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Books > Professional & Technical > Biochemical engineering > Biotechnology > Genetic engineering
This volume collates in one source methodology for in vivo genetic engineering and for genetic analysis in a wide range of bacteria. Not only is "Escherichia coli" well covered, but so are other emerging bacterial systems.
The long-awaited revision of the industry standard on phylogenetics Since the publication of the first edition of this landmark volume more than twenty-five years ago, phylogenetic systematics has taken its place as the dominant paradigm of systematic biology. It has profoundly influenced the way scientists study evolution, and has seen many theoretical and technical advances as the field has continued to grow. It goes almost without saying that the next twenty-five years of phylogenetic research will prove as fascinating as the first, with many exciting developments yet to come. This new edition of "Phylogenetics" captures the very essence of this rapidly evolving discipline. Written for the practicing systematist and phylogeneticist, it addresses both the philosophical and technical issues of the field, as well as surveys general practices in taxonomy. Major sections of the book deal with the nature of species and higher taxa, homology and characters, trees and tree graphs, and biogeography--the purpose being to develop biologically relevant species, character, tree, and biogeographic concepts that can be applied fruitfully to phylogenetics. The book then turns its focus to phylogenetic trees, including an in-depth guide to tree-building algorithms. Additional coverage includes: Parsimony and parsimony analysis Parametric phylogenetics including maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches Phylogenetic classification Critiques of evolutionary taxonomy, phenetics, and transformed cladistics Specimen selection, field collecting, and curating Systematic publication and the rules of nomenclature Providing a thorough synthesis of the field, this important update to "Phylogenetics" is essential for students and researchers in the areas of evolutionary biology, molecular evolution, genetics and evolutionary genetics, paleontology, physical anthropology, and zoology.
mRNA METABOLISM & POST-TRANSCRIPTIONAL GENE REGULATION A timely contribution to the understanding of genetic regulatory mechanisms, mRNA Metabolism and Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation provides a basis from which potential therapeutic strategies may be developed. This book will be of vital interest to cell and molecular biologists at all levels, from graduate students to senior investigators, clinical researchers, and professionals in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
Genetically engineered crops are those crop plants that are transformed with transgenes of desired traits into their nuclear genome using recombinant DNA technology. The common strategies used for plant transformation are by exploiting natural gene transfer by soil bacterium, Agrobacterium tumefaciens and by using gene guns where gold microcarriers coated with desiccated DNA are delivered using pneumatic pressure. Transgenic technology has expanded the scope of conventional breeding by breaking the restrictions inflicted by traditional cross-pollination and selection techniques. This book presents research in the study of genetically engineered crops, including the promise of transgenic breeding for future agriculture and the public concerns over genetically modified plants; and genetically modified crop safety assessment protocol.
Pluripotent cells of the early embryo originate all types of somatic cells and germ cells of adult organism. Pluripotent stems cell lines were derived from mammalian embryos and adult tissues using different techniques and from different sources. Despite different origin, all pluripotent stem cell lines demonstrate considerable similarity of the major biological properties. This book examines the fundamental mechanisms which regulate normal development of pluripotent cells into different lineages and are disrupted in cancer initiating cells. Analysis gene expression profiles, differentiation potentials and cell cycle of normal and mutant pluripotent stem cells provide new data to search molecular targets to eliminate malignant cells in tumours. In this book, the authors also aim to present a global picture of how extracellular signals, intracellular signal transduction pathways and transcriptional networks co-operate together to determine the cell fate of pluripotent stem cells. Practical, ethical and legal considerations that must be addressed before induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can realise their potential in the treatment of degenerative disease is discussed as well. Recent advancements in the cancer stem cell hypothesis are also summarised and the challenges associated with targeting resistant cancers in the context of stem cell microenvironments are presented.
