SpringerBriefs in Biotech Patents presents timely reports on intellectual properties (IP) issues and patent aspects in the field of biotechnology. In this volume the limits of patentability are addressed, a question that is often raised when it comes to biotechnological inventions: The first section addresses current issues in the patentability of plants produced by essentially biological processes including the controversy between farmer's privilege and patent exhaustion with respect to seeds in the US. The second section examines the patentability of human embryonic stem cells in Europe and the US, also considering alternative technologies with respect to their practicability and patentability. The third section focuses on the patentability of genes and nucleic acids, especially the issue of patenting of encoding genes and nucleic acids.

This Brief offers a concise, handy overview of the main concepts related to Embryology, revisited through the novel concepts that are applied daily in stem cell research and cell therapy oriented investigations.It isbased on three main areas:

-The process involved in female gamete differentiation and maturation. The main aspects related to cell biology will be covered and an overview of the epigenetic regulation of gametogenesis will be presented.

-Early stages of embryo development with a careful analysis of the regulatory mechanisms driving cleavage, polarization and genome activation.

-Stem cell and gametogenesis.

The use of the oocyte as a possible source for the derivation of stem cell lines is discussed and depicted as a powerful tool to investigate oocyte potency and asymmetric imprinting. The potential biological implications are evaluated and use of stem cells to derive oocytesis presented."

This book provides a premier resource on understanding the ribosome's essential nature and how it interacts with other proteins and nucleic acids to control protein synthesis. As one of the central foundations in our understanding of the biology at the molecular level, this topic appeals to a wide audience, from bench researcher to clinician. With the advent of atomic scale structures, methods to visualize and separate individual molecules, and the computational power to model the complex interactions of over a million atoms at once, our understanding of how gene expression is controlled at the level of protein translation is now deeply ensconced in the biophysical realm."

Deficiencies in sperm function are usually the result of spermatogenic defects. Spermatogenesis is a biologically complex and essential process during which spermatogonia undergo meiotic recombination, reduction of the genome to a haploid state, and extensive cellular modifications that result in a motile cell capable of traversing the female reproductive tract, withstanding various potential assaults to viability, and finally successfully fertilizing a mature oocyte to give rise to an embryo. Defects in any step of spermatogenesis or spermatogenesis can lead to male infertility, a disease that affects approximately 5-7% of the population."Spermiogenesis and Spermatogenesis: Methods and Protocols"details protocols used in the study of spermatogenesis, clinical analytical protocols, and basic techniques used in clinical andrology laboratories, such as obtaining accurate results for a sperm count, and advanced procedures, such as genome-wide genetic study tools and evaluation of nuclear proteins.Written in the successful"Methods in Molecular Biology "series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and easily accessible, "Spermiogenesis and Spermatogenesis: Methods and Protocols"isunique in its breadth, and will be a useful reference for clinicians and researchers alike."

Statistical genomics is a rapidly developing field, with more and more people involved in this area. However, a lack of synthetic reference books and textbooks in statistical genomics has become a major hurdle on the development of the field. Although many books have been published recently in bioinformatics, most of them emphasize DNA sequence analysis under a deterministic approach.

"Principles of Statistical Genomics" synthesizes the state-of-the-art statistical methodologies (stochastic approaches) applied to genome study. It facilitates understanding of the statistical models and methods behind the major bioinformatics software packages, which will help researchers choose the optimal algorithm to analyze their data and better interpret the results of their analyses. Understanding existing statistical models and algorithms assists researchers to develop improved statistical methods to extract maximum information from their data.

Resourceful and easy to use, "Principles of Statistical Genomics" isa comprehensive reference for researchers and graduate students studying statistical genomics. "

The Saccharinae clade of the Poaceae (grass) family of flowering plants includes several important crops with a rich history of contributions to humanity and the promise of still-greater contributions, as a result of some of the highest biomass productivity levels known, resilience to drought and other environmental challenges that are likely to increase, amenability to production systems that may mitigate or even reverse losses of ecological capital such as topsoil erosion, and the recent blossoming of sorghum as a botanical and genomic model for the clade.

