T.A. Brown
Department of Biomolecular Sciences,
UMIST, Manchester, M60 1QD, UK
Wiley-Liss 1999
FROM BACK COVER:
GENOMES fuses the fresh outlook of the new genomics with the
traditional approach to gene expression to provide an up-to-date
understanding of the role of the genome as the blueprint for
life. This integrated approach focuses on the topics that are
central to molecular genetics to create a teaching resource for
modern molecular biology.
Written in the clear and concise style for which he is renowned,
Terry Brown guides the reader logically through modern molecular
genetics:
Part 1 - How Genomes are Studied covers the mapping and sequencing
techniques used to study genomes, including a detailed
introduction to functional genomics.
Part 2 - How Genomes Function describes how expression of genes
within the genome determines the biochemical signature
of the cell and how gene regulation is integrated into
developmental pathways.
Part 3 - How Genomes Replicate and Evolve explains replication,
mutation and recombination at molecular and cellular
levels and describes how these processes underlie genome
evolution.
GENOMES - the essential textbook for all undergraduates
studying genetics and molecular biology.
* The new approach to the subject redefines how molecular
genetics should be taught
* Covers all aspects of molecular genetics, focusing on the
immense changes of the last five years
* Key research findings are included to demonstrate how the
facts described in the text have been determined and to
familiarize students with real research and data
* Rapid publication ensures that all current data are covered,
including the latest information emerging from the genome
sequencing projects
* Extensively illustrated in full color throughout, with a
clear, concise style, and a user-friendly design - ideal
for students at all levels
PREFACE:
Genomes attempts to bring a fresh approach to the teaching
of undergraduate molecular biology. It starts with the premise
that the syllabus for a university course in molecular biology
should reflect the major research issues of the new millennium
rather than those topics that were in vogue during the 1970s
and 1980s. The book is therefore centered on genomes, not
genes, in recognition of the fact that today's molecular
biology is driven less by research into the activities of
individual genes and more by genome sequencing and functional
analysis. Many of today's molecular biology undergraduates
will be involved in genome research when they begin their
graduate careers and all of them will find their work influenced
in one way or another by genome projects. If the objective
of undergraduate teaching is to prepare students for their
future careers then they must be taught about genomes!
It would of course be foolish to suggest that genes are no
longer important. The major challenge that I faced when
writing Genomes was to combine the essential elements of
the traditional molecular biology syllabus with the new
material relating to genomes. It is not yet possible to
describe adequately the events leading from DNA to protein
entirely in terms of 'genome to proteome', hence a substantial
part of Genomes is devoted to the expression pathways of
individual genes. This book differs from many others in that
it attempts to describe these expression pathways in the
context of the activity and function of the genome as a whole.
Similarly, DNA replication, mutation and recombination are
dealt with largely in terms of their effects on the genome,
and not simply as processes responsible for the replication
and alteration of genes.
My belief that molecular biology teaching should be centered
on genomes grew as I wrote this book and discovered how much
more satisfying and informative the approach is compared with
the traditional syllabus. A number of topics that in the past
have seemed to me to be of peripheral interest have fallen
into place and taken on new relevance. I hope that at least
some of the excitement that I felt while writing Genomes is
conveyed to the reader.
T.A. Brown
Manchester
WHERE TO ORDER:
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Somerset, NJ 08875-1272
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E-mail: bookinfo@wiley.com
PRICE: $69.95 ISBN: 0-471-31618-0
URL: http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/review/genomes.html
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December 17, 2001
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