Epigenetic Technological Applications is a compilation of state-of-the-art technologies involved in epigenetic research. Epigenetics is an exciting new field of biology research, and many technologies are invented and developed specifically for epigenetics study. With chapters covering the latest developments in crystallography, computational modeling, the uses of histones, and more, Epigenetic Technological Applications addresses the question of how these new ideas, procedures, and innovations can be applied to current epigenetics research, and how they can keep pushing discovery forward and beyond the epigenetic realm.

Since its discovery in 1998, RNA interference (RNAi) has heralded the advent of novel tools for biological research and drug discovery. This exciting new technology is emerging as a powerful modality for battling some of the most notoriously challenging viral clinical targets, such as the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, several critical issues associated with this novel technology must be resolved before it can progress to testing in human clinical trials, and these have been the target of intensive research in recent years. In this book, expert RNAi specialists from around the world have teamed up to produce a timely and thought-provoking review of the area. The two central themes are: 1) the latest findings on RNAi-virus interactions and 2) progress in the development of RNAi-based antiviral therapeutics. A number of chapters explain general concepts concerned with the role of RNAi in natural antiviral defense mechanisms. Other chapters discuss how to improve the efficacy and safety of RNAi-based antiviral drugs, as well as describe how this technology is being developed as a new therapeutic tool for fighting specific viruses, including HIV, HCV, and respiratory viruses. The book also outlines potential new avenues for research. RNA Interference and Viruses is essential reading for researchers involved in RNAi or antiviral research and is a recommended text for all virology laboratories.

Stem cells hold great promise for cell therapy, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications. This book highlights the potency of stem cells, their property of self-renewal and their ability to differentiate into different cell lineages. It further describes the different markers to identify stem cells, sources, methods of isolation, culture including 2D, 3D and beyond and their cryopreservation. This is among the first books to discuss glycosylation and sialylation in stem cells. Chapters describe application of stem cells in regenerative medicine and therapy, and highlight their application in cancer therapy and spinal cord injury. The book talks about the important patents on stem cells. The book also highlights the plant stem cells, discussing their pluoripotent nature, role in organ regeneration after injury, specific stem cell niches, that signals to block differentiation studied in plants shoot, root, and vascular meristems, differentiation of plant stem cell, transcriptional regulation and epigenetic modification of plant stem cells. This book is exciting and cutting edge. It will be of great interest to doctors, students and researchers in the field of regenerative medicine, cancer , biotechnology and plant sciences.

This book presents a guide to building computational gene finders, and describes the state of the art in computational gene finding methods, with a focus on comparative approaches. Fully updated and expanded, this new edition examines next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. The book also discusses conditional random fields, enhancing the broad coverage of topics spanning probability theory, statistics, information theory, optimization theory and numerical analysis. Features: introduces the fundamental terms and concepts in the field; discusses algorithms for single-species gene finding, and approaches to pairwise and multiple sequence alignments, then describes how the strengths in both areas can be combined to improve the accuracy of gene finding; explores the gene features most commonly captured by a computational gene model, and explains the basics of parameter training; illustrates how to implement a comparative gene finder; examines NGS techniques and how to build a genome annotation pipeline.

This new edition captures the advances made in the field of evolutionary systems biology since the publication of the first edition. The first edition focused on laying the foundations of evolutionary systems biology as an interdisciplinary field, where a way of thinking and asking questions is combined with a wide variety of tools, both experimental and theoretical/computational. Since publication of the first edition, evolutionary systems biology is now a well-known term describing this growing field. The new edition provides an overview of the current status and future developments of this interdisciplinary field. Chapters highlight several key achievements from the last decade and outline exciting new developments, including an understanding of the interplay between complexity and predictability in evolutionary systems, new viewpoints and methods to study organisms in evolving populations at the level of the genome, gene regulatory network, and metabolic network, and better analysis and modeling techniques that will open new avenues of scientific inquiry.