The genetic engineering of agricultural crops is seen as both promising and controversial, with potentially significant implications for the United States and other countries' food security and economic well-being, the environment, and international relations and trade. Proponents cite the potential for enhanced crop yields; more environmentally friendly food production; more nutritious foods; and the increased use of plants to inexpensively produce pharmaceutical compounds, such as human or veterinary drugs, or industrial compounds, such as substances used in paper production or detergent manufacturing. This book examines genetically engineered crops ten years after the first generation of major crops became commercially available and explores issues relating to their economic and environmental impacts as well as consumer acceptance.
Genetic recombination is the process by which a strand of genetic material (usually DNA; but can also be RNA) is broken and then joined to a different DNA molecule. In eukaryotes recombination commonly occurs during meiosis as chromosomal crossover between paired chromosomes. This process leads to off-springs having different combinations of genes from their parents and can produce new chimeric alleles. In evolutionary biology this shuffling of genes is thought to have many advantages, including that of allowing sexually reproducing organisms to avoid Muller's ratchet. However, a recombination pathway in DNA is any way by which a broken DNA molecule is reconnected to form a whole DNA strand. In molecular biology "recombination" can also refer to artificial and deliberate recombination of disparate pieces of DNA, often from different organisms, creating what is called recombinant DNA. Enzymes called recombinases catalyse natural recombination reactions. RecA, the recombinase found in E. coli, is responsible for the repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). In yeast and other eukaryotic organisms there are two recombinases required for repairing DSBs. The RAD51 protein is required for mitotic and meiotic recombination and the DMC1 protein is specific to meiotic recombination. This book presents the latest research in the field.
Genetic information can be misused. It can be used to discriminate against people in health insurance and employment. People known to carry a gene that increases their likelihood of developing cancer, for example, may get turned down for health insurance. Without health insurance, it may be impossible for some people to get treatment for a disease that could be fatal. This may lead some people to decide against genetic testing for fear of what the results might show, and who might find out about them. It also could lead some people to decline participation in biomedical research such as studies of gene mutations associated with certain diseases that examine the history of families prone to those maladies. This book examines some of the hot areas of research in the field.
Embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into virtually any cell in the body, and may have the potential to treat medical conditions such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease. In August 2001, President Bush announced that for the first time federal funds would be used to support research on human embryonic stem cells, but funding would be limited to 'existing stem cell lines'. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has established the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry which lists stem cell lines that are eligible for use in federally funded research. Although 78 cell lines are listed, 21 embryonic stem cell lines are currently available. Scientists are concerned about the quality, longevity, and availability of the eligible stem cell lines. For a variety of reasons, many believe research advancement requires new embryonic stem cell lines, and for certain applications, stem cells derived from cloned embryos may offer the best hope for progress in understanding and treating disease. A significant cohort of pro-life advocates support stem cell research; those opposed are concerned that the isolation of stem cells requires the destruction of embryos. Letters from Congress, one signed by 206 Members of the House and a second signed by 58 Senators, have been sent urging President Bush to expand the current federal policy concerning embryonic stem cell research. Some have argued that stem cell research be limited to adult stem cells obtained from tissues such as bone marrow. They argue that adult stem cells should be pursued instead of embryonic stem cells because they believe the derivation of stem cells from either embryos or aborted foetuses is ethically unacceptable. Other scientists believe adult stem cells should not be the sole target of research because of important scientific and technical limitations. Groups make ethical distinctions in the debate on how to proceed with stem cell research based upon embryo protection, relief of suffering, viability, the purpose and timing of embryo creation and destruction, donor consent, scientific alternatives, federal funding, and cloning. Other countries are moving fast with active research programs. This book presents the current confused situation along with a selective bibliography.
