Applied molecular genetics /

In past years, molecular biology has generated a "cookbook" mentality in which scientists merely follow a set procedure during an experiment to produce desired results, but without necessarily knowing the fundamental science behind the procedure. Miesfeld's book is designed to counteract this mentality. The first section is devoted to a thorough review of the biochemistry of nucleic acids and the basic tools of molecular genetics such as cloning vectors and enzymes; the second section concerns cutting-edge methods such as the polymerase chain reaction and genomic characterization. The third section is devoted to more specialized applications such as creation of transgenic organisms. This book has a number of strengths, including the author's clear writing style and the large number of informative two-color line drawings, which make the book easy to read. Perhaps the most valuable feature is a "laboratory practicum" at the end of each chapter, in which the research techniques described are applied to a hypothetical experimental problem. Extensive references for each chapter and a variety of appendixes complete this highly recommended book. Upper-division undergraduates; graduate students; faculty and researchers. R. K. Harris William Carey College