In "Genomics of the Saccharinae," advances of the past decade and earlier are summarized and synthesized to elucidate the current state of knowledge of the structure, function, and evolution of the Sorghum, Saccharum, and Miscanthus genera, and progress in the application of this knowledge to crop improvement. As a backdrop, it is important to understand the naturally occurring diversity in each genus, its organization and distribution, and its evolutionary history. Genomic tools and methods for Saccharinae biology and improvement have improved dramatically in the past few years a detailed summary of these tools and their applications is a central element of this book. Application of genomic tools to priorities in crop improvement, including understanding and manipulating plant growth and development, composition, and defense, as well as increasing the quality and productivity of seed/grain, sugar, biomass, and other value-added products under a range of conditions and inputs, are addressed. In particular, as the first native African crop to emerge as a genomic model, sorghum offers an excellent case study of challenges and opportunities in linking new advances in biosciences to solving some of Africa s major agricultural problems. Several members of the clade, exemplified by "Sorghum halepense" (Johnsongrass) offer insights into weediness and invasion biology. The first sequence for a member of the clade, sorghum, as well as progress and challenges toward sequencing of additional members and the new opportunities that this will create, are also explored. Indeed, the very complexities that have hindered study of some clade members also offer intriguing opportunities to gain insight into fundamental questions such as roles of polyploidy in agricultural productivity and post-polyploidy evolution. "

The mouse is a perfect model organism to study mammalian, and thus indirectly also human, embryology. Most scientific achievements that have had an important impact on the understanding of basic mechanisms governing embryo development in humans, originated from mouse embryology. Stem cell research, which now offers the promise of regenerative medicine, began with the isolation and culture of mouse embryonic stem cells by Martin Evans (who received the Nobel Prize in medicine in 2007 for this achievement) and Matthew Kaufman.

This book provides an overview of mouse development, spanning from oocytes before fertilization to the state-of-the-art description of embryonic and adult stem cells. The chapters, written by the leading specialists in the field, deal with the most recent discoveries in this extremely fast-developing area of research.

Timing, racing, combating, struggling and targeting are some actions through which cellular fate could be reflected and evaluated. Interaction between cell territory and environment occur during pre-embryonic, fetal development, and post-natal periods. What the researchers observe as the outcome of telomeres behavior is only the peak of an ice mountain within a stormy ocean. Cellular life depends on programmed behavior of telomeres, capable to surprise the cells. Telomeres provide an introduction to the history of our cells which govern the quality of life and status of health. Telomeres as the cooperative territory are capable of stabilizing the chromosomal territory. The status of telomeres reflects the key information, announcing the real age of individuals, and may be a valuable marker for prognosis and predicting cancer. Telomere territory is characterized with a multi-disciplinary manner. Therefore, this book is aimed to offer a wide range of chapters, hoping to be useful for diverse audiences, including hematologists-oncologists, radiotherapists, surgeons, cancer researchers, and all the sectors who affect the macro- and micro- environmental domains. Finally, telomeres are sensitive, cooperative, and trustable targets. It is worth to state that 'telomeres are messengers of NATURE', let's to know them as they are.

Genetic Regulatory Networks (GRNs) in biological organisms are primary engines for cells to enact their engagements with environments, via incessant, continually active coupling. In differentiated multicellular organisms, tremendous complexity has arisen in the course of evolution of life on earth. Engineering and science have so far achieved no working system that can compare with this complexity, depth and scope of organization. Abstracting the dynamics of genetic regulatory control to a computational framework in which artificial GRNs in artificial simulated cells differentiate while connected in a changing topology, it is possible to apply Darwinian evolution in silico to study the capacity of such developmental/differentiated GRNs to evolve. In this volume an evolutionary GRN paradigm is investigated for its evolvability and robustness in models of biological clocks, in simple differentiated multicellularity, and in evolving artificial developing 'organisms' which grow and express an ontogeny starting from a single cell interacting with its environment, eventually including a changing local neighbourhood of other cells. These methods may help us understand the genesis, organization, adaptive plasticity, and evolvability of differentiated biological systems, and may also provide a paradigm for transferring these principles of biology's success to computational and engineering challenges at a scale not previously conceivable.

The post-genomic era has brought new challenges and opportunities in all fields of the biology. In this context, several genome engineering technologies have emerged that will help deciphering genes function by as well as improve gene therapy strategies. Genomic modifications such as knock-in, knock-out, knock-down, sequence replacement or modification can today be routinely performed. However, in front of this large palette of methodologies scientists may experience difficulties to gather useful information's scattered within the literature. This book aims to present the state of this field from basic mechanisms of site-directed modifications to their applications in a wide range of organisms such as bacteria, yeast, plants, insects, mammals. It will discuss the problems encountered when using the random integration strategy and present the recent advances made in targeted genome modification. Technologies based on Zinc Finger nucleases, Meganucleases, TALEN, CRE and FLP recombinase, C31 integrase, transposases and resolvases are fully detailed with their strengths and weaknesses. All these information's will help students and experienced researchers to understand and choose the best technology for their own purposes.

