Lewin's Essential GENES, Second Edition

New to this Edition!

New Special Topics Boxes serve to promote greater understanding of important material and fall into four different categories:

• Essential Ideas boxes reinforce and clearly explain key concepts critical to the topic of the chapter
• Medical Applications boxes provide clear links between basic molecular principles and human health
• Historical Perspectives provide the background information or experimental paths that led to the current knowledge presented in the chapter.
• Methods and Techniques boxes explain how the powerful methods of molecular biology are actually performed.

New to this Edition!

Concept and Reasoning Checks are one or two questions at the end of each chapter section which asks students to pause and assess their understanding of the material they just read. These questions require critical thinking or integration of section topics.

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Key Concepts sections provide bulleted lists of important points which follow each chapter section.

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Further Readings sections at the end of every chapter direct students to current review articles and fundamental research papers, providing a source of information to reinforce and elaborate on the material presented in the chapter.

New to this Edition!

The Second Edition includes a significantly expanded and updated section on chromatin remodeling, epigenetics, the RNA world, and RNAi. 

Part 1 Genes
  Chapter 1 DNA is the Hereditary Material
    1.1 Introduction
    1.2 DNA Is the Genetic Material of Bacteria, Viruses, and Eukaryotic Cells
    1.3 Polynucleotide Chains Have Nitrogenous Bases Linked to a Sugar–Phosphate Backbone
    1.4 DNA Is a Double Helix
    1.5 Supercoiling Affects the Structure of DNA
    1.6 DNA Replication Is Semiconservative
    1.7 Polymerases Act on Separated DNA Strands at the Replication Fork
    1.8 Genetic Information Can Be Provided by DNA or RNA
    1.9 Nucleic Acids Hybridize by Base Pairing
    1.10 Mutations Change the Sequence of DNA
    1.11 Mutations May Affect Single Base Pairs or Longer Sequences
    1.12 The Effects of Mutations Can Be Reversed
    1.13 Mutations Are Concentrated at Hotspots
    1.14 Some Hereditary Agents Are Extremely Small
    1.15 Summary

  Chapter 2 Genes Code for Proteins
    2.1 Introduction
    2.2 Most Genes Code for Polypeptides
    2.3 Mutations in the Same Gene Cannot Complement
    2.4 Mutations May Cause Loss-of-Function or Gain-of-Function
    2.5 A Locus May Have Many Alleles
    2.6 Recombination Occurs by Physical Exchange of DNA
    2.7 The Genetic Code Is Triplet
    2.8 Every Coding Sequence Has Three Possible Reading Frames
    2.9 Bacterial Genes Are Colinear with Their Products
    2.10 Several Processes Are Required to Express the Product of a Gene
    2.11 Proteins Are trans-acting, but Sites on DNA Are cis-acting
    2.12 Summary

  Chapter 3 Genes May Be Interrupted
    3.1 Introduction
    3.2 An Interrupted Gene Consists of Exons and Introns
    3.3 Organization of Interrupted Genes May Be Conserved
    3.4 Exon Sequences Are Conserved but Introns Vary
    3.5 Genes Show a Wide Distribution of Sizes Primarily Due to Intron Size and Number Variation
    3.6 Some DNA Sequences Code for More Than One Polypeptide
    3.7 How Did Interrupted Genes Evolve?
    3.8 Some Exons Can Be Equated with Protein Functions
    3.9 The Members of a Gene Family Have a Common Organization
    3.10 Summary

  Chapter 4 The Content of the Genome
    4.1 Introduction
    4.2 Genomes Can Be Mapped at Several Levels of Resolution
    4.3 Individual Genomes Show Extensive Variation
    4.4 RFLPs and SNPs Can Be Used for Genetic Mapping
    4.5 Why Are Some Genomes So Large?
    4.6 Eukaryotic Genomes Contain Both Nonrepetitive and Repetitive DNA Sequences
    4.7 Eukaryotic Protein-Coding Genes Can Be Identified by the Conservation of Exons
    4.8 The Conservation of Genome Organization Helps to Identify Genes
    4.9 Some Organelles Have DNA
    4.10 Organelle Genomes Are Circular DNAs That Code for Organelle Proteins
    4.11 The Chloroplast Genome Codes for Many Proteins and RNAs
    4.12 Mitochondria and Chloroplasts Evolved by Endosymbiosis
    4.13 Summary