Sets the foundation for safer, more effective drug therapies With this book as their guide, readers will discover how to apply our current understanding of the pharmacogenomics of drug transporters to advance their own drug discovery and development efforts. In particular, the book explains how new findings in the field now enable researchers to more accurately predict drug interactions and adverse drug reactions. Moreover, it sets the foundation for the development of drug therapies that are tailored to an individual patient's genetics. "Pharmacogenomics of Human Drug Transporters" serves as a comprehensive guide to how transporters regulate the absorption, distribution, and elimination of drugs in the body as well as how an individual's genome affects those processes. The book's eighteen chapters have been authored by a team of leading pioneers in the field. Based on their own laboratory and clinical experience as well as a thorough review of the literature, these authors explore all facets of drug transporter pharmacogenomics, including: Individual drug transporters and transporter families and their clinical significancePrinciples of altered drug transport in drug-drug interactions, pharmacotherapy, and personalized medicineEmerging new technologies for rapid detection of genetic polymorphismsClinical aspects of genetic polymorphisms in major drug transporter genesFuture research directions of drug transporter pharmacogenomics and the prospect of individualized medicine "Pharmacogenomics of Human Drug Transporters" opens the door to new drug discovery and development breakthroughs leading to safer and more effective customized drug therapies.The book is recommended for pharmaceutical scientists, biochemists, pharmacologists, clinicians, and genetics and genomics researchers.
Plant Breeding Reviews, Volume 24, Part 1 presents state-of-the-art reviews on plant genetics and the breeding of all types of crops by both traditional means and molecular methods. The emphasis of the series is on methodology, a practical understanding of crop genetics, and applications to major crops.
The creation of 'test--tube babiesa acted as a spur to public debate about the implications of research on embryos, in vitro fertilization, surrogate motherhood, and the whole range of technologies concerned with human reproduction. The scope of reproductive technologies examined in this volume -- from techniques for the medical 'managementa of childbirth, to genetic engineering -- is such that few women in the western world, and smaller and smaller numbers in the third world, escape their influence. What then is their impact: on the process of reproduction, on family life and particularly on women? 'Reproductive Technologiesa is a remarkable collection of original essays which attempts to place the current controversy over reproductive technologies in a political, legal and economic context. Contributors -- including Lesley Doyal, Ann Oakley, Ros Petchesky, Carol Smart, Hilary Rose, and Naomi Pfeffer -- examine systematically the technologies that have sparked off these debates. They explore the problem of infertility which is used to validate reproductive technologies; the way assumptions about the family and about biological parenthood continue to structure the arguments for and against; the impact of the medicalization of childbirth; the way debates are embedded in changing conceptions of paternal rights, maternal rights and embryo rights; the problems of providing adequate health care for women; and, above all, the urgency with which these issues raise problems about the accountability of science.
A unique exploration of the principles and methods underlying the Human Genome Project and modern molecular genetics and biotechnology—from two top researchers In Genomics, Charles R. Cantor, former director of the Human Genome Project, and Cassandra L. Smith give the first integral overview of the strategies and technologies behind the Human Genome Project and the field of molecular genetics and biotechnology. Written with a range of readers in mind—from chemists and biologists to computer scientists and engineers—the book begins with a review of the basic properties of DNA and the chromosomes that package it in cells. The authors describe the three main techniques used in DNA analysis—hybridization, polymerase chain reaction, and electrophoresis—and present a complete exploration of DNA mapping in its many different forms. By explaining both the theoretical principles and practical foundations of modern molecular genetics to a wide audience, the book brings the scientific community closer to the ultimate goal of understanding the biological function of DNA. Genomics features:
The author of the international bestseller The Sixth Extinction returns to humanity's transformative impact on the environment, now asking: after doing so much damage, can we change nature, this time to save it? Meet the biologists trying to save the world's rarest fish; the engineers who are turning carbon emissions to stone; the researchers trying to develop a 'super coral'; and the physicists contemplating shooting tiny diamonds into the stratosphere to cool the earth. Elizabeth Kolbert is one of the most important writers on the environment. Here she investigates the immense challenges humanity faces as we scramble to reverse, in a matter of decades, the effects we've had on the natural world and asks - can we save the natural world in time? 'Important, necessary, urgent' Helen MacDonald 'Meticulously researched and deftly crafted' Guardian
Gene Delivery: Methods and Applications provides a comprehensive overview on viral and non-viral methods used to genetically engineer human mesenchymal stromal cells. In addition, an update on ongoing and completed clinical studies with engineered mesenchymal stromal cells will be provided, as well as a snapshot of the advances and technical challenges yet to be addressed. Next, a variety of gene delivery systems including physical transfection techniques, virus-based delivery vectors, chemically engineered delivery systems and bio-inspired vehicles are reviewed and their strengths, shortcomings and biomedical applications are discussed. Selfish DNA called transposons capable of cutting out and pasting into the host genome are active throughout the phylogenetic kingdoms. Researchers have repurposed natural transposons for use in delivering a gene-of-interest, enabling for the study of a large and growing list of preclinical gene therapy applications. As such, the authors discuss the past achievements and future challenges of this early-stage technology. The closing chapter introduces cell-penetrating peptides as an efficient tool for DNA transfection. HR9, a designed cell-penetrating peptides, containing nona-arginine flanked by cysteine and penta-histidine displayed a high penetrating ability in mammalian cells.
