The biological world operates on a multitude of scales - from molecules to tissues to organisms to ecosystems. Throughout these myriad levels runs a common thread: the communication and onward passage of information, from cell to cell, from organism to organism and ultimately, from generation to generation. But how does this information come alive to govern the processes that constitute life? The answer lies in the molecular components that cooperate through a series of carefully-regulated processes to bring the information in our genome to life. These components and processes lie at the heart of one of the most fascinating subjects to engage the minds of scientists today: molecular biology.

 

Molecular Biology: Principles of Genome Function, Second Edition, offers a fresh approach to the teaching of molecular biology by focusing on the commonalities that exist between the three kingdoms of life, and discussing the differences between the three kingdoms to offer instructive insights into molecular processes and components. This gives students an accurate depiction of our current understanding of the conserved nature of molecular biology, and the differences that underpin biological diversity. Additionally, an integrated approach demonstrates how certain molecular phenomena have diverse impacts on genome function by presenting them as themes that recur throughout the book, rather than as artificially separated topics

 

As an experimental science, molecular biology requires an appreciation for the approaches taken to yield the information from which concepts and principles are deduced. Experimental Approach panels throughout the text describe research that has been particularly valuable in elucidating difference aspects of molecular biology. Each panel is carefully cross-referenced to the discussion of key molecular biology tools and techniques, which are presented in a dedicated chapter at the end of the book. Molecular Biology further enriches the learning experience with full-color artwork, end-of-chapter questions and summaries, suggested further readings grouped by topic, and an extensive glossary of key terms.

 

Features:

•  A focus on the underlying principles of molecular biology equips students with a robust conceptual framework on which to build their knowledge

•  An emphasis on their commonalities reflects the processes and components that exist between bacteria, archae, and eukaryotes

•  Experimental Approach panels demonstrate the importance of experimental evidence by describing research that has been particularly valuable in the field

Nancy L Craig is Professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is a recipient of the Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association Excellence in Teaching Award, as well as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

 

Orna Cohen-Fix is a Senior Investigator at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University, and the Co-Director of the NIH/Johns Hopkins University Graduate Partnership Program. She is the recipient of a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and an Association of Women in Science Mentoring Award for her work on promoting the retention of women in science.

 

Rachel Green is Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics at and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. She is the recipient of a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Graduate Teaching Award.

 

Nobel Laureate Carol Greider is Professor and Director of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Gairdner Foundation International Award, the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize, and the Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research. In 2009, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine together with Elizabeth Blackburn and Jack Szostak for the discovery of telomerase.

 

Gisela Storz is a Senior Investigator at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and National Academy of Sciences, and a recipient of the American Society for Microbiology Eli Lilly Award.

 

Cynthia Wolberger is Professor of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a recipient of the Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Award of the Protein Society.

1: Genomes and the flow of biological information

2: Biological molecules

3: The chemical basis of life

4: Chromosome structure and function

5: The cell cycle

6: DNA replication

7: Chromosome segregation

8: Transcription9: Regulation of transcription

10: RNA processing

11: Translation

12: Regulation of translation

13: Regulatory RNAs

14: Protein modification and targeting

15: Cellular responses to DNA damage

16: Repair of DNA double-strand breaks and homologous recombination

17: Mobile DNA

18: Genomics and genetic variation

19: Tools and techniques in molecular biology