The authors tried to avoid macro-concepts incorporated bydichotomies of East and West and to acquire new insights into the relationship between local knowledge systems and cultures and interests groups on the one hand and the constellation of various interests of scientific research, governments and MNCs on the other.

Despite rapidly expanding interest in potential applications of surrogate tissue analysis and intense competition to identify and validate biomarkers in appropriate surrogate tissues, very few peer reviewed publications describing the use of this approach have appeared in the scientific press. One of the first publications on this topic, Surrogate Tissue Analysis: Genomic, Proteomic, and Metabolomic Approaches describes initial applications and considerations for "omic" technologies in the field of surrogate tissue analysis. Highlighting important issues to consider when conducting profiling studies to identify novel biomarkers, the first section covers transcriptional approaches in surrogate tissues. It provides a review of important issues in peripheral blood profiling, summarizes results achieved when evaluations of various blood preparation platforms are used for the purpose of transcriptional profiling, and covers the relatively novel application of transcriptional profiling in neurological and oncological disease settings. The second section focuses on proteomic and protein-based methods for identifying markers in surrogate tissues, highlighting immunoassay and mass-spectrometry approaches for assessment of proteins in serum and other fluids, with a focus on the implications of protein-based biomarkers for detecting and monitoring early stages of cancer. The third section explores metabolomic approaches along with other novel molecular screens that can be applied in surrogate tissues to find biomarkers, and examines in detail the rapid development of metabolomics into a powerful technique for biomarker identification. The authors conclude with coverage of regulatory considerations, economic impact, and pan-omic strategies which will undoubtedly impact surrogate tissue analysis in the future. They explore current concepts in pan-omic approaches during drug development where a compendium of data generated by multiple profiling approaches are assessed and evaluated with its impact on the field of systems biology. The last chapter rounds out the coverage with a brief look ahead towards future analytical issues that will likely arise in the field of surrogate tissue analysis. The book is both an introduction to the various "omic" technologies in this young field and a fundamental reference for scientists interested in identifying biomarkers in surrogate tissues.

A thoroughly updated version of the successful first edition with a new chapter on Real-Time PCR, more prokaryotic applications, and more detail in the complex mutagenesis sections. Information on PCR applications in genomics and proteomics have been expanded and integrated throughout the text. There is also advice on available products and specific pointers to the most appropriate methods. As with the first edition, this will be an ideal practical introduction and invaluable guide to PCR and its applications.

Research into DNA and the development of powerful techniques to produce DNA profiles enable experts to appear in court and give compelling. scientific evidence in many types of case. This book gives the legal practitioner a complete account of the issues involved in taking DNA evidence into court. It helps lawyers to ask important and probing questions when faced with such evidence in court. This second edition has been thoroughly updated to take account of recent legislation and case law.

Combining elements of biochemistry, molecular biology, and immunology, artificial DNA can be employed in a number of scientific disciplines. Some of the varied applications include site-specific mutagenesis, hybridization, amplification, protein engineering, anti-sense technology, DNA vaccines, protein vaccines, recombinant antibodies, screening for genetic and pathogenic diseases, development of materials with new biochemical and structural properties, and many more.

Artificial DNA: Methods and Applications introduces the concept of artificial DNA that has been rationally designed and explains how it may be exploited in order to develop products that will achieve your intended purpose. The first part of the book covers methods of oligonucleotide synthesis and direct applications of synthetic DNA. The second part describes methods of gene assembly from synthetic oligonucleotides and applications of synthetic genes. The authors also discuss the different trends and future developments within each application area .

With state-of-the art research, the contributing authors describe how to engineer proteins using rational and semi-rational design to exhibit the desired traits and detail the various amplification reactions and hybridization techniques for modeling evolution and for use in basic research. The only text devoted to this subject, Artificial DNA offers a comprehensive review that allows you to understand the strategy, design, and applications of synthetic oligonucleotides.

Supramolecular chemistry is the outburst topic of the next generation of science. While the majority of biomedical research efforts to date have centered on utilizing well-known polymeric materials, the recent progress in supramolecular chemistry has introduced a fascinating new field of macromolecular architecture.

Supramolecular Design for Biological Applications focuses on modulating, altering, and mimicking biological functions with a new family of molecular assemblies. The authors provide innovative ideas and concepts for developing novel biomaterials that could be applied in diagnosis, drug carrier operations, and environmental protection. This reference is comprehensive, presenting principles, applications, recent advances, and future directions. Each chapter includes clear and informative illustrations of molecular architectures. The writing is scientific but allows for easy comprehension of the differences in molecular interactions, dimensions, and supramolecular architecture.

