Book Description

The book covers a wide variety of topics, each integral to a complete understanding of genome evolution.The chapters are all authored by different experts in the respective fields, but all follow the same themes of integration, pluralism, and evolutionary implication.The book is written to be accessible to graduate students while still being relevant to researchers in genomics and evolutionary biology.

This book can serve as a supplement in genomics, genetics, evolution, and population biology courses. ... Read more

Book Description

In response to many requests, the Third Edition of A Primer of Population Genetics has been dramatically shortened and streamlined for greater accessibility. Designed primarily for undergraduates, it will also serve for graduate students and professionals in biology and other sciences who desire a concise but comprehensive overview of the field with a primary focus on the integration of experimental results with theory. The abundance of experimental data generated by the use of molecular methods to study genetic polymorphisms sparked a transformation in the field of population genetics. Present in virtually all organisms, molecular polymorphisms allow populations to be studied without regard to species or habitat, and without the need for controlled crosses, mutant genes, or for any prior genetic studies. Thus a familiarity with population genetics has become essential for any biologist whose work is at the population level. These fields include evolution, ecology, systematics, plant breeding, animal breeding, conservation and wildlife management, human genetics, and anthropology. Population genetics seeks to understand the causes of genetic differences within and among species, and molecular biology provides a rich repertoire of techniques for identifying these differences.

The book is organized as a user's guide to population genetics.

Chapter 1 starts with the basic concepts of molecular genetics and examines the principal methods by which DNA (or proteins) can be manipulated to reveal genetic polymorphisms in any population. Chapter 1 also includes the principles of population genetics underlying the organization of genetic variation in populations, with special emphasis on random mating, linkage equilibrium and disequilibrium, and inbreeding.

Chapter 2 examines the evolutionary processes that can change allele frequencies, including mutation, migration and population admixture, natural selection of various types, and random genetic drift. This chapter also includes an elementary explanation of the diffusion equations as used in population genetics.

Chapter 3 is the core of molecular population genetics. It includes the analysis of nucleotide polymorphism and diversity based on coalescents, patterns of change in nucleotide and amino acid sequences with special emphasis on codon usage bias and amino acid polymorphisms, inferences based on comparisons of levels of polymorphism and divergence, molecular phylogenetics, and the population dynamics of transposable elements.

Chapter 4 focuses on complex traits whose expression is influenced by multiple genes and environmental factors. It examines genetic effects on the components of phenotypic variation and the correlations between relatives, the evolution of quantitative traits in natural populations, and comes full circle with the use of molecular polymorphisms and candidate genes in the identification of quantitative trait loci underlying complex inheritance.

As for mathematical rigor, while there are some equations, the emphasis is on explanation rather than derivation. Only elementary algebra is necessary to follow most of the material, but a familiarity with basic calculus is helpful for understanding diffusion equations, Poisson random fields, and complex threshold traits. Mathematical symbols are used consistently throughout the book, and when results from the theoretical literature are quoted, the original symbols have been changed as necessary to maintain consistency.

Modern population genetics makes liberal use of acronyms-these are all defined in the text, and their interrelations and implications are discussed. For ease of reference there is a glossary of acronyms and other common abbreviations used in population genetics. The text also includes numerous practical examples showing how the theoretical concepts are applied to actual data, as well as chapter-end problems. ... Read more

Book Description

Massive data acquisition technologies--such as genome sequencing, high-throughput drug screening, and DNA arrays--are in the process of revolutionizing biology and medicine. This concise, user-friendly and interdisciplinary guide to DNA microarray technology is an introduction and a reference for both biologists and computational scientists.The authors describe the underlying technologies and offer an awareness of the "noise" and pitfalls present in the data generated. They also provide an idea of the different data mining techniques and algorithms that are available to interpret data, and the advantages and disadvantages of each in differing situations. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent book. Recommended.
This book has a good balance between experimental and computational methods. It provides a description of DNA microarray technologies, experimental protocols, and the multiple sources of noise and variability. The book contains an insightful overview of the computational issues and available algorithms for data analysis from differential expression, to dimensionality reduction and visualization (e.g. PCA), to clustering (e.g. hierarchical). New methods are described to gether with a good overview of available software, data bases, web sites, and other resources, as well as several "walk through" examples. I particularly enjoyed the last chapter on Systems Biology.

By far the best book on DNA microarrays.
"Very complete : covers both the experimental and the computational methods with specific examples. Written by two top scientists who have worked hard at complementing each other's strengths. I particularly enjoyed the last chapter on Systems Biology which provides a masterful overview of current resaerch trends." ... Read more

Book Description

In a journey across four continents, acclaimed science writer Steve Olson traces the origins of modern humans and the migrations of our ancestors throughout the world over the past 150,000 years. Like Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel, Mapping Human History is a groundbreaking synthesis of science and history. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including the latest genetic research, linguistic evidence, and archaeological findings, Olson reveals the surprising unity among modern humans and "demonstrates just how naive some of our ideas about our human ancestry have been" (Discover).Olson offers a genealogy of all humanity, explaining, for instance, why everyone can claim Julius Caesar and Confucius as forebears. Olson also provides startling new perspectives on the invention of agriculture, the peopling of the Americas, the origins of language, the history of the Jews, and more. An engaging and lucid account, Mapping Human History will forever change how we think about ourselves and our relations with others. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

A Fascinating Rebuttal Against Racism
Olson's "Mapping Human History" is written in a clear, easy to understand style that makes mitochondira, haplotypes and other archana of modern genetics fairly understandable to the lay reader.

Olson explains why most geneticists believe that modern humans, no matter how different they may seem, are biologically very similar. There is no room in this book for theories about how one "race" is somehow better than another--or even for the idea that the term "race" has any meaning at all. Our cultures may have divided us, but our DNA betrays the fact that we are all descended from a small group of modern humans who lived in eastern Africa about 100,000 years ago. There simply hasn't been enough time to make us dramatically different from each other, despite what racists would have us believe.

The theory that modern humans originated in Africa fairly recently and then spread throughout the world is still, of course, hotly debated. A number of reputable scientists favor the multiregional hypothesis, which claims that modern humans evolved in various places around the world from archaic populations already living in those regions. The mutliregional hypothesis implies that the differences between modern groups are deeply rooted in the very distant past. Olson clearly disagrees with that view, and he does a good job of presenting the genetic evidence that points to a more recent African origin (sometimes called the "Out of Africa II" hypothesis).

