Opis: Lateral DNA Transfer Mechanism - Frederic Bushman, Bushman

This book is about mobile genes-the transfer of DNA between unrelated cells. It discusses the machinery of gene transfer and its wide-ranging biological and health consequences. Mobile DNA makes possible the development of antibiotic resistance in microbes, the conversion of harmless to pathogenic bacteria, and the triggering of cancerous growth in cells. It also contributes to human evolution. This well-illustrated volume contains an up-to-date account of a topic now seen as increasingly important, and will be invaluable for both working scientists and as a textbook for advanced courses. Life would be simpler if the entire genome of every organism descended directly from the genomes of its parents, but biology doesn't always work that way. The transfer of genetic material between organisms of the same or different species occurs by many mechanisms, under diverse conditions, and with a variety of important consequences. Bushman has performed an important service for the biological community by bringing all of this material together in a single very accessible volume. Now you can follow the gene-transfer story from drug-resistance in the hospital to lateral transfer in the early history of life on the earth without ever firing up your computer. In the decade of the genome, you need to know what is in this book. -- Leslie Orgel It is extremely rare that I find a book whose reading encourages me to teach a new course with the book in question being the text. Lateral DNA Transfer: Mechanisms and Consequences by Rick Bushman is such a book. Most importantly, this extremely well-written book is very informative about an important but little appreciated topic - lateral DNA transfer and horizontal evolution. Although the book is quite encyclopedic (it is packed with observations and ideas), I enjoyed both the casual and in-depth reading of each of the chapters. This is an ideal text for a beginning graduate or upper-level undergraduate course. In addition, many established scientists will find it very informative. -- William Reznikoff This book, aimed at an audience with some background in biology, delivers much that is new for specialists and general readers alike. It is superbly organized, and its modular design offers easy accessibility to a diversity of readers. The immense scope of the topic encompasses all living organisms on Earth and touches on all levels of biological organization. Therefore, the subject cannot be accurately pigeonholed into disciplines such as molecular biology or biochemistry... The assembly and synthesis of such a huge body of information was a monumental task for a single author. His success at effectively addressing a broad audience required a grasp of modern biology that is rarely encountered in this era of specialization. Bushman's valuable survey of our current understanding of natural transfer will help readers make more informed judgments about the broader implications of genetic engineering. ScienceChapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: DNA and Lateral Transfer Chapter 3: Conjugation, Transposition, and Antibiotic Resistance Chapter 4: Phage Transduction and Bacterial Pathogenesis Chapter 5: Microbial Genomes and DNA Exchange Chapter 6: Gene Transfer by Retroviruses Chapter 7: Lateral DNA Transfer and the AIDS Epidemic Chapter 8: Genes Floating on a Sea of Retrotransposons Chapter 9: The DNA Transposons of Eukaryotes: Mariners Sailing to Survive? Chapter 10: Lateral Transfer in Eukaryotic Genomes: Fluidity in the Human Blueprint Chapter 11: A Transposon Progenitor of the Vertebrate Immune System Chapter 12: DNA Transfer Among the Domains of Life Chapter 13: Controlling Mobile Element Activity Chapter 14: Lateral DNA Transfer: Themes and Evolutionary Implications Index

Szczegóły: Lateral DNA Transfer Mechanism - Frederic Bushman, Bushman

Tytuł: Lateral DNA Transfer Mechanism
Autor: Frederic Bushman, Bushman
Producent: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
ISBN: 9780879696214
Rok produkcji: 2001
Ilość stron: 448
Oprawa: Miękka
Waga: 1.18 kg

Recenzje: Lateral DNA Transfer Mechanism - Frederic Bushman, Bushman