As newer forms of intellectual propertyseeds, germplasm, genetic resources, plant varietiesmaterialize through advancements in biotechnology, a variety of entitlements, claims, and imaginations of citizenship are bred, mimicking the hybrid culture of genetic configurations. This book analyses the theoretical and philosophical frames of new (biotic) property, and assesses how its altered metaphysics inscribes itself in the politics of genetic resources. It probes how rights get framed within and by law, in the diverse yet closely interrelated aspects of social, cultural, and biological life. In particular, the book focuses on biocultural entitlements of farming and indigenous communitiespeople who are at a distance from the global networks of trade, politics, science, and technology. It explores the terms on which the interests of these indigenous communities are included and institutionalized as well as the degrees of exclusion and stratification that accompany them. It attempts to uncover the cunning or duplicitous nature of these rightsthe chasm between their intended benefits and their actual outcomes.
This two-volume textbook provides a comprehensive overview on the broad field of Animal Biotechnology with a special focus on livestock reproduction and breeding. The reader will be introduced to a variety of state-of-the-art technologies and emerging genetic tools and their applications in animal production. Also, ethics and legal aspects of animal biotechnology will be discussed and new trends and developments in the field will be critically assessed. The two-volume work is a must-have for graduate students, advanced undergraduates and researchers in the field of veterinary medicine, genetics and animal biotechnology. This first volume mainly focuses on artificial insemination, embryo transfer technologies in diverse animal species and cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos.
How tiny variations in our personal DNA can determine how we look, how we behave, how we get sick, and how we get well. News stories report almost daily on the remarkable progress scientists are making in unraveling the genetic basis of disease and behavior. Meanwhile, new technologies are rapidly reducing the cost of reading someone's personal DNA (all six billion letters of it). Within the next ten years, hospitals may present parents with their newborn's complete DNA code along with her footprints and APGAR score. In Genetic Twists of Fate, distinguished geneticists Stanley Fields and Mark Johnston help us make sense of the genetic revolution that is upon us. Fields and Johnston tell real life stories that hinge on the inheritance of one tiny change rather than another in an individual's DNA: a mother wrongly accused of poisoning her young son when the true killer was a genetic disorder; the screen siren who could no longer remember her lines because of Alzheimer's disease; and the president who was treated with rat poison to prevent another heart attack. In an engaging and accessible style, Fields and Johnston explain what our personal DNA code is, how a few differences in its long list of DNA letters makes each of us unique, and how that code influences our appearance, our behavior, and our risk for such common diseases as diabetes or cancer.