In the course of doing so, Olson touches on many interesting points. A few of the more striking were these:

First, Olson describes recent DNA research indicating that Neanderthals were in fact a different species from our own. This is another hotly debated proprosition, and I suspect that experts could criticize the DNA analysis that Olson describes on the grounds that it's pretty hard to make sense of 35,000 year old DNA. Still, Olson makes a good case that the new results are compelling and consistent with other evidence.

Second, Olson describes the Jewish tradition that the male descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses, will be the high priests of the Israelites. Genetic research among the kohanim (priests), who often have a surname like Cohen, Cohn, or Kahn, suggests that many of these persons are in fact descended from a common male ancestor, who may indeed have been Aaron.

Finally, Olson explains why everyone on the planet at this point probably has some genetic material contributed by Julius Caesar and Confucius, among others. It's a small world after all, at least as far as our DNA is concerned.

The only part of the book that I didn't enjoy were the last couple of chapters, which shift from the topic at hand (i.e., "mapping human history") to questions of ethics. While these issues are important, they are too complex to be explored well in the fifty or so pages that Olson alots to them, and the discussion tends to detract from the fascinating "deep history" that is the focus of the rest of the book.

Fascinating and Highly Readable
Steve Olson's Mapping Human History is a wonderful account of the journeys of modern man. The author explains all of the science involved in a very understandable and readable way so that all readers can follow this fascinating story. The narrative concerns the migration of man out of Africa and then all around the globe. Language and archeology play a part but this book focuses on the genetic clues to piece together this history which everyone alive today shares. Along the way, he debunks theories of race and any idea of biology as destiny. The author shows that we, modern humans, are all genetically related wherever we have recently hailed from. He does not shy away from the various controversies that swirl around these ideas but tackles them with great skill, particularly in the chapters focusing on the Americas. This is a very informative and entertaining book.

A MUST READ FOR THE LAYMAN
FOUND THIS BOOK THE BEST ON THE SUBJECT THAT I HAVE EVER READ! HIGHLY READABLE (NON-TECHNICAL) FOR US "LAYMAN" - WOULD NOT PART WITH MY EDITION AS I WILL BE RE-READING IT FOR SOME TIME TO COME! IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN THIS SUBJECT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS THOUGHTFUL, INFORMATIVE, AND OBJECTIVE HISTORY OF THE ORIGINS AND DISTRIBUTION OF "MODERN MANKIND".

The story of our race, the human race
It is a fortunate fact of history that wrongful prejudice can scare bear the light of truthful inquiry. Olson provides this truthful inquiry in his search for the origins and migrations of the human race from the African continent of 150,000 years ago to today. For those who have or would claim a "superior race" they find quick and strong rebuke in the fact of a common racial human origin. Today, there are some seven billion people on the planet. Two thousand years ago, that figure was around 200 million. One hundred thousand years ago, that figure was around 10,000. Ten thousand humans lived in Africa 100,000 years ago. We are therefore all litterally extended brothers and sisters. This book is the story of our race told through the unbiased perspective of our mitochondrial DNA. For those straining to recall high school science, our mitochondria are power plants of our cells. In evolutionary prehistory, they merged with regular cells before humans even existed. Because of the nature in how they are passed on, their DNA can be uniquely examined with an eye toward reviewing our maternal history. In this way, the story of our mothers becomes the story of us, taking us all back to same stooped endangered group of humans living in prehistoric Africa. This book is an excellent book to be read in conjunction with other historical studies, anthropological studies or studies on human development. Olson's accessible writing style makes his points easy to grasp and his obvious enthusiasm contagiously makes you want to read on and better understand.

Wonderful Book!
Steve Olson's Mapping Human History is an excellent introduction to historical genetics, and indeed it has been called by the New Scientist as "the most balanced, accessible and up-to-date survey of the field currently available." It is written by a renowned science journalist, not a scientist, who quotes and discusses the leaders in the field in a quite readable and entertaining fashion. The book has apparently offended some people by discounting ancestry (and racist offshoots) in light of the overwhelming evidence against the concept. However its scientific credentials are impeccable. ... Read more

Book Description

Human Genetics, 5/e is a non-science majors human genetics text that clearly explains what genes are, how they function, how they interact with the environment, and how our understanding of genetics has changed since completion of the human genome project. It is a clear, modern, and exciting book for citizens who will be responsible for evaluating new medical options, new foods, and new technologies in the age of genomics. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Decent..........
This is a good book, but the topic is so enormous that the book is too broad and should be more specific. The book is an overview of so many areas and it doesn't go into much detail. A excellent book for someone who is illiterate in human genetics like an undergraduate.

Excellent overview of the subject.
Very good read. Thorough discussion of underlying science and technology trends. Call me if you want more info : 510-664-3016. Peter Thottam. genesisla@aol.com. ... Read more

Book Description

Human Genetics, 6/e is a non-science majors human genetics text that clearly explains what genes are, how they function, how they interact with the environment, and how our understanding of genetics has changed since completion of the human genome project. It is a clear, modern, and exciting book for citizens who will be responsible for evaluating new medical options, new foods, and new technologies in the age of genomics. ... Read more

Book Description

This book represents a classic compilation of current knowledge about mouse development and its correlates to research in cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, and neuroscience. Emphasis is placed on the research strategy, experimental design, and critical analysis of the data, disguishing this from other books that only focus on protocols for mouse developmental research. Selected chapters are indexed to electronic databases such as GeneBank, GenBank, Electronic Mouse Atlas, and Transgenic/Knockout, further increasing the utility of this book as a reference.

*Broad-based overview of mouse development from fundamental to specialist levels
*Extensive coverage of a wide range of developmental mutations of the mouse
*Excellent benchmark illustrations of brain, craniofacial, gut and heart development
*In-depth experiment-based assessment of concepts in mammalian development
*Focus on models of specific relevance to human development
*Comprehensive reference to key literature and electronic databases related to mouse development
*High-quality full-color production ... Read more