  Chapter 5 Genome Sequences and Gene Numbers
    5.1 Introduction
    5.2 Prokaryotic Gene Numbers Range Over an Order of Magnitude
    5.3 Total Gene Number Is Known for Several Eukaryotes
    5.4 How Many Different Types of Genes Are There?
    5.5 The Human Genome Has Fewer Genes Than Originally Expected
    5.6 How Are Genes and Other Sequences Distributed in the Genome?
    5.7 The Y Chromosome Has Several Male-Specific Genes
    5.8 Morphological Complexity Evolves by Adding New Gene Functions
    5.9 How Many Genes Are Essential?
    5.10 About 10,000 Genes Are Expressed at Widely Differing Levels in a Eukaryotic Cell
    5.11 Expressed Gene Number Can Be Measured en masse
    5.12 Summary

  Chapter 6 Clusters and Repeats
    6.1 Introduction
    6.2 Gene Duplication Is a Major Force in Evolution
    6.3 Globin Clusters Are Formed by Duplication and Divergence
    6.4 Sequence Divergence Is the Basis for the Molecular Clock
    6.5 The Rate of Neutral Substitution Can Be Measured from Divergence of Repeated Sequences
    6.6 Unequal Crossing Over Rearranges Gene Clusters
    6.7 Genes for rRNA Form Tandem Repeats Including an Invariant Transcription Unit
    6.8 Crossover Fixation Could Maintain Identical Repeats
    6.9 Satellite DNAs Often Lie in Heterochromatin
    6.10 Arthropod Satellites Have Very Short Identical Repeats
    6.11 Mammalian Satellites Consist of Hierarchical Repeats
    6.12 Minisatellites Are Useful for Genetic Mapping
    6.13 Summary

Part 2 Proteins

  Chapter 7 Messenger RNA
    7.1 Introduction
    7.2 mRNA Is Produced by Transcription and Is Translated
    7.3 The Secondary Structure of Transfer RNA Is a Cloverleaf
    7.4 The Acceptor Stem and Anticodon Are at Opposite Ends of the tRNA Tertiary Structure
    7.5 Messenger RNA Is Translated by Ribosomes
    7.6 Many Ribosomes Can Bind to One mRNA
    7.7 The Cycle of Bacterial Messenger RNA
    7.8 Eukaryotic mRNA Is Modified During or after Its Transcription
    7.9 The 5’ End of Eukaryotic mRNA Is Capped
    7.10 The 3’ Terminus of Eukaryotic mRNA Is Polyadenylated
    7.11 Bacterial mRNA Degradation Involves Multiple Enzymes
    7.12 Two Pathways Degrade Eukaryotic mRNA
    7.13 Nonsense Mutations Trigger a Surveillance System
    7.14 Eukaryotic RNAs Are Transported
    7.15 mRNA Can Be Localized Within A Cell
    7.16 Summary

  Chapter 8 Translation
    8.1 Introduction
    8.2 Translation Occurs by Initiation, Elongation, and Termination
    8.3 Special Mechanisms Control the Accuracy of Translation
    8.4 Initiation in Bacteria Needs 30S Subunits and Accessory Factors
    8.5 A Special Initiator tRNA Starts the Polypeptide Chain
    8.6 mRNA Binds a 30S Subunit to Create the Binding Site for a Complex of IF-2 and fMet-tRNAf
    8.7 Small Eukaryotic Subunits Scan for Initiation Sites on mRNA
    8.8 Elongation Factor Tu Loads Aminoacyl-tRNA into the A Site
    8.9 The Polypeptide Chain Is Transferred to Aminoacyl-tRNA
    8.10 Translocation Moves the Ribosome
    8.11 Elongation Factors Bind Alternately to the Ribosome
    8.12 Uncharged tRNA Causes the Ribosome to Trigger the Stringent Response
    8.13 Three Codons Terminate Translation and Are Recognized by Protein Factors
    8.14 Ribosomal RNA Pervades Both Ribosomal Subunits
    8.15 Ribosomes Have Several Active Centers
    8.16 Two rRNAs Play Active Roles in Translation
    8.17 Summary