Supramolecular Design for Biological Applications will advance the understanding of supramolecular-structured biomaterials and associated issues regarding biological functions. By explaining recent trends and molecular interactions, this book will enable you to initiate new research for nano-scale science and technology in the 21st century.

The Affymetrix GeneChip (R) system is one of the most widely adapted microarray platforms. However, due to the overwhelming amount of information available, many Affymetrix users tend to stick to the default analysis settings and may end up drawing sub-optimal conclusions. Written by a molecular biologist and a biostatistician with a combined decade of experience in practical expression profiling experiments and data analyses, Gene Expression Studies Using Affymetrix Microarrays tears down the omnipresent language barriers among molecular biology, bioinformatics, and biostatistics by explaining the entire process of a gene expression study from conception to conclusion. Truly Multidisciplinary: Merges Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, and Biostatistics This authoritative resource covers important technical and statistical pitfalls and problems, helping not only to explain concepts outside the domain of researchers, but to provide additional guidance in their field of expertise. The book also describes technical and statistical methods conceptually with illustrative, full-color examples, enabling those inexperienced with gene expression studies to grasp the basic principles. Gene Expression Studies Using Affymetrix Microarrays provides novices with a detailed, yet focused introductory course and practical user guide. Specialized experts will also find it useful as a translation dictionary to understand other involved disciplines or to get a broader picture of microarray gene expression studies in general. Although focusing on Affymetrix gene expression, this globally relevant guide covers topics that are equally useful for other microarray platforms and other Affymetrix applications.

DNA Repair and Replication brings together contributions from active researchers. The first part of this book covers most aspects of the DNA damage response, emphasizing the relationship to replication stress. The second part concentrates on the relevance of this to human disease, with particular focus on both the causes and treatments which make use of DNA Damage Repair (DDR) pathways. Key Selling Features: Chapters written by leading researchers Includes description of replication processes, causes of damage, and methods of repair

In today's world, we are witnessing simultaneous breakthroughs in reproductive technologies, genomics, and molecular biology. Advances in molecular genetic technology and understanding of the bovine genome have led to the development of tools that can be used to enhance profitability on cow-calf enterprises. Factors Affecting Calf Crop: Biotechnology of Reproduction provides a detailed compilation of current and forthcoming technology for managing reproduction in cattle.

The book discusses topics such as: approved techniques for controlling the estrous cycle in cattle; managing follicular growth with progesterone, estrogens, and prostaglandins; freezing, thawing, and transfer of cattle embryos; application of embryo transfer to the beef cattle industry; embryo transfer in topically adapted cattle; new factors affecting bull fertility; embryo collection and utilization technology, in vitro fertilization, somatic cell cloning, and genetic technologies; uses of real-time ultrasound; and sexed semen.

Over 25 leading animal scientists have combined their expertise to produce the first single-source reference that covers successful reproductive techniques that will, most likely, be the wave of the future. Expansive in scope, the book addresses current biotechnologies as they impact the production of beef cattle. Written at a level to appeal to the researcher, commercial producer, or student, Factors Affecting Calf Crop: Biotechnology of Reproduction presents you with a wealth of technologies applicable to animal agriculture.

In Situ hybridization allows the visualization of specific DNA/RNA sequences in individual cells in tissue sections, single cells, or chromosome preparations, and is an especially important method for studying DNA and RNA in heterogeneous cell populations. This book delves into in situ hybridization methods through the use of light microscopy used by molecular biologists, pathologists, geneticists, and biochemists. It will also appeal to research scientists who are interested in visualizing methods for nucleic acids and proteins. The book features a two-column layout for protocols/principles, simplifies the techniques and offers many schemes and tables to help the reader choose the best procedure.

When a pharmaceutical company decides to build a Quality System, it has to face the fact that there aren't any guideline that define exactly how such a system has to be built. With terms such as quality system, quality assurance, and quality management used interchangeably, even defining the system's objectives is a problem. This book provides a practical guide to building a quality system. Beginning with explanations of key terms and concepts, it covers ISO 9000 and GMP and how to combine them, and includes a matrix showing their similarities and differences. Implementation reviews illustrate how Quality (Management) Systems have been installed successfully in pharmaceutical companies. Also covered are the individual components of a Quality System; auditing, validation, and supplier qualification systems; and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).