Book Description

Principles of Population Genetics, Third Edition, provides a balanced presentation of theory and observation for students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In response to suggestions from students and instructors, the book has been trimmed more than 100 pages and rewritten with the goal to optimize its use as a teaching aid. It introduces the principles of genetics and statistics that are relevant to population studies, and examines the forces affecting genetic variation from the molecular to the organismic level. Integrated throughout the book are descriptions of molecular methods used to study variation in natural populations, as well as explanations of the relevant estimation theory using actual data. Chapter 1 presents the fundamental genetic and statistical concepts in population genetics. Chapter 2 reviews the types and prevalence of genetic variation in natural populations. This is followed in Chapter 3 by a detailed examination of the implications of random mating for one locus and multiple loci. Chapter 4 examines population subdivision and its consequences for the distribution of genetic variation among subpopulations, including the hierarchical F statistics used in estimating these effects. Chapters 5 through 7 deal with mutation, migration, natural selection in all its varieties, and the consequences of random genetic drift. Molecular population genetics, including coalescent theory, is the subject of Chapter 8. Quantitative genetics is covered in Chapter 9, from the standpoint of genetic variance and covariance components as well as with respect to molecular markers used to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Applications of principles discussed in the text are illustrated by numerous examples of worked problems, using actual data. Each chapter end, in addition to a complete summary, offers several problems for solution, to reinforce and further develop the concepts. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must-own.
A new revision of a work I already thought perfect. Adds population genetic approaches using new molecular techniques. Superb. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the follow-up to his bestseller, Genome, Matt Ridleytakes on a centuries-old question: is it nature or nurture that makes uswho we are? Ridley asserts that the question itself is a "falsedichotomy." Using copious examples from human and animal behavior, hepresents the notion that our environment affects the way our genesexpress themselves.

Ridley writes that the switches controlling our 30,000 or so genes notonly form the structures of our brains but do so in such a way as to cueoff the outside environment in a tidy feedback loop of body andbehavior. In fact, it seems clear that we have genetic "thermostats"that are turned up and down by environmental factors. He challenges bothscientific and folk concepts, from assumptions of what's malleable in aperson to sociobiological theories based solely on the "selfish gene."

Ridley's proof is in the pudding for such touchy subjects as monogamy,aggression, and parenting, which we now understand have some geneticcontrols. Nevertheless, "the more we understand both our genes and ourinstincts, the less inevitable they seem." A consummate popularizer ofscience, Ridley once again provides a perfect mix of history, genetics,and sociology for readers hungry to understand the implications of thehuman genome sequence. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (20)

I almost skipped this one but...
"Nature via Nurture"; the title sounds like a dead horse that doesn't need to be beaten any more. I decided to pick this one up because I love Ridley's work, and because it is read by the author. What a treat that is! With the author reading the book, you know that the nuances are correct, and that the abridgement isn't harming the message.

The discussions in this book are dramatically and importantly different from other discussions of "Nature/Nurture", and I can hardly recommend it strongly enough. What is different is the degree of specificity that Ridley brings to the conversation. He demonstrates from a dozen different points of view HOW causality flows both ways, from the genes to the environment and back. He also pokes holes in logical fallacies one hears all the time - for example, the assertion that a feature is not genetic because the specific genes have not (and in some cases may not ever) been identified. A well-constructed twin study positively identifies heritability of traits; tracking that heritability back to a spot on a chromosome is useful and interesting but not necessary.

There is also basic science here that the lay reader might not otherwise learn for years. For instance, until very recently it was thought that there was a one to one correlation between genes and their proteins. It was also unknown what, if any, purpose breaking genes apart into exons on the chromosome served. Now we have discovered that many - ninety five on one mouse gene - different versions of one exon can exist on the chromosome, allowing one gene to make many different versions of its protein. Different versions mediated by... environment, of course.

Much of the information here is counter-intuitive. For instance, the more egalitarian a society is, the more the heritabilaty of traits becomes manifest. Potentially confusing, certainly mind-bending, and who better than Ridley to explain it?

If you are interested in biology, read this book.

If ever a wiz, a wiz there was, if ever a wiz there was
Matt Ridley has written a very good book on the origins of human behavior. It's worth reading two or three times just to keep all the information straight, unless you're one who just downloads what you read into your file cabinet of a mind. Well,... not I, this was difficult. In that other reveiwers here have gone into an adequate description of the book I'd like to assume a different tack. Why did Ridley follow up "Genome" with "Nature via Nurture?"

It seems that he's gone to great lengths to establish a postulate that genes are enabling forces that engage nature in some sort of a closed feed-back loop whereby they're switched on and off by yet other genes in response to the influences of outside events. This is fascinating and makes perfect sense. Yet we also learn of genes that govern our ability to pair-bond/ to form loving relationships, genes for agression vs timidity, genes for criminal behavior, genes for fear and courage, for intensity vs calmness, and a myriad of other behavioral traits, abilities and characteristics. Can these traits be changed by outside events?

We find that restraint is the lynchpin of culture, and it's that which separates us from the apes. We also learn that specialization and division of labor are unique to humans relative to animals who have to do everything for themselves. This all has a plausible ring to it does it not? Again and again we're told of all the different ways that genes/nature are coupled with nurture/environment until we become intellectually dizzy with all the permutations of information derived from history, science and societal differences. We learn of the countless ways genes can and do interact. It's a full bucket of information!

Then we get to the twin studies and the hereitability of traits and behavioral characteristics. This is fascinating. Identical twins have a far greater incidence of hereitible traits than fraternal twins. And, even if they've been separated at birth they show remarkable similarities in every way when they're reintroduced 35 years later, even when brought up in entirely different surroundings. Somehow the environmental side of the equation failed to switch those genes on and off in a way that would have radically changed their behavior in the interim. However, it's not politically correct to say this. After all, political correctness has always been the province of those on the Left who have made the claim that the perfect socialist man will result if inflenced with the proper environmental stimuli, from birth or otherwise. Ridley points out that this form of societal organization has resulted in gulags and mass murder, but that logic hasn't seemed to have affected the collective worldveiws of those who have what the author Thomas Sowell refers to as "the vision of the annointed." In any event, Ridley brings all of these competing theories into play while nudging his premise toward the middle of the political road. He does it well!

The book "Taboo", by a track and field guy whose name escapes me, goes into great length on the dominance that some racial groups have in certain sports and in certain track and field events. Thomas Sowell has written repeatedly about how different nationalities have become adept at different tasks or trades in different areas of the world. And, J.Philip Rushton has written extensively on this subject in his book, "race, evolution and behavior." Whether one agrees with these gentlemen or not their work deserves discussion. While Ridley eschews this radioactive info he does go into the work of Jane Goodall with the Chimps in Gombi. I believe that Ridley is acutely aware of this point of view, but that he's doesn't want to be pegged as a radical in favor of genetic determinism (and I don't believe that he is a radical). However, he knows that when one goes too far in favor of "nurture" as a deciding behavioral factor that one can be caricatured and more easily dismissed by the political enemies of ones position.