This book provides an introductory overview to the social debate over enhancement technologies with an overview of the transhumanists' call to bypass human nature and conservationists' argument in defense of it. The author present this controversy as it unfolds in the contest between transhumanists proponents and conservationists, who push back with an argument to conserve human nature and to ban enhancement technologies. This book provides an overview of the key contested points and present the debate in an orderly, constructive fashion. Readers are informed about the discussion over humanism, the tension between science and religion, and the interpretation of socio-technological revolutions; and are invited to make up their own mind about one of the most challenging topics concerning the social and ethical implications of technological advancements.

An emerging, ever-evolving branch of science, bioinformatics has paved the way for the explosive growth in the distribution of biological information to a variety of biological databases, including the National Center for Biotechnology Information. For growth to continue in this field, biologists must obtain basic computer skills while computer specialists must possess a fundamental understanding of biological problems. Bridging the gap between biology and computer science, Bioinformatics: A Practical Approach assimilates current bioinformatics knowledge and tools relevant to the omics age into one cohesive, concise, and self-contained volume. Written by expert contributors from around the world, this practical book presents the most state-of-the-art bioinformatics applications. The first part focuses on genome analysis, common DNA analysis tools, phylogenetics analysis, and SNP and haplotype analysis. After chapters on microarray, SAGE, regulation of gene expression, miRNA, and siRNA, the book presents widely applied programs and tools in proteome analysis, protein sequences, protein functions, and functional annotation of proteins in murine models. The last part introduces the programming languages used in biology, website and database design, and the interchange of data between Microsoft Excel and Access. Keeping complex mathematical deductions and jargon to a minimum, this accessible book offers both the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of bioinformatics.

Since the advent of cDNA microarrays, oligonucleotide array technology, and gene chip analysis, genomics has revolutionized the entire field of biomedical research. A byproduct of this revolution, toxicogenomics is a fast-rising star within toxicological analysis. Gathering together leading authors and scientists at the forefront of the field, An Introduction to Toxicogenomics provides a comprehensive overview of this new discipline. With a focus on toxicology, it introduces the basic principles of microarray/oligonucleotide array-based genomic analysis and explains how it fits into the field of biomedical research. These discussions provide an overview to the actual mechanics of the analyses themselves and offer insights on handling and quality control. Then the book features an important section on the basics of data analysis and clustering methods such as genetic algorithms. Finally, it covers the application of expression profiling in the field of toxicology and addresses the two fundamental types of analysis in detail, with sections dedicated to both mechanistic and predictive studies. Although toxicogenomics promises fast, efficient techniques and information-rich data, much of its potential remains untapped. An Introduction to Toxicogenomics consolidates the concepts underlying the field to provide a solid foundation from which to begin your research endeavors.

Written by leading researchers, this text explores the intersection of genetics and metabolomics, and points the way to more comprehensive studies of inborn variation of metabolism. All chapters refer to one or more published experimental datasets.

Marine biology has always played an important role in biological research, being at the origin of many key advances. To a certain extent, the influence of marine biology on the biological sciences was overshadowed over a period of several years by the remarkable advances that were made using powerful model organisms from terrestrial environments. This situation is now changing again, however, due primarily to spectacular developments in genomic methodologies that have significantly accelerated research in a broad spectrum of marine biology disciplines ranging from biodiversity to developmental biology to biotechnology. The data generated by marine genomics projects have had an impact on questions as diverse as understanding planetary geochemical cycles, the impact of climate change on marine fauna and flora, the functioning of marine ecosystems, the discovery of new organisms and novel biomolecules, and investigation of the evolution of animal developmental complexity. This book represents the first attempt to document how genomic technologies are revolutionising these diverse domains of marine biology. Each chapter of this book looks at how these technologies are being employed in a specific domain of marine research and provides a summary of the major results obtained to date. The book as a whole provides an overview of marine genomics as a discipline and represents an ideal starting point for exploring this rapidly developing domain.

Calcium is crucial in governing contractile activities of myofilaments in cardiomyocytes, any defeats in calcium homeostasis of the cells would adversely affect heart pumping action. The characterization of calcium handling properties in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPS-CMCs) is of significant interest and pertinent to the stem cell and cardiac regenerative field because of their potential patient-specific therapeutic use.