A comprehensive, authoritative look at an emergent area in post-genomic science, Evolutionary genomics is an up-and-coming, complex field that attempts to explain the biocomplexity of the living world. "Evolutionary Genomics and Systems Biology" is the first full-length book to blend established and emerging concepts in bioinformatics, evolution, genomics, and structural biology, with the integrative views of network and systems biology. Three key aspects of evolutionary genomics and systems biology are covered in clear detail: the study of genomic history, i.e., understanding organismal evolution at the genomic level; the study of macromolecular complements, which encompasses the evolution of the protein and RNA machinery that propels life; and the evolutionary and dynamic study of wiring diagrams--macromolecular components in interaction--in the context of genomic complements. The book also features: A solid, comprehensive treatment of phylogenomics, the evolution of genomes, and the evolution of biological networks, within the framework of systems biologyA special section on RNA biology--translation, evolution of structure, and micro RNA and regulation of gene expressionChapters on the mapping of genotypes to phenotypes, the role of information in biology, protein architecture and biological function, chromosomal rearrangements, and biological networks and diseaseContributions by leading authorities on each topic "Evolutionary Genomics and Systems Biology" is an ideal book for students and professionals in genomics, bioinformatics, evolution, structural biology, complexity, origins of life, systematic biology, and organismal diversity, as well as those individuals interested in aspects of biological sciences as they interface with chemistry, physics, and computer science and engineering.
With ever-advancing scientific understanding and technological capabilities, humanity stands on the brink of the potential next stage of evolution: evolution engineered by us. Nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science offer the possibility to enhance human performance, lengthen life-span and reshape our inherited physical, cognitive and emotional identities. But with this promise come huge risks, complex choices and fundamental ethical questions: about evolution; about what it is to be human; and about control over, and the distribution of benefits from, new technology. Written by a range of experts in science, technology, bioethics and social science, Unnatural Selection examines the range of technological innovations offering lives that purport to be longer, stronger, smarter and happier, and asks whether their introduction is likely to lead to more fulfilled individuals and a fairer world. The breadth of approaches and perspectives make important reading for anyone who cares about the implications of humanity engineering its own evolution.
Recent decades have seen tremendous changes in Latin America's agricultural sector, resulting from a broad program of liberalization instigated under pressure from the United States, the IMF, and the World Bank. Tariffs have been lifted, agricultural markets have been opened and privatized, land reform policies have been restricted or eliminated, and the perspective has shifted radically toward exportation rather than toward the goal of feeding local citizens. Examining the impact of these transformations, the contributors to Food for the Few: Neoliberal Globalism and Biotechnology in Latin America paint a somber portrait, describing local peasant farmers who have been made responsible for protecting impossibly vast areas of biodiversity, or are forced to specialize in one genetically modified crop, or who become low-wage workers within a capitalized farm complex. Using dozens of examples such as these, the deleterious consequences are surveyed from the perspectives of experts in diverse fields, including anthropology, economics, geography, political science, and sociology. From Kathy McAfee's "Exporting Crop Biotechnology: The Myth of Molecular Miracles," to Liz Fitting's "Importing Corn, Exporting Labor: The Neoliberal Corn Regime, GMOs, and the Erosion of Mexican Biodiversity," Food for the Few balances disturbing findings with hopeful assessments of emerging grassroots alternatives. Surveying not only the Latin American conditions that led to bankruptcy for countless farmers but also the North's practices, such as the heavy subsidies implemented to protect North American farmers, these essays represent a comprehensive, keenly informed response to a pivotal global crisis.