I'm hopeful that research will soon tell us what it is that makes it so common for humans to blind themselves from accepting new information into their old theories of how the world works; to tell us, how a man might change his belief system and subsequently his behavior patterns. When this feedback loop is established mankind will take a quantum leap forward. Ridley is a magnificent narrator in this endeavor and I look forward to his continuing tale with eager anticipation. The excitement is evident as new information flows into this on-going debate, and I agree with Ridley as he says, "it's the most profound intellectual moment in the history of mankind", truly a magic time to be alive!

Good general concepts ruined by bias in examples
I am reviewing the Agile Gene, which is a reprint of Nature via Nurture (it is the identical book). The first part of the book gave me hope for some sort of middle ground where a popular scientist might acknowledge the complexity of how indirectly genes and biology affect human behavior (as opposed to the glib "gay gene discovered," "gene for aggression discovered" articles you see so often).

He did this-- his book acknowledges, for example, that if you do a twin study of families in middle-class America, you have indirectly limited the influence of the environment (by excluding more diverse cultures) and therefore the influence of genes on variability in a trait will be larger. The problem is, he then proceeds to completely ignore this informative, nuanced view when tackling the controversial issues that get people interested in the Nature-Nurture debate in the first place (gender roles, homosexuality, and mental illness for example).

Like so many science writers, he has little apparent knowledge of the humanities, social history, etc., and he holds his own preferred beliefs about human nature to a lower standard of proof than his opponents'. It is actually true that, as part of his defense of the idea of innate gender roles, he made reference to both the humorist Dave Barry *and* the popular work "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus." Don't get me wrong, I like Dave Barry, but he would be the first one to point out that he's not a scientific authority on cross-cultural gender studies!

Ridley claims that [American or British] men's focus on "things" over "relationships" is genetic, but this idea, combined with his bit on homosexuality, merely shows that he needs to travel more. In America, women have much gushier friendships than men-they have "girlfriends" but we aren't supposed to have "boyfriends"-but this is not true in most places. In Latin America and many parts of Asia, Africa, and southern Europe, it is normal for straight men to kiss each other, hold hands, sometimes even have rituals of commitment to their friendships, etc. This also challenges the "gay gene" hypothesis: if big chunks of what Americans call "gay" are considered to be "straight" throughout the rest of the world, what would the gay gene code for? Even if it coded strictly for sex, in Mexico the top boy is often considered straight, and plenty of people everywhere experiment outside their "official" orientation. What all of this shows is that even if you have a gene for something, language and culture get added to it to create the final meaning. Ridley even acknowledges this ("genes enable, they don't restrict") but doesn't follow his own theory to its logical conclusion.

In his section about the genetic basis of monogamy, he infers that because Margaret Mead failed to find a truly sexually libertine society in Samoa, they must not exist anywhere. (Mead was seeking a society without a taboo on premarital sex, which she could now find in any major American city.) He also assumes that all experiments with open marriage in Western societies had failed; if he had actually taken the time to look, he would know that people still practice open marriage today. Yes, some people have a lot of trouble with jealousy and give up on it, but others I have met find that open relationships are second nature to them. So, if Mr. Ridley had taken the time to talk to anyone from the cultures he claims cannot exist, he could have an interesting discussion about individual differences in sexual jealousy (genetic or environmental?). Instead, we simply learn that, in addition to not knowing where the social history section of the library is, Matt Ridley also does not know how to find subcultures on the Internet or check his local alternative paper for club meetings.

In an otherwise-well-written chapter, he says that schizophrenia genes might have survived natural selection because in another combination they can lead to inventiveness. Well and good, but another reason these genes could be passed down is because not all cultures see "hearing voices" as a bad thing-some even see it as a form of religious inspiration! Even among those cultures that do see it as bad, most cultures do not leave their ill members out in the woods to die. But in Ridley-land, our ancestors were apparently all American Republicans in gated communities who go on rants about the danger of socialized medicine!

I find it truly scary that this man has written a book called "Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature." He doesn't know the first thing about the diversity of human sexuality, friendship, or love. On the other hand, his book HAS awakened me to a new truth: maybe the problem with advocates of genetic sources of behavior isn't so much the fact that they believe that human diversity comes from genetic sources, as the fact that they base their theories on so little knowledge of what human diversity actually entails. Whether it's based on genes, environment, both, or neither, there's a whole lot more under the sun than is dreamt of in Matt Ridley's philosophy.

Another excellent work from Ridley
Following on from Genome (which I've reviewed), I find Matt Ridley very easy to read.

Here he selects 12 'Hairy Scientists', some famous (eg Freud, Pavlov, Darwin), some not so famous, and weaves a wonderful story as he takes us through the highs and lows of their research & that of their contemporaries, bringing us right up to date with the Genome. With interesting anecdotes he brings each individual to life.

The 7 moral conclusions at the end were particularly useful, especially No. 2 "being a good parent still matters"

Given I'm now in the process of reading a similar book with some very poor illustrations, it was only afterwards looking back, that I see that I was entertained & educated without the need for any sketches or diagrams, and yet didn't feel cheated, deprived or confused.

C'mon now...
You can be reasonably sure that any "scientist" who readily endorses Lomborg's The Skeptical Environmentalist is inappropriately abusing his position to promote his political agenda. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Concise introduction to the origin of life.
An excellent book about the origins of life. Dyson does an excellent job of clarifying the main issues concerning the origins of life while introducing some of his own ideas. He keeps it all together in a very tight package.

His own theory about the origin of life is quite interesting and probably could be expanded upon, especially in light of other, similar mathematical treatments such as those of Manfred Eigen.

Bright Light
Great short book. A good way to spend an hour and learn a lot on the way.

Like A Physicist Out of Water
I love science fiction, and this book is science fiction, but with one serious flaw: The author is a physicist and his lack of training in chemisty, genetics, and biology is an embarrassment throughout the book; which I guess is why he kept it to 90 pages; he ran out of things to say. Having a physicist explain biology is like having a biologist explain physics. Hello?! Does this make sense? No, and neither does this book.

A Short Book That Says a Lot
In 91 pages of text Freeman Dyson says some surprising and wonderful things, and turns around some conventional notions about the place of replicating molecules such as DNA and RNA in early life. His view is that they came later - perhaps much later - after metabolism was established in cells that reproduced sloppily and approximately, but had robust-enough homeostatic mixes that a split was usually successful. This view was approximately that of a Russian named Oparin 75 years ago, but the dazzle of the genome has turned almost everyone to thinking that precise replicators had priority in the development of life over haphazard metabolizers.

