With humor, depth, and philosophical and historical insight, DNA reaches out to a wide range of readers with its graphic portrayal of a complicated science. Suitable for use in and out of the classroom, this volume covers DNA's many marvels, from its original discovery in 1869 to early-twentieth-century debates on the mechanisms of inheritance and the deeper nature of life's evolution and variety.
Even readers who lack a background in science and philosophy will learn a tremendous amount from this engaging narrative. The book elucidates DNA's relationship to health and the cause and cure of disease. It also covers the creation of new life forms, nanomachines, and perspectives on crime detection, and considers the philosophical sources of classical Darwinian theory and recent, radical changes in the understanding of evolution itself. Already these developments have profoundly affected our notions about living things. Borin Van Loon's humorous illustrations recount the contributions of Gregor Mendel, Frederick Griffith, James Watson, and Francis Crick, among other biologists, scientists, and researchers, and vividly depict the modern controversies surrounding the Human Genome Project and cloning.
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- A Brief History of Genetics
- What is DNA?
- The New Biology
- DNA Replication
- What Information is Stored in a Gene?
- Where Did the Notion of Messenger RNA Come From?
- Transcription
- Translation
- Genetic Code
- PaJaMo and the Operon
- The Diversity of Gene Expression
- A Brief Remider of Relative Size
- A Brief Reminder of Genes in Humans
- Prokaryotes versus Eukaryotes
- Restriction Enzymes and Genetic Engineering
- Cloning DNA Fragments
- Cloning and Sequencing Genes
- Exons, Introns, and Splicing
- Chromatin and Histones
- Gene Families
- Controlling Genes for Antibodies
- Chromosomes
- Telomeres
- Imprinting and Micro RNAs: "Hidden" Layers of Gene Regulation
- Epigenetics
- Prions
- The Human Genome Project
- The Human Genome Unveiled
- High Throughput Sequencing
- SNPs
- Manipulatating the Genome
- Cloning the Organism- The History
- From the Nucleus of an Intestinal Cell to a Whole Frog
- Making Tissues from Stem Cells
- Going in the Other Direction: Changing Mature Cells to Stem Cells
- The Impact of New Genetics on Medical Research
- Diagnosis
- DNA and the Judicial System
- PCR
- The Impact of DNA
- Biotechnology
- The Origin of Life
- Tinkering
- Selfish Genes
- Evolving Evolution- Sources of Darwinian Theory
- The Big Gene Bet of the Last Millennium (1999 AD)
- The Twists & Turns of History:The Problems with Gradualism
- Watching Evolution in Action: Changes in the Stickleback Fish
- DNA & Genetics and the Changing Views of Human Evolution
- Human Evolution and the DNA Beginnings of Vocal Expression: Birdsong and Language
- Epilogue to the First Edition
- Glossary
- Reading List
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