The technical advances in molecular biology have endowed us with a wealth of knowledge, which has allowed us to identify the cause of diseases not only at a single gene level but at a greater magnitude, where a substitution or deletion of a single base pair can be identified. Our present task is to establish a clear link between phenotype and nucleotide sequence. Obviously, a gene is no longer an imaginary entity. Recent discoveries in a number of bewildering traits, whose inheritance do not follow simple mendelian rules, have caused much amazement. For example, fragile X-syndrome, spine and bulbar muscular atrophy and myotic dystrophy arise from "triples repeat mutation" and amplification in future generations. Genetic diseases which are inherited, can now be diagnosed prenatally; an idea that was once inconceivable.
The aim of the second volume, entitled Morbid Anatomy of the Genome, is to reflect on the importance of molecular genetics in modern medicine. The field has expanded so as to warrant a volume dedicated exclusively toward understanding those who wish to know the cause, detection and in turn treatment of such diseases. In this volume, I have commissioned several scientists to contribute 12 chapters. A chapter describing a special role of molecular genetics in combating genetic diseases through gene therapy has also been included, while chapter 13 is a commentary.
A complete account of all diseases whose genetic basis is well established would be a herculean task and is not within the scope of a single volume format. Therefore a few specific topics have been chosen which may be of the greatest interest to scientists and clinicians. The purpose of this issue is to keep abreast of the latest developments in a select group of genetic diseases.

This book describes how epigenetic context, in a large sense, affects gene expression and the development of an organism, using the asymptotic limit theorems of information theory to construct statistical models useful in data analysis. The approach allows deep understanding of how embedding context affects development. We find that epigenetic information sources act as tunable catalysts, directing ontogeny into characteristic pathways, a perspective having important implications for epigenetic epidemiology. In sum, environmental stressors can induce a broad spectrum of developmental dysfunctions, and the book explores a number of pandemic chronic diseases, using U.S. data at different scales and levels of organization. In particular, we find the legacy of slavery has been grossly compounded by accelerating industrial decline and urban decay. Individual chapters are dedicated to obesity and its sequelae, coronary heart disease, cancer, mental disorders, autoimmune dysfunction, Alzheimer's disease, and other conditions. Developmental disorders are driven by environmental factors channeled by historical trajectory and are unlikely to respond to medical interventions at the population level in the face of persistent individual and community stress. Drugs powerful enough to affect deleterious epigenetic programming will likely have side effects leading to shortened lifespan. Addressing chronic conditions and developmental disorders requires significant large-scale changes in public policy and resource allocation.

In the past half century, filamentous fungi have grown in commercial importance not only in the food industry but also as sources of pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of infectious and metabolic diseases and of specialty proteins and enzymes used to process foods, fortify detergents, and perform biotransformations. The commercial impact of molds is also measured on a negative scale since some of these organisms are significant as pathogens of crop plants, agents of food spoilage, and sources of toxic and carcinogenic compounds. Recent advances in the molecular genetics of filamentous fungi are finding increased application in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and enzyme industries, and this trend promises to continue as the genomics of fungi is explored and new techniques to speed genetic manipulation become available.

This volume focuses on the filamentous fungi and highlights the advances of the past decade, both in methodology and in the understanding of genomic organization and regulation of gene and pathway expression.

This volume covers the global history of the Lysenko controversy, while exploring in greater depth the background of D. Lysenko's career and influence in the USSR. By presenting the rise and fall of T.D. Lysenko in a variety of aspects-his influence upon art, unrecognized predecessors, and the extent to which genetics continued in the USSR even while he was in power, and the revival of his reputation today-the authors provide a fresh perspective on one of the most notorious episodes in the history of science.

This book explores the regenerative properties of fetal stem cells, from feto-maternal cell traffic through perinatal stem cells, with a discussion of key topics including stem cell banking, drug screening, in utero stem cell transplantation and ethical considerations. The expertly authored chapters also delve into embryonic, amniotic membrane, and umbilical cord blood stem cells; fetal development models; fetal cell reprogramming; culture methods; disease models; perinatal gene therapy, and more. These chapters are grouped into four sections, each discussing a separate prenatal stem cell population and providing fascinating historical contexts for our knowledge of these systems. Featuring a foreword written by the renowned Dr. Joseph Vacanti of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Fetal Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine: Principles and Translational Strategies is a welcome and timely contribution to the Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine series. It is essential reading for scientists and researchers, clinicians and residents, and advanced students involved in stem cells, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and related disciplines such as embryology.