Dyson does not depend on hand-waving and vague argument to draw these conclusions. He reviews what is known and the main extant theories of life's origin, then introduces his own, using a "toy model" that abstracts the chemistry and draws conclusions about steady-state solutions that might work. As befits a great theoretician, it is an elegant and powerful bit of theorizing, but does not wander from the constraints of the chemistry -- as far as he knows. But Dyson is clear that the point of his model is to stimulate experiment, and that organic chemists will be the ones to judge the usefulness and viability of his assumptions.

Unless you are a physicist, you won't follow some of his work in solving for the model, but you can trust the math and the physics when it comes from Freeman Dyson. Just glance at the equations and graphs, but follow the words in his model chapter and get a real feel for the kind of system that proto-life might have been.

He makes a good case for the essence of life being complexity, and that the conceptual purity and rigor of the gene has distracted us from the "tangled bank" that life at all levels, from bacterial cell to ecosystem to economy, seems to exemplify. Error tolerance -- being able to carry on in the midst of junk and in spite of "mistakes" -- seems to be more characteristic of life than exactness. That's a pleasing notion in an uptight age.

a fun quick read
my eyes glazed over on the chapter with the math but i was still able to get a decent overall review of the key issues..he has his own favorite theory but acknowledges opposing ones..i respect that. i feel more ready to tackle other books on the subject, as a result ... Read more

Book Description

The first comprehensive synthesis on development and evolution: it applies to all aspects of development, at all levels of organization and in all organisms, taking advantage of modern findings on behavior, genetics, endocrinology, molecular biology, evolutionary theory and phylogenetics to show the connections between developmental mechanisms and evolutionary change. This book solves key problems that have impeded a definitive synthesis in the past. It uses new concepts and specific examples to show how to relate environmentally sensitive development to the genetic theory of adaptive evolution andto explain major patterns of change. In this book development includes not only embryology and the ontogeny of morphology, sometimes portrayed inadequately as governed by "regulatory genes," but also behavioral development and physiological adaptation, where plasticity is mediated by genetically complex mechanisms like hormones and learning. The book shows how the universal qualities of phenotypes--modular organization and plasticity--facilitate both integration and change. Here you will learn why it is wrong to describe organisms as genetically programmed; why environmental induction is likely to be more important in evolution than random mutation; and why it is crucial to consider both selection and developmental mechanism in explanations of adaptive evolution. This book satisfies the need for a truly general book on development, plasticity and evolution that applies to living organisms in all of their life stages and environments. Using an immense compendium of examples on many kinds of organisms, from viruses and bacteria to higher plants and animals, it shows how the phenotype is reorganized during evolution to produce novelties, and how alternative phenotypes occupy a pivotal role as a phase of evolution that fosters diversification and speeds change. The arguments of this book call for a new view of the major themes of evolutionary biology, as shown in chapters on gradualism, homology, environmental induction, speciation, radiation, macroevolution, punctuation, and the maintenance of sex. No other treatment of development and evolution since Darwin'soffers such a comprehensive and critical discussion of the relevant issues. Developmental Plasticity and Evolution is designed for biologists interested in the development and evolution of behavior, life-history patterns, ecology, physiology, morphology and speciation. It will also appeal to evolutionary paleontologists, anthropologists,psychologists, and teachers of general biology. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A milestone in the study of phenotypic plasticity
For any evolutionary biologist interested in how evolutionary events are molded and modulated by phenotypic plasticity and developmental processes this book is a "must have". It is a huge, widesweeping review and synthesis of the problem of development and evolution. It will remain as the benchmark for the field for many years. No one can approach this subject without having read this book. In perspective it ranges from the molecular to the macroevolutionary, but always manages to maintain a highly readable style.

A vital contribution to evolutionary theory
Developmental Plasticity and Evolution by Mary Jane West-Eberhard is an enormously important contribution to the modern (neo-Darwinian) theory of organic evolution. It presents a new way of understanding evolution. The book teaches us how environmental induction of purely phenotypic events, including learning, can drive evolution, and why a plastic and modular phenotype should replace mutation at the center stage of evolutionary thinking. It is my prediction that this book will precipitate a revolution in thought within biology, but that this will take time, as has any major new idea. Biologists in all fields related to evolution are encouraged to read this work.

The book contains a masterful synthesis of biological facts and theories on the broadest of scales. It unites all disciplines within the biological sciences. It is not, however, merely an impressive review. Rather, it captures a vast collection of data and brilliantly organizes it around a set of fundamental principles about development and evolution from which the main messages of the book are crystallized. Whereas many of the concepts may be described as relatively simple, contemplating the connections between them, as well as their overall unification, becomes an infinitely more challenging and fascinating task. It is from this unification that West-Eberhard's coherent theory of development and evolution blossoms. Expertly guiding the reader from individual concepts to coherent theory, West-Eberhard captures our imagination at every twist and turn, and catapults the reader's mind in a myriad of unexpected directions. The writing is crisp, clean and captivating. The book is filled with exciting and highly felicitous examples from natural history, touching upon the lives of all kinds of organisms, from prions to elm trees and African elephants. The pages are richly textured with detailed examples, illustrations and various intellectual gems. One such delight is a discussion of Darwin's pangenesis theory and how it fails in light of sterile castes in the Hymenoptera.

The book's main contribution to modern evolutionary biology is the revolutionary idea that environmental influences on development, not mutation, are the first order cause of design. This view is a fundamental alteration of emphasis in a field obsessed with genes, genetic drift and mass selection. The book places major emphasis on the importance of genetic accommodation, which occurs when developmentally-mediated changes in the phenotype are molded by quantitative genetic change. The hypothesis of genetic accommodation can be understood as beginning when the environment induces a phenotypic change. This change imposes a new selective regime onto pre-existing polygenic variation. In this way, we are encouraged to understand genes as "followers", as opposed to "leaders" in evolution. The variants can be inherited in subsequent generations if the environmental conditions inducing them are recurrent, and if there is genetic variation underlying the population in the developmental capacity to produce them. Natural selection will favor the spread of a particular environmentally-induced variant when it has positive effects on individual fitness. Although both mutation and environmental induction are considered important modes of initiation of new phenotypic variation, West-Eberhard's argument is that environmental induction is in fact more important.