The field of materials science and technology has undergone revolutionary advances due to the development of novel analytical tools, functional materials, and multidisciplinary approaches to engineering. Additionally, theoretical predictions combined with increasingly improved models and computational capabilities are making impressive contributions to the progress of materials science and technology. In particular, the materials science of DNA has emerged as a vital area of research and is expected to immensely broaden the horizon of material science and nanotechnology in this century. Materials Science of DNA highlights the most important subjects and perspectives in the field, with the aim of stimulating the interdisciplinary community and bringing this intensively interesting, emerging field of molecular-scale materials science to maturation. The editors have not only been involved in the research of materials science of DNA for the past decade, but also lead the series of International Biotronics Workshops supported by the US Air Force Research Laboratory. Biotechnology and DNA-based biopolymers are not only applicable for genomic sequencing and clinical diagnosis and treatment, but can also have a major impact on nonbiotech applications-such as electronics and photonics- opening up a whole new field for bioengineering. New concepts and insights gained from DNA research are expected to prove genuinely useful in a variety of devices in nano, micro, and macro dimensions in the future. Where silicon has been the building block of inorganic electronics and photonics, DNA holds promise to become the building block for organic electronics and photonics.

Advances in sequencing technology have allowed scientists to study the human genome in greater depth and on a larger scale than ever before - as many as hundreds of millions of short reads in the course of a few days. But what are the best ways to deal with this flood of data? Algorithms for Next-Generation Sequencing is an invaluable tool for students and researchers in bioinformatics and computational biology, biologists seeking to process and manage the data generated by next-generation sequencing, and as a textbook or a self-study resource. In addition to offering an in-depth description of the algorithms for processing sequencing data, it also presents useful case studies describing the applications of this technology.

From the Preface
Antibody techniques have allowed us to study microorganisms in situ. However, until recently all methodology lacked the sensitivity necessary for environmental work where microorganisms are in most cases present at very low concentrations or where microbial ecosystems contain a myriad of different organisms. Gene probes have been used successfully for a variety of samples, but this method was still not sensitive enough. The next logical step was the application of the recently developed DNA amplification technique known as the polymerase chain reaction, or PCR. Since then, many laboratories around the world have adopted PCR for environmental work.
Samples obtained from soils, water and air are enormously complex because they are unknown mixtures of DNA and other compounds. Thus, procedures for target DNA amplification from the environment require special attention. The PCR has allowed us to go beyond the need for culturing prior to analysis of microbial communities. It has been shown that even microorganisms that can be routinely grown in the laboratory undergo some physiological changes when exposed to the environment. One of these changes (first observed by R. Colwell and colleagues) is known as the viable-but-non-culturable state, and seems to be a common occurrence. Thus, the use of culture techniques paint only part of the picture in terms of microbial behavior under environmental conditions. The ability to amplify nucleic acids by the PCR has brought about a myriad of very ingenious modifications to the technique that can then be used to study complex ecosystems. The manner in which the PCR can be modified is only limited by the need and/or the imagination of the researcher.
The first manual dedicated specifically to the analysis (by PCR) of environmental samples, Environmental Applications of Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques presents state of the art methodology for the detection of microorganisms in soil, water, air samples, as well as the amplification of nucleic acids from fossil samples. The manual gives step-by-step procedures for the analysis of these samples. Although several publications have addressed the use of Polymerase Chain Reaction technique, very few of them have been directed toward the application of this technique to environmental samples. This book fills this gap in the literature.

To harness the high-throughput potential of DNA microarray technology, it is crucial that the analysis stages of the process are decoupled from the requirements of operator assistance. Microarray Image Analysis: An Algorithmic Approach presents an automatic system for microarray image processing to make this decoupling a reality. The proposed system integrates and extends traditional analytical-based methods and custom-designed novel algorithms. The book first explores a new technique that takes advantage of a multiview approach to image analysis and addresses the challenges of applying powerful traditional techniques, such as clustering, to full-scale microarray experiments. It then presents an effective feature identification approach, an innovative technique that renders highly detailed surface models, a new approach to subgrid detection, a novel technique for the background removal process, and a useful technique for removing "noise." The authors also develop an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for modeling gene regulatory networks from gene expression time series data. The final chapter describes the overall benefits of these techniques in the biological and computer sciences and reviews future research topics. This book systematically brings together the fields of image processing, data analysis, and molecular biology to advance the state of the art in this important area. Although the text focuses on improving the processes involved in the analysis of microarray image data, the methods discussed can be applied to a broad range of medical and computer vision analysis areas.