This text highlights the endogenous regenerative potential of the central nervous system in neonates and juveniles and discusses possible ways it might be manipulated for medical purposes. The first section provides a descriptive summary of the salient steps of human brain development with a discussion of comparisons with other mammalian brains. It also provides a historical perspective on our understanding of ongoing brain development throughout the lifespan and serve to introduce the concept of brain plasticity following injury. The second part is devoted to the endogenous reparative potential of the brain, including its limitations, and articles focusing on defined pathologies (e.g. anoxia/hypoxia, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury and stress) in animal models and in humans pinpoint eventual ways these pathologies might be manipulated. The third and final focuses on the "dark side" of stem cells for brain repair or of the manipulation of spontaneous adaptive events after injury (e.g. genomic instability, sensitization to cancerous transformation and defective neural networks).

"Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering in Dental Sciences" bridges the gap left by many tissue engineering and stem cell biology titles to highlight the importance of research in this field in the dental sciences.It compiles basic embryology and developmental biology with keen focus on stem cells, basic cell and matrix biology with relevance to tissue regeneration and repair, biomaterials (including nanotechnology) and current applications in various disciplines of dental science.Tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field of biomedical research which combines life, engineering, and materials sciences to further the maintenance, repair, and replacement of diseased and damaged tissues. This emerging area of research applies an understanding of normal tissue physiology to develop novel biomaterial, acellular, and cell-based therapies for clinical application. These strategies are being developed and evaluated as potential treatments of dental conditions, particularly periodontology, endodontics, dental implantology, and oral-maxillofacial surgery.
Covers all aspects related to stem cell biology and tissue engineering in dental sciences: basic science, research, clinical application and commercializationDescribes stem cell biology with details focused on dental stem cells and their potential research application throughout medicine Describes new technologies and fabrication techniques in the fields of stem cells and biomaterial and tissue engineering research, including the latest advances in nanotechnology"

Metagenomics is a rapidly growing field of research that has had a dramatic effect on the way we view and study the microbial world. By permitting the direct investigation of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, irrespective of their culturability and taxonomic identities, metagenomics has changed microbiological theory and methods and has also challenged the classical concept of species. This new field of biology has proven to be rich and comprehensive and is making important contributions in many areas including ecology, biodiversity, bioremediation, bioprospection of natural products, and medicine. This book addresses, in a coherent manner, the diverse and multiple aspects of metagenomics and the multiplicity of its potential applications. Renowned authors from around the world have contributed chapters covering the new theoretical insights, the more recent applications, and the dynamically developing methods of data acquisition and analysis. Topics include: conceptual frameworks * tools and methods * integration of complementary approaches * horizontal gene transfer * analysis of complex microbial communities * public data resources * plant-microbe interactions * bioremediation * industrial bioproducts * archaeal metagenomics * bioprospecting novel genes * the human microbiome * and philosophical themes in metagenomics. The book is essential reading for all researchers currently performing metagenomics studies and it is highly recommended for all students and scientists wishing to increase their understanding of this field.

This volume provides an overview of RNA bioinformatics methodologies, including basic strategies to predict secondary and tertiary structures, and novel algorithms based on massive RNA sequencing. Interest in RNA bioinformatics has rapidly increased thanks to the recent high-throughput sequencing technologies allowing scientists to investigate complete transcriptomes at single nucleotide resolution. Adopting advanced computational technics, scientists are now able to conduct more in-depth studies and present them to you in this book. Written in the highly successful Methods of Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and equipment, step-by-step, readily reproducible bioinformatics protocols, and key tips to avoid known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, RNA Bioinformatics seeks to aid scientists in the further study of bioinformatics and computational biology of RNA.