This thesis challenges the modern gene-centered view of evolution, and in so doing, drives the final nail in the coffin of the "one-gene-one-phenotype" illusion. The book encourages the view that a unified science of evolution can only be achieved with a thorough integration of development into evolutionary biology. To this end, Mary Jane West-Eberhard's treatise is an enormous success. By showing how environmentally influenced development contributes to the origin of novelty in all organisms, the book provides a key missing component of a modern evolutionary theory that biology has been lacking since Darwin. The book is essential reading for all graduate students, researchers and teachers of biology.

Evolution and the Genotype-Phenotype Map
For me, West-Eberhard's Developmental Plasticity and Evolution is the most far reaching integration of evolution, ecology and development since Darwin's Origin of Species. This is not merely a review of the literature, it is a book with a definite point of view. In the preface she writes: " The universal environmental responsiveness of organisms, along side genes, influences individual development and organic evolution, and this realization compels us to reexamine the major themes of evolutionary biology in a new light". Like The Origin of Species, this book is meticulous in bringing evidence to bear on each issue. Meticulous does not mean boring! The lucid prose is full of passionate intensity and you follow the author's thinking as you both grapple with each challenge. Along the way, we learn a lot of fascinating biology used as examples to bolster particular ideas.
Who should read this book? Anyone interested in understanding the forces at work in the origin and nature of biodiversity. Undergraduates and graduate students with few vested interests in maintaining narrow disciplinary approaches are the most likely to truly enlarge their world view from reading this work. Will you agree with everything in this large and courageous book? Probably not. Just as we are constantly examining Darwin's propositions, this book challenges us to defend and expand our current thinking. Understanding the interrelations of genes, developmental processes and ecology and their consequences for evolution is an ongoing task and this is the kind of book to shape the discourse in the emerging evo-eco-devo integration for at least a generation to come.

Adaptive, flexible phenotypes: A radical, very good idea
This book is meant to educate - to lead away from the sterile debates of causation as NATURE OR NURTURE. It is a monumental achievement by a careful thinker (recent recepient of the SSE's Sewall Wright award), and it will likely change the way you think about how genes and environments interact through development to affect phenotypic expression. If you have ever been confused about ideas in evolutionary process and how phenotypes arise, this is a book you should read. West-Eberhard's treatment of the more-difficult ideas is comprehensive - with enough examples to appeal to the backgrounds of most readers. The book is full of wonderful details of animal behavior, plant biology, the social wasps West-Eberhard has watched her whole life, and much, much more. It will spark much new research - perhaps for decades to come. It will become a citation classic. She has taken on one of the more contentious of all modern debates. For that, for her exhaustive discussion, and for the power of her conclusions, she will be criticized and rediculed. Take my advice: buy the book, read it, think about what it says, and decide for yourself . I think West-Eberhard's achievement is an awesome contribution.

commentary
Did the Boston critic fail to find his or her name cited? Perusal would have turned up references to work published in 2000,2001 and 2002. The review was not helpful! ... Read more

Amazon.com

What makes DNA different from hordes of competitors purporting tohelp readers understand genetics is that it is written by none otherthan James Watson, of Watson and Crick fame. He and his co-author AndrewBerry have produced a clear and easygoing history of genetics, fromMendel through genome sequencing. Watson offers readers a sense ofimmediacy, a behind-the scenes familiarity with some of the mostexciting developments in modern science. He gleefully reports on theresearch juggernaut that led to current obsessions with geneticengineering and cloning. Aided by profuse illustrations and photos, Watson offers an enthusiastic account of how scientists figured out how DNA codes for the creation of proteins--the so-called "central dogma" of genetics. But aspatents and corporations enter the picture, Watson reveals his concernabout the incursions of business into the hallowed halls of science.

After 1975, DNA was no longer solely the concern ofacademics trying to understand the molecular underpinnings of life. Themolecule moved beyond the cloisters of white-coated scientists into avery different world populated largely by men in silk ties and sharpsuits.

In later chapters, Watson aims barbs at those who are concerned bygenetic tinkering, calling them "alarmists" who don't understand how theexperiments work. It is in these arguments that Watson may lose favorwith those whose notions of science were born after Silent Spring.Nevertheless, DNA encompasses both sides of the political issuesinvolved in genetics, and Watson is an enthusiastic proponent of debateon the subject. The book accompanies a 5-part PBS series. --ThereseLittleton ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Genetic revolution from Mendel to human genome sequencing
Fifty years ago author and scientist James D. Watson helped launch an investigation into the phenomena of human DNA with publication of his now-famous "Double Helix" book: today he gives the first history of the genetic revolution from Mendel to human genome sequencing. Individual chapters consider the rise of molecular science, provide explanations of DNA processes and emerging new sciences surrounding genetics, and provides general-interest readers with a fine blend of science and social issues. This is an important survey and a "must" for school and community library Science and Biology collections.

Unfolding story of DNA and genetics, and its implications
James Watson's book, DNA: The Secret of Life, describes the history of DNA and genetics from a scientist who was an eyewitness to the revolutions in genetics. Watson helped discover the 3D structure of the double helix, and led out as a director of the Human Genome Project. There are three main aspects to this book: 1) the recent and on-going history of scientific discoveries in the exploration of genetics, 2) the mechanics of how things work (such as how DNA replicates or is cloned, or how genes are linked to diseases, etc.) and 3) the author's perspective of how life evolved.

Prior to the discovery of DNA, people have been playing around with heredity and the role of inheriting traits in breading animals and agriculture since the beginning of history. But with the developments of science, the study of genetics has brought more light to the subject. Watson talks about the people who contributed to the emerging field of genetics, from Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin, through the "eugenics" movement of the early 1900's, to the Human Genome Project. By telling the stories of the struggles in science, with the author's frankness, honesty and wit, Watson gains authority and authenticity in the presentation of his information. This book is illuminating and will arouse an interest in the subject of genetics in every reader.

My only personal problem with the book is that the author presents his opinions and perspectives within the text as if his opinions themselves were facts, while in truth there are many issues that are still debated. Watson starts with the founding assumption, or presupposition that life is the result of chance. He makes some unfounded assertions or conclusions that might have other alternate viewpoints. For example, he goes from talking about the chemical properties and processes of DNA replication, jumping to how life began in an "RNA world." He also implies that Arthur Kornberg had created "life in a test tube," while Kornberg himself has written that he did not, in fact, create life. (Journal of Bacteriology)

Watson also asserts that, "The Human Genome Project has proved Darwin more right than Darwin himself would ever have dared dream." But on what basis can he say this? The HGP merely sequenced and mapped DNA and cannot prove anything by itself. Watson employs circular thinking to support evolutionary claims: "proofs" that are founded on the presupposition that humans are results of evolution. The primary argument for evolution is the similarity between all biological systems. But, what if all biological systems were designed similarly on purpose? If something works well in one place, why redesign it? Watson believes that the "grandest mission" of molecular biology is to answer questions about ourselves and our origins as a species. But, as long as scientists start with the presupposition that humans are the result of evolution, the results will always be interpreted that way. So my only caution is that you should distinguish what is actually fact and what is merely the author's speculation.

