Gene Cloning

The ability to successfully clone genes underlies the majority of our knowledge in molecular and cellular biology. All textbooks describe what has been learned from cloned genes but include little detail on how the cloning was achieved and how the techniques involved are carried out in the laboratory. Gene Cloning introduces the diverse array of techniques available to clone genes and how they can be used effectively both in the research laboratory, to gain knowledge about the gene, and for use in biotechnology and medicine. It shows how cloning genes is an integral part of genomics and relevant in the post-genomic age, being necessary for the isolation, identification, sequencing, and analysis of individual genes, gene families, and entire genomes. Gene Cloning discusses how predictions of gene regulation and function made through bioinformatics can be tested experimentally. Also covered are applications of gene cloning in medicine, both for diagnosis and treatment, and in the pharmaceutical industry and agriculture. There are learning outcomes at the start of each chapter, which include both factual knowledge and how to apply it, and questions throughout the text to allow students to test their understanding as they go along. Where possible, examples are from well known topics with medical relevance. Written by experienced lecturers, Gene Cloning takes a fresh approach to teaching molecular and cellular biology and will be a valuable resource to both undergraduates and lecturers of biological and biomedical science courses.