This book is the first to focus on the application of mathematical networks for analyzing microarray data. This method goes well beyond the standard clustering methods traditionally used.
From the contents:
* Understanding and Preprocessing Microarray Data
* Clustering of Microarray Data
* Reconstruction of the Yeast Cell Cycle by Partial Correlations of Higher Order
* Bilayer Verification Algorithm
* Probabilistic Boolean Networks as Models for Gene Regulation
* Estimating Transcriptional Regulatory Networks by a Bayesian Network
* Analysis of Therapeutic Compound Effects
* Statistical Methods for Inference of Genetic Networks and Regulatory Modules
* Identification of Genetic Networks by Structural Equations
* Predicting Functional Modules Using Microarray and Protein Interaction Data
* Integrating Results from Literature Mining and Microarray Experiments to Infer Gene Networks
The book is for both, scientists using the technique as well as those developing new analysis techniques.

How genes are not the only basis of heredity-and what this means for evolution, human life, and disease For much of the twentieth century it was assumed that genes alone mediate the transmission of biological information across generations and provide the raw material for natural selection. In Extended Heredity, leading evolutionary biologists Russell Bonduriansky and Troy Day challenge this premise. Drawing on the latest research, they demonstrate that what happens during our lifetimes--and even our grandparents' and great-grandparents' lifetimes-can influence the features of our descendants. On the basis of these discoveries, Bonduriansky and Day develop an extended concept of heredity that upends ideas about how traits can and cannot be transmitted across generations. By examining the history of the gene-centered view in modern biology and reassessing fundamental tenets of evolutionary theory, Bonduriansky and Day show that nongenetic inheritance-involving epigenetic, environmental, behavioral, and cultural factors-could play an important role in evolution. The discovery of nongenetic inheritance therefore has major implications for key questions in evolutionary biology, as well as human health. Extended Heredity reappraises long-held ideas and opens the door to a new understanding of inheritance and evolution.

This book contains papers, presented at the eighth annual FoodPlas conference held in Orlando, Florida in 1991, on the role of plastics in supermarkets, food processors and food companies, and on the regulations and design for plastics packaging.

Combining myth, biography, and wit, this is a highly original depiction of cutting-edge science and its profound implications, told through the scientists who are rewriting life on earth. Throughout history, the scientists' personalities have astonished us. From Galileo to Jonas Salk, they push and stretch society's boundaries though their great leaps of imagination and originality, providing us with everything from the wheel to rocket ships and penicillin. Today's masterminds in biotechnology promise lifespans up to 400 years, cures for cancer, and an end to pollution. But they are also capable of causing social upheavals with Frankenstein-like nightmare creations, as well as bioweapons. Award-winning writer David Ewing Duncan has written a startling narrative about science and personality, delving into stem cells, cloning, bioengineering, and genetics by telling the stories of the characters at the fulcrum of the science. He uses a unique method of tying in age-old stories and myths - from Prometheus and Eve to Faustus and Frankenstein - to ask the question: can we trust these scientists?

The past few years have witnessed intense research in this fascinating field as well as many controversial discussions. Now the time is ripe for a comprehensive book covering not only theoretical aspects, but also such mechanistic topics as principles and mechanisms of photoinduced charge injection, transport and trapping in DNA, sequence-dependent DNA dynamics, spectroscopic investigations of hole transport and much more.
From the contents:
* Principles and Mechanisms of Photoinduced Charge Injection, Transport and Trapping in DNA
* Sequence-Dependent DNA Dynamics: The Regulator of DNA-Mediated Charge Transport
* Excess Electron Transfer in DNA Probed with Flavin and Thymine Dimer Modified Oligonucleotides
* Dynamics of Photoinitiated Hole and Electron Injection in Duplex DNA
* Spectroscopic Investigation of Oxidative Hole Transfer via Adenine Hopping in DNA
* Chemical Probing of Reductive Electron Transfer in DNA
* Chemical Approach for Modulating Hole Transport in DNA
* Spectroscopic Investigation of Charge Transfer in DNA
* Spectroscopic Probing of Ultrafast Structural Relaxation and Electron Transfer Dynamics in DNA
Edited by Hans-Achim Wagenknecht, and written by renowned international authors, this book provides an excellent overview with high quality contributions, making it a "must-have" for everyone working in the field.