Anyway, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the subject of genetics. Watson presents almost every aspect of the subject in clear detail, and he is frank about the ethical and social implications of the discoveries that are sure to challenge traditional ways of thinking.

Great General Science Book!
This book IS mostly about DNA, but it contains so much more. Watson is one of the best science writers of all time. He makes it so interesting that even the most unknowledgable layman of all time will grasp most of the concepts in this vivid portrait. It reads like a novel at times and like an excerpt from a scientific journal other times. If you don't like reading, buy this book for the pictures, it has very interesting pictures with great captions! There is a picture on nearly every page! This book is really interest for scientist and layman alike!

UNTEACHABLETRUTH
Oakland schoolchildren can have their DNA tested. They are pleased at the surprising news abour "race." Every human being can be traced to Africa; there never was a master race, a slave race or a foreign race. No more name-calling. No more excuses. The pill may be a little bitter, but science has made humanity better, and equal.

Here is a textboook which every child - on earth - should read. But where do we find teachers?

DNA is fascinating. John Kerry's prominent jaw is a genetic trait.; he's not an alien but a fellow African. An ancestor way back had a mutated gene, that's all. I inherited my dad's bushy eyebrows. If you have freckles - well?

Charlize Theron might have 100% perfect genes, but genes aren't everything. She and her mother speak a German dialect which is not genetic. Watson's book mistakenly implies DNA explains languages. The ability to speak is genetic , but thousands of separate languages evolved by usage; a prominent linguist suggests they all came from a common ancestral language. Out of Africa.

Another mistake in Watson's book is asserting we will never know why humans created "culture." He's not an economist. I would love to explain how foraging tribes got into the art business, but Melinda Gates scoffs at my funding application. Microsoft, mysteriously, owns a chunk of the DNA action.

The fundamental problem with this astounding book is that Watson and other DNA scientists cannot shake off the "Hitler problem" - extermination of genetically "inferior" people. Eugenics was a moronic American movement which led to vast horror - the Holocaust. Warson should be able to get his science off that hook, but doesn't.

Can any teacher use this textbook without preaching eugenics?

Shooting quacks
James Watson has long been a hero to many, including this humble reviewer. His justified fame is augmented with a laudable forthrightness, a rarity in this era of political correctness and fear of new scientifically grounded knowledge of the nature of the human beast. His honesty in confronting the meaning in the data and willingness to take on the theologians and the pseudo-scientific quacks who infest the departments of theology, anthropology, psychology and sociology of the academies is an inspiration to us all.

DNA is not just a book about genes and DNA. It is about the essential nature of man himself, and the political controversies generated by the new insights. Is is a tale of how this new science is finally vanquishing the old wives' tales, the mantras of the bishops, and the ignorance of the wishful thinkers. Watson is a brilliant exponent of the hard truth over the comfortable conformity.

He was, though, I thought, a little hard on the eugenics movement of the early part of the last century. This is an idea that has never really been vanquished, nor should it be--man will (hopefully) never cease to try to improve himself and his race. These men knew, as we must, that in these matters we are required to proceed in the absence of perfect information about the consequences of our natal policies. In a hundred years our present ignorance will stand revealed, as will that be two hundred years hence. Should we rely on what we know now, or should we only rely on tradition, theologians, and mass-media induced hysteria in the meantime?

On race, Watson is courageous and not afraid to let the data take us where it will. He believes that we have a lot to learn yet on this subject, and is not ready to be pushed around by the dogmatists who are only to willing to tell us how to think. Good for him!

The book is an excellent read, and is very attractive in its layout and generous illustrations. The writing style he uses is exceptionally clear--even conversational at times, navigating the space between talking down to the reader and an academic rant with great skill and sensitivity to his audience. It has a lot for the reader already knowledgeable about molecular biology, as well as, incredibly, the general reader. ... Read more

Book Description

DNA Technology, Second Edition, is a survey of biotechnology written to enlighten readers about the breakthroughs made possible by the science and technologies associated with current DNA research. Ed Alcamo gives the educated layperson a survey of DNA by presenting a brief history of genetics, a clear outline of techniques that are in use, and indications of breakthroughs in cloning and other DNA advances. Appropriate for a wide range of courses for non-biology majors, including a ODNA for Lawyers course or allied health and nursing courses.

* An introductory treatment of aspects of DNA technology written to enlighten the reader about the breakthroughs made possible by the science and technologies associated with DNA
* Emphasizes the practical implications and applications of the new genetic technologies; readers will come away saying, "So that's what DNA technology is all about!"
* Helps students, business people, lawyers, and jurists gain more confidence in their ability to to understand and appreciate DNA technology and human genetics
* Persons with genetic diseases will gain a clearer understanding of their afflictions and understand the bases for possible cures
* Agriculturists will have insight into the genetic basis for gene-altered plants and animals
* The general public will better appreciate the nature and reasons for the Human Genome Project now in progress ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent book
Easy read, topics explained well. Would definitely recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about biotechnology.

Great Book for Beginners
This is a great book for beginners - easy to understand, yet you can grasp some big pictures. Serious learners might want to look for more advanced level books, as I had to use other books whenever I needed to learn in depth.

The best academic general guide
Are you looking for something usefull and can be understood clearly at the first time?This is the most helpfull guide if you are not proffessio nally working on a research.For collegers and Eastern universities:Ferfect introduction to the field.Do not worry not to having enought experience on the field.This book will carry you to where ever you want to go. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the second edition of a highly successful textbook (over 50,000 copies sold) in which a highly illustrated, narrative text is combined with easy–to–use thoroughly reliable laboratory protocols. It contains a fully up–to–date collection of 12 rigorously tested and reliable lab experiments in molecular biology, developed at the internationally renowned Dolan DNA Learning Center of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which culminate in the construction and cloning of a recombinant DNA molecule.

Proven through more than 10 years’ of teaching at research and nonresearch colleges and universities, junior colleges, community colleges, and advanced biology programs in high school, this book has been successfully integrated into introductory biology, general biology, genetics, microbiology, cell biology, molecular genetics, and molecular biology courses.