This volume presents the current state of laser-assisted bioprinting, a cutting edge tissue engineering technology. Nineteen chapters discuss the most recent developments in using this technology for engineering different types of tissue. Beginning with an overview, the discussion covers bioprinting in cell viability and pattern viability, tissue microfabrication to study cell proliferation, microenvironment for controlling stem cell fate, cell differentiation, zigzag cellular tubes, cartilage tissue engineering, osteogenesis, vessel substitutes, skin tissue and much more. Because bioprinting is on its way to becoming a dominant technology in tissue-engineering, Bioprinting in Regenerative Medicine is essential reading for those researching or working in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering or translational research. Those studying or working with stem cells who are interested in the development of the field will also find the information invaluable.

Providing expert coverage of all major events in early embryogenesis and the organogenesis of specific systems, and supplemented with representative clinical syndromes, "Principles of Developmental Genetics, Second Edition" discusses the processes of normal development in embryonic and prenatal animals, including humans. The new edition of this classic work supports clinical researchers developing future therapies with its all-new coverage of systems biology, stem cell biology, new technologies, and clinical disorders. A crystal-clear layout, exceptional full-color design, and bulleted summaries of major takeaways and clinical pathways assist comprehension and readability of the highly complex content.
All-new coverage of systems biology and stem cell biology in context of evolving technologies places the work squarely on the modern sciencesChapters are complemented with a bulleted summary for easy digestion of the major points, with a clinical summary for therapeutic applicationClinical highlights provides a bridge between basic developmental biology and clinical sciences in embryonic and prenatal syndromes

This volume contains protocols specifically designed for studying programmed cell death, and also discusses recent advances in techniques that span broader areas of biology that have been recently used or that have potential to be incorporated into cell death research. The protocols are mostly described in the context of mammalian systems, but also cover other systems such as plants, Drosophila, and yeast. Programmed Cell Death: Methods and Protocols is comprised of 20 chapters: Chapters 1-5 describe apoptosis detection techniques; Chapter 6-9 describe methods for studying apoptosis associated with various pathologies in different organs including the lymphoid compartment, intestinal epithelium, granulocytes, and cardiomyocytes; Chapter 11-13 cover protocols and techniques for studying apoptosis in non-mammalian systems; Chapters 14-16 cover biochemical and biophysical methods for studying Bcl-2 family protein dynamics and protein-protein interactions during apoptosis; and the last four chapters explore protocols that are useful not only in apoptosis research but in wider areas of biological research, such as genome editing, inducible transgenes, and proteomics. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology aeries format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary material and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocol, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Thorough and cutting-edge, Programmed Cell Death: Methods and Protocols is a comprehensive and valuable resource for researchers, ranging from beginner to expert, in their studies on programmed cell death.

This well-established international series examines major areas of basic and clinical research within neuroscience, as well as emerging and promising subfields. This volume concentrates on Epigenetics

This book looks atEpigeneticsinthe light of the newest scholarly discoveries and insights."

This volume presents a list of cutting-edge protocols for the study of CRISPR-Cas defense systems and their applications at the genomic, genetic, biochemical and structural levels. CRISPR: Methods and Protocols guides readers through techniques that have been developed specifically for the analysis of CRISPR-Cas and techniques adapted from standard protocols of DNA, RNA and protein biology. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, CRISPR: Methods and Protocols provides a broad list of tools and techniques to study the interdisciplinary aspects of the prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas defense systems.

The field of genetics is rapidly evolving, and new medical breakthroughs are occurring as a result of advances in our knowledge of genetics. "Advances in Genetics" continually publishes important reviews of the broadest interest to geneticists and their colleagues in affiliated disciplines.