JAK tyrosine kinases and STAT transcription factors constitute a signaling pathway, which is activated by cytokines. By activating gene transcription it regulates essential biological responses to environmental cues. The Jak-Stat pathway is involved in the regulation of cell development, differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. Improper function may contribute to hematopoietic malignancies and cancer. This book provides comprehensive insights into the latest basic and clinical developments in the field. The first part reviews recent findings and new technologies pertaining to basics of Jak-Stat function. The second part describes the evolution of Jak-Stat signaling and the role of the pathway in invertebrate organisms. The third part focuses on Jak-Stat signaling in hematopoietic cells under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Finally, chapters in the fourth section describe the relationship of Jak-Stat signaling to various states of disease, particularly infection, leukemias and solid cancers. The book is intended for all scientists in molecular biology, biochemistry and cell biology dealing with biomedical issues.

Population genomics is a recently emerged discipline, which aims at understanding how evolutionary processes influence genetic variation across genomes. Today, in the era of cheaper next-generation sequencing, it is no longer as daunting to obtain whole genome data for any species of interest and population genomics is now conceivable in a wide range of fields, from medicine and pharmacology to ecology and evolutionary biology. However, because of the lack of reference genome and of enough "a priori" data on the polymorphism, population genomics analyses of populations will still involve higher constraints for researchers working on non-model organisms, as regards the choice of the genotyping/sequencing technique or that of the analysis methods. Therefore, "Data Production and Analysis in Population Genomics" purposely puts emphasis on protocols and methods that are applicable to species where genomic resources are still scarce. It is divided into three convenient sections, each one tackling one of the main challenges facing scientists setting up a population genomics study. The first section helps devising a sampling and/or experimental design suitable to address the biological question of interest. The second section addresses how to implement the best genotyping or sequencing method to obtain the required data given the time and cost constraints as well as the other genetic resources already available, Finally, the last section is about making the most of the (generally huge) dataset produced by using appropriate analysis methods in order to reach a biologically relevant conclusion. Written in the successful "Methods in Molecular Biology " series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, advice on methodology and implementation, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and easily accessible, "Data Production and Analysis in Population Genomics" serves a wide readership by providing guidelines to help choose and implement the best experimental or analytical strategy for a given purpose.

Assembling the work of an international panel of researchers, Mass Spectrometry of Nucleosides and Nucleic Acids summarizes and reviews the latest developments in the field and provides a window on the next generation of analysis. Beginning with an overview of recent developments, the book highlights the most popular ionization methods and illustrates the diversity of strategies employed in the characterization and sequencing of DNA and RNA oligomers, nucleosides, nucleotides, and adducts. It describes studies performed on deoxyinosine and its analogues and provides an introduction to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Next, the contributors examine mass spectrometric application in the study of cyclic nucleotides in biochemical signal transduction. They analyze urinary modified nucleosides and explore DNA adducts. They discuss isotope labeling of DNA-mass spectrometry (ILD-MS) and examine various uses of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The book reviews recent progress in the direct MS characterization of noncovalent nucleic acid-protein complexes, explores the interaction and ionization of guanidine-derived compounds with highly acidic biomolecules, and examines quantitative identification of nucleic acids via signature digestion products detected using mass spectrometry. The book describes a direct-infusion ESI-MS approach that can serve as a screening technique for the presence of modified nucleosides from small RNAs. Lastly, it discusses the LC-MS/MS method for the in vitro replication studies on damage-containing DNA substrates, and concludes with an examination of the influence of metal ions on the structure and reactivity of nucleic acids. The exciting developments in mass spectrometry technology have fueled incredible advances in our understanding of nucleic acids and their complexes. The contributions presented in this volume capture the range of these advances, helping to inspire new findings a

RNA abundance analysis is one of the most important approaches for gene expression studies in the field of molecular biology. In "RNA Abundance Analysis: Methods and Protocols," expert researchers cover a wide range of techniques on RNA extraction, detection, quantification, visualization, and genome-wide profiling, from conventional methods to state-of-the-art high throughput approaches. This volume includes detailed techniques to examine mRNAs, small non-coding RNAs, protein-associated small RNAs, sulfur-containing RNAs, viral and satellite RNAs, RNA isoforms, and alternatively spliced RNA variants from various organisms, as well as key discussions of computational data processing for genome-wide datasets. Written for the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology" series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Essential and easy to use, "RNA Abundance Analysis: Methods and Protocols" provides a comprehensive set of techniques and methods on isolating and analyzing mRNAs, small RNAs, and modified RNAs, which can assist you in your gene expression studies."