The first eight chapters have been completely revised, extensively rewritten, and updated. The new coverage extends to the completion of the draft sequence of the human genome and the enormous impact these and other sequence data are having on medicine, research, and our view of human evolution. All sections on the concepts and techniques of molecular biology have been updated to reflect the current state of laboratory research.

The laboratory experiments cover basic techniques of gene isolation and analysis, honed by over 10 years of classroom use to be thoroughly reliable, even in the hands of teachers and students with no prior experience. Extensive prelab notes at the beginning of each experiment explain how to schedule and prepare, while flow charts and icons make the protocols easy to follow.

As in the first edition of this book, the laboratory course is completely supported by quality–assured products from the Carolina Biological Supply Company, from bulk reagents, to useable reagent systems, to single–use kits, thus satisfying a broad range of teaching applications. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

spotless
This book is the best book on the subject on the market. The subject matter is juxtaposed by easy yet informative experiments that can be carried out in a normal scholastic setting. I hear the writers are all hotties. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Absolutely Terrific
This text is just really great. The choice of words that go into the explanations are top notch. This was the requred textbook in my recombinant DNA course.

It is written by biologists for biologists; very technical very exact; again just absolutely terrific for both review and in depth understanding.

The only downfall I would say is that the Index isn't as good as it could be, but other than that I think every biology graduate student should own it....yeah its that good IMHO.

Excellent overview of a very exciting field
Certainly one of the most exciting developments in the last quarter century, genetic engineering is also one of the most controversial, and discussions of it are typically accompanied by vehemence and exaggerations. An objective study of genetic engineering is thus mandatory for everyone in the 21st century. This book is one of the best treatments of genetic engineering that I have read, and I am speaking not as a biologist but as someone actively involved in bioinformatics and computational biology. The explanations of the techniques of genetic engineering are excellent and the reader with a fairly good background in biochemistry should have no problem following the presentation. Readers without such a background will find the reading a little more demanding. One can only admire the ingenuity of the many researchers and technicians who have developed these techniques. The only thing missing in the book are exercises at the end of each chapter to test the readers understanding of the relevant concepts.

The last five chapters of the book are the most interesting ,for it is in these chapters that the authors discuss the genetic manipulation of animals, transgenic strategies, and biotechnology. We are all priveleged to be witnessing the development of new breeds of plants and animals, and hopefully this trend will continue in the 21st century. The impact of genetic engineering for medicine and agriculture will be immense, but even more mundance activities such as gardening and horticulture will be even more interesting with the development of new kinds of plants via transgenic strategies. In addition, genetic engineering is finding applications to areas outside of biology. It was recently reported that genetically engineered viruses are being used to assist in the development of quantum dots in microelectronics.

Some of the features of the book I found particularly helpful or interesting were: 1. The numerous diagrams employed in the book that tie concepts together or give flow charts for laboratory procedures. 2. The discussion on the physics of gel electrophoresis. Apparently the dynamics of stained molecules undergoing electrophoresis is poorly understood. 3. The historical and anecdotal information that the authors include at various places in the book. 4. The discussion on optimizing translation. The degeneracy of the genetic code might lead one to believe that the choice of codons by genes is essentially a random process. The authors argue this is not the case and give excellent references for further reading on this. Apparently protein translation is a tight scheme, and again, this is surprising given the degeneracy of the genetic code. 5. The box on express sequence tags. The most interesting part of this discussion was on the legal issues involving the patenting of ESTs. The patent applications were rejected because ESTs were viewed as incomplete sequences. This rejection might serve as a precedent to future attempts to patent genes or complete genomes. Will some of these patents be rejected on the grounds that genes do not completely determine the protein(s) or phenotype(s)? Whatever the outcome, the legal profession in the 21st century will have to deal with information-theoretic criteria when addressing patent issues in genetic engineering. 6. The listing of the Internet tools available for gene sequencing and protein structure. 7. The discussion on the quantitative effect of sequence accuracy on gene accuracy, assuming the random occurence of sequencing errors. The diagram shown of average sequence-error rate versus the fraction of error-free genes shows clearly the importance of robust and precise sequence-similarity search algorithms. Interestingly, the authors argue that, in spite of the success of statistical methods in these algorithms, the use of these methods will decrease as new sequences are accumulated and sequence conservation is used as the criterion for gene identification. They do however state that these methods will still remain useful for localizing frame shifts and for the choice of the initiation codon. 8. The box on the modes of replication of circular DNA molecules. The biophysicist reader will appreciate the discussion on the two types of replication: by theta-like structures or the rolling-circle type of mechanism. 9. The discussion on applications of transgenic mice, position effects, and transgene silencing. The authors discussion of the efficacy of transgenic strategies in mice progeny is fascinating in that some mice progeny has expression that was very different from that of the parents, or even absent. The authors give a brief discussion of boundary elements and matrix attachment regions with references for further reading. 10. The short discussion on transgenic fish. 11. The box on control of transgene expression in plants. 12. The discussion on the use of immunosuppressant drugs as chemical inducers of dimerization. The side effects of these drugs has prompted research into finding transgene induction strategies that do not have these side-effects. 13. The discussion on post-translational inducible protein activity. 13. The discussion on visible marker genes, especially the discussion on green flourescent protein. 15. The discussion on the use of antisense RNA to regulate gene expression in prokaryotes. 16. The discussion on the use of cosuppression in increasing the amount of pigment synthesized by petunia flowers. The application of transgenic strategies to horticulture is indeed exciting and one that will hopefully result in new varieties of houseplants and garden fruits and vegetables. 17. The discussion on the role of functional genomics. 18. Transgenic animals and plants as bioreactors: Tracy and her progeny in producing AAT. 19. Xenotransplantation. This is no doubt one of the most controversial techniques used in genetic engineering today.

Genetic manipulation
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Book Description

Gives medical students 500 questions, answers, and explanations to prepare for the biochemistry and genetics sections of the USMLE Step 1. The new edition includes many new questions in the two-step clinical format to simulate the USMLE Step 1. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great question & review book
I found this book very helpful in my step 1 prepertion most of all helped me with Molecular biology questions in my actual test and is also great for genetics, over all the more questions you do from this book the more it boosts your confidence in Biochemistry in the real exam specially if you were like me (an IMG)whose Biochemistry background is weak and feel like practicing more questions, you will definitely make use of this book

helpful and good assistent in your study
it is easy to use and is giving the most popular type of question you need to pass USMLE step I so I recommended it for everybody who wants to pass the step with high score as I am doing . ... Read more