Review by Choice Review
Davis (Univ. of California, Irvine) offers a well-written book with a historical summary of microbial models used by geneticists and molecular biologists during the 20th century. Although a number of histories of molecular biology have been published, the narrower focus of this work provides a useful perspective. As such, it would be a useful addition to the collections of most libraries. Davis focuses on several of the most thoroughly studied microbial models, including filamentous fungi, E. coli, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Details of experiments and investigators go substantially beyond those contained in a genetics or molecular biology textbook. The author describes, in appropriate detail, the value of each model microbe in answering specific questions, and why some model organisms, over time, fell out of favor with investigators. Appendixes provide basic information about genetics and molecular biology for readers not already familiar with those topics, although a deep understanding of the concepts in this work would require substantial background in genetics and molecular biology. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. P. Guilfoile Bemidji State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