Comparative genomics is a new and emerging ?eld, and with the explosion of ava- able biological sequences the requests for faster, more ef?cient and more robust algorithms to analyze all this data are immense. This book is meant to serve as a self-contained instruction of the state-of-the-art of computational gene ?nding in general and of comparative approaches in particular. It is meant as an overview of the various methods that have been applied in the ?eld, and a quick introduction into how computational gene ?nders are built in general. A beginner to the ?eld could use this book as a guide through to the main points to think about when constructing a gene ?nder, and the main algorithms that are in use. On the other hand, the more experienced gene ?nder should be able to use this book as a reference to different methods and to the main components incorporated in these methods. I have focused on the main uses of the covered methods and avoided much of the technical details and general extensions of the models. In exchange I have tried to supply references to more detailed accounts of the different research areas touched upon. The book, however, makes no claim on being comprehensive.

Technological advances over the last two decades have placed genetic research at the forefront of sport and exercise science. It provides potential answers to some of contemporary sport and exercise's defining issues and throws up some of the area's most challenging ethical questions, but to date, it has rested on a fragmented and disparate literature base. The Routledge Handbook of Sport and Exercise Systems Genetics constitutes the most authoritative and comprehensive reference in this critical area of study, consolidating knowledge and providing a framework for interpreting future research findings. Taking an approach which covers single gene variations, through genomics, epigenetics, and proteomics, to environmental and dietary influences on genetic mechanisms, the book is divided into seven sections. It examines state-of-the-art genetic methods, applies its approach to physical activity, exercise endurance, muscle strength, and sports performance, and discusses the ethical considerations associated with genetic research in sport and exercise. Made up of contributions from some of the world's leading sport and exercise scientists and including chapters on important topical issues such as gene doping, gender testing, predicting sport performance and injury risk, and using genetic information to inform physical activity and health debates, the handbook is a vital addition to the sport and exercise literature. It is an important reference for any upper-level student, researcher, or practitioner working in the genetics of sport and exercise or exercise physiology, and crucial reading for any social scientist interested in the ethics of sport.

Considerable advances have taken place since the initial isolation and characterization of human embryonic stem (HES) cells; however, significant challenges remain before their potential for restoration and regeneration processes in patients can be realized. Understanding the diversity amongst HES cell lines and realizing the ability to isolate lines with robust differentiation potential remain difficult. In the Human Embryonic Stem Cells Handbook, experts in the field provide an assortment of protocols that have been used by various laboratories around the world so as to allow both novices and experienced investigators to compare and contrast different approaches to HES cell isolation and characterization with the hope that, from these protocols, researchers might standardize approaches for HES cell biology. Written in the Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips for troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and accessible, Human Embryonic Stem Cells Handbook serves as a valuable reference for scientists pursuing this vital field and its enormous potential.

The OHOLO Conferences have been convened annually from the Spring of 1956; the wide areas they have covered, from different and overlapping disciplines, can be seen from the following list: 1956 Bacterial Genetics (not published) 1957 Tissue Cultures in Virological Research (not published) 1958 Inborn and Acquired Resistance to Infection in Animals (not published) 1959 Experimental Approach to Mental Diseases (not published) 1960 Cryptobiotic Stages in Biological Systems* 1961 Virus-Cell Relationships** 1962 Biological Synthesis and Function of Nucleic Acids** 1963 Cellular Control Mechanism of Macromolecular Synthesis** 1964 Molecular Aspects of Immunology** 1965 Cell Surfaces** 1966 Chemistry and Biology of Psychotropic Agents (not published) 1967 Structure and Mode of Action of Enzymes** 1968 Growth and Differentiation of Cells In Vitro** 1969 Behaviour of Animal Cells in Culture** 1970 Microbial Toxins** 1971 Interaction of Chemical Agents with Cholinergic Mechanisms** 1972 Immunity in Viral and Rickettsial Diseases*** The participants who attend these Conferences are drawn from dif ferent scientific institutions in Israel and from many foreign countries; they are engaged in fields of study which represent widely divergent approaches to biology. Thus a distinguishing feature of the OHOLO meetings has been their multi-disciplinary nature. Published by Elsevier Publishing Co., Amsterdam (1960). * ** Published by the Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona. *** Published by Plenum Press, New York (1972). ix PREFACE x These small international conferences are also characterized by their relaxed atmosphere, with ample time for informal as well as formal discussions."