Volume 85 presents an eclectic mix of articles of use to all human and molecular geneticists on topics including: association mapping in crop plants; miRNA-mediated crosstalk between transcripts; unisexual reproduction; and more.
Includes methods for testing with ethical, legal, and social implicationsCritically analyzes future directionsWritten and edited by recognized leaders in the field

This authoritative text/reference presents a review of the history, current status, and potential future directions of computational biology in molecular evolution. Gathering together the unique insights of an international selection of prestigious researchers, this must-read volume examines the latest developments in the field, the challenges that remain, and the new avenues emerging from the growing influx of sequence data. These viewpoints build upon the pioneering work of David Sankoff, one of the founding fathers of computational biology, and mark the 50th anniversary of his first scientific article. The broad spectrum of rich contributions in this essential collection will appeal to all computer scientists, mathematicians and biologists involved in comparative genomics, phylogenetics and related areas.

Revealing essential roles of the tumor microenvironment in cancer progression, this volume focuses on the extracellular matrix components of the tumor during cancer development. Further, it teaches readers about the roles of distinct constituents of the tumor microenvironment and how they affect cancer development. Topics include heparan sulphate, hyaluronan, fibronectin, perlecan, glypican, matrix metalloproteinases, and much more. Taken alongside its companion volumes, Tumor Microenvironment: Extracellular Matrix Components - Part A updates us on what we know about the different aspects of the tumor microenvironment, as well as apprises us on the future advances in the field. For the newest generation of researchers, this volume serves as a useful introduction to the history of scientists' focus on the tumor microenvironment, and explores how this knowledge is currently applied in cancer treatments. The book is an essential text for advanced cell biology and cancer biology students, as well as for scientists seeking an update on the developments in tumor microenvironment research. All of the chapter authors are renowned international experts in the field of cancer biology, and in the specific subfields that are the focus of their chapters.

With the discovery of stem cells capable of multiplying indefinitely in culture and differentiating into many other cell types in appropriate conditions, new hopes were born in repair and replacement of damaged cells and tissues. The features of stem cells may provide treatment for some incurable diseases with some therapies are already in clinics, particularly those from adult stem cells. Some treatments will require large number of cells and may also require multiple doses, generating a growing demand for generating and processing large numbers of cells to meet the need of clinical applications. With this in mind, our aim is to provide a book on the subject of stem cells and cell therapy for researchers and students of cell biotechnology, bioengineering and bioproduction. This book is exceptional as it teaches researchers stem cells and cell therapy in that it covers the concepts and backgrounds necessary so that readers get a good understanding of the production of stem cells. The book covers three topics: The basics of stem cells and cell therapy, the use of stem cells for the treatment of human diseases, and stem cell processing. It includes chapters on neural and vascular stem vascular stem cell therapy, expansion engineering of embryonic stem cells, stem cell based production of blood cells and separation technologies for stem cells and cell therapy products. It is an informed and informative presentation of what modern research, science and engineering have learned about stem cells and their production and therapies. Addressing both the medical and production issues, this book is an invaluable contribution to having an academic and industrial understanding with respect to R&D and manufacturing of clinical grade stem cells.

The aspergilli are a fascinating group of fungi exhibiting immense ecological and metabolic diversity. These include notorious pathogens such as Aspergillus flavus, which produces aflatoxin, one of the most potent, naturally occurring, compounds known to man. Conversely, also included are other fungi, such as A. oryzae, involved in the industrial production of soy sauce and sake, or A. niger, used for the production of citric acid and enzymes, such as glucose oxidase and lysozyme. Such is the interest in Aspergillus that, to date, the sequences of fifteen different Aspergillus genomes have been determined, providing scientists with an exciting resource to improve the understanding of Aspergillus molecular genomics and acting as a spring board for mining for new metabolites and novel genes of industrial or medical importance. In this book, leading Aspergillus researchers review and summarize the most important aspects of Aspergillus molecular biology and genomics. The book opens with a fascinating overview of the genus Aspergillus. This is followed by in-depth reviews of: the Aspergillus molecular systematics * comparative genomics * bioinformatics and systems biology of Aspergillus * transcriptional regulation * genetics and genomics of sexual development of A. nidulans * genomics and secondary metabolism * ecology * development and gene regulation in A. flavus * functional systems biology * and novel industrial applications of A. oryzae genomics.