This book has a distinguishing feature of having condensed material with adequate information on genetic engineering especially of the microbes. The book covers almost all the topics of genetic engineering for the graduate, postgraduate students and young research scholars of biological sciences. The book is written as per syllabus of genetic engineering paper for Masters course in biotechnology, biochemistry, life sciences of most of the universities. The book is much useful for the students of Masters degree. Emphasis is given on the basic fundamentals. The book contains twelve chapters starting from ' Isolation, purification and estimation of nucleic acids' as chapter 1. The chapter describes general techniques for the isolation and purification of DNA as well as RNA. It also describes methods for quantitative estimation of the nucleic acids. The second chapter describes general characteristics of the vectors used in genetic engineering and also the general account of commonly used individual vectors. The chapter also describes expression vectors. The third chapter describes various commonly used restriction endonucleases. The fourth chapter describes commonly used enzymes in genetic engineering viz. Reverse transcriptase, DNA polymerase I, polynucleotide kinase, teminal dcoxynucleotidyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, SI nuclease, DNA ligase etc. The fifth chapter describes electrophoresis for the separation of nucleic acids fragments. The sixth chapter is of cloning strategies. It describes construction of genomic DNA library , chromosomal walking, cDNA library, cDNA cloning. The seventh chapter describes DNA sequencing techniques and includes chemical modification method of Maxam and Gilbert, dideoxy sequencing method of Sanger, modifications of chain terminator sequencing, analysis of the sequencing data. The eighth chapter includes various methods of site directed mutagenesis. The ninth chapter describes polymerase chain reaction (PCR). It also includes primer designing and various types of polymerase chain reactions viz. reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), nested PCR, multiplex PCR etc. Besides, there are chapters 10, 11 and 12 on gene therapy, human genome and proteomics. At the end, glossary has been put which explains main terms used in genetic engineering. One of the important factor introduced in the book is the chapter structure given in the beginning of each chapter that provides, at a glance, the contents of the whole chapter which offers a better learning mechanism. Each chapter is also presented with an introduction that covers the concept of the whole chapter in brief and offers clear understanding of the subject matter to the students. The author on the basis of his experience in teaching genetic engineering at the university level for more than a decade has offered the text in an easily understandable form to the postgraduate students. The book should be of invaluable help to the students, researchers and all those interested in understanding genetic engineering.
Potato is the most significant non-cereal crop. Much attention has been paid to this commercially important crop. The aim of this volume is to capture the recent advances made in improving potatoes using traditional breeding methods as well as genetic engineering technology. The book provides a critical appraisal of the state-of-the-art finding on this crop.
For most people, the global war over genetically modified foods is a distant and confusing one. The battles are conducted in the mystifying language of genetics. A handful of corporate "life science" giants, such as Monsanto, are pitted against a worldwide network of anticorporate ecowarriors like Greenpeace. And yet the possible benefits of biotech agriculture to our food supply are too vital to be left to either partisan. The companies claim to be leading a new agricultural revolution that will save the world with crops modified to survive frost, drought, pests, and plague. The greens warn that "playing God" with plant genes is dangerous. It could create new allergies, upset ecosystems, destroy biodiversity, and produce uncontrollable mutations. Worst of all, the antibiotech forces say, a single food conglomerate could end up telling us what to eat. In "Food, Inc.," acclaimed journalist Peter Pringle shows how both sides in this overheated conflict have made false promises, engaged in propaganda science, and indulged in fear-mongering. In this urgent dispatch, he suggests that a fertile partnership between consumers, corporations, scientists, and farmers could still allow the biotech harvest to reach its full potential in helping to overcome the problem of world hunger, providing nutritious food and keeping the environment healthy.
The terms 'recombinant DNA technology', 'DNA cloning', 'molecular cloning' or 'gene cloning' all refer to the same process: the transfer of a DNA fragment of interest from one organism to a self-replicating genetic element such as a bacterial plasmid. The DNA of interest can then be propagated in a foreign host cell. This technology has been around since the 1970s, and it has become a common practice in molecular biology labs today. Reproductive cloning is a technology used to generate an animal that has the same nuclear DNA as another currently or previously existing animal. Dolly was created by reproductive cloning technology. In a process called 'somatic cell nuclear transfer' (SCNT), scientists transfer genetic material from the nucleus of a donor adult cell to an egg whose nucleus, and thus its genetic material, has been removed. The reconstructed egg containing the DNA from a donor cell must be treated with chemicals or electric current in order to stimulate cell division. Once the cloned embryo reaches a suitable stage, it is transferred to the uterus of a female host where it continues to develop until birth. Therapeutic cloning, also called "embryo cloning," is the production of human embryos for use in research. The goal of this process is not to create cloned human beings, but rather to harvest stem cells that can be used to study human development and to treat disease. Stem cells are important to biomedical researchers because they can be used to generate virtually any type of specialised cell in the human body. This new book presents an up-to-date Chronology of Cloning along with current and selected abstracts dealing with cloning as well as a guide to books on the topic. Access to the abstract and books sections is provided by title, subject and author indexes. |
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