  Chapter 9 Using the Genetic Code
    9.1 Introduction
    9.2 Related Codons Represent Related Amino Acids
    9.3 Codon–Anticodon Recognition Involves Wobbling
    9.4 tRNA Contains Modified Bases
    9.5 Modified Bases Affect Anticodon–Codon Pairing
    9.6 There Are Sporadic Alterations of the Universal Code
    9.7 Novel Amino Acids Can Be Inserted at Certain Stop Codons
    9.8 tRNAs Are Charged with Amino Acids by Synthetases
    9.9 Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases Fall into Two Groups
    9.10 Synthetases Use Proofreading to Improve Accuracy
    9.11 Suppressor tRNAs Have Mutated Anticodons That Read New Codons
    9.12 Recoding Changes Codon Meanings
    9.13 Frameshifting Occurs at Slippery Sequences
    9.14 Bypassing Involves Ribosome Movement
    9.15 Summary

  Chapter 10 Protein Localization
    101 Introduction
    10.2 Protein Translocation May Be Posttranslational or Cotranslational
    10.3 The Signal Sequence Interacts with the SRP
    10.4 The SRP Interacts with the SRP Receptor
    10.5 The Translocon Forms a Pore
    10.6 Posttranslational Membrane Insertion Depends on Signal Sequences
    10.7 Bacteria Use Both Cotranslational and Posttranslational Translocation
    10.8 Summary

Part 3 Gene Expression

  Chapter 11 Transcription
    11.1 Introduction
    11.2 Transcription Occurs by Base Pairing in a “Bubble” of Unpaired DNA
    11.3 The Transcription Reaction Has Three Stages
    11.4 A Model for Enzyme Movement Is Suggested by the Crystal Structure
    11.5 Bacterial RNA Polymerase Consists of the Core Enzyme and Sigma Factor
    11.6 How Does RNA Polymerase Find Promoter Sequences?
    11.7 Sigma Factor Controls Binding to Promoters
    11.8 Promoter Recognition Depends on Consensus Sequences
    11.9 Promoter Efficiencies Can Be Increased or Decreased by Mutation
    11.10 Supercoiling Is an Important Feature of Transcription
    11.11 Substitution of Sigma Factors May Control Initiation
    11.12 Sigma Factors Directly Contact DNA
    11.13 Bacterial Transcription Termination
    11.14 Intrinsic Termination Requires a Hairpin and a U-Rich Region
    11.15 Rho Factor Is a Site-Specific Terminator Protein
    11.16 Antitermination May Be a Regulated Event
    11.17 Summary

  Chapter 12 The Operon
    12.1 Introduction
    12.2 Structural Gene Clusters Are Coordinately Controlled
    12.3 The lac operon is Negative Inducible
    12.4 Repressor Is Controlled by a Small-Molecule Inducer
    12.5 cis-Acting Constitutive Mutations Identify the Operator
    12.6 trans-Acting Mutations Identify the Regulator Gene
    12.7 Repressor Is a Tetramer Made of Two Dimers
    12.8 Repressor Binding to the Operator is Regulated by an Allosteric Change in Conformation
    12.9 Repressor Binds to Three Operators and Interacts with RNA Polymerase
    12.10 The Operator Competes with Low-Affinity Sites to Bind Repressor
    12.11 The lac Operon Has a Second Layer of Control: Catabolite Repression
    12.12 The trp operon Is a Repressible Operon With Three Transcription Units
    12.13 Translation Can Be Regulated
    12.14 Summary

  Chapter 13 Regulatory RNA
    13.1 Introduction
    13.2 Attenuation: Alternative RNA Secondary Structure Control
    13.3 Termination of Bacillus subtilis trp Genes Is Controlled by Tryptophan and by tRNATrp
    13.4 The Escherichia coli Tryptophan Operon Is Controlled by Attenuation
    13.5 Attenuation Can Be Controlled by Translation
    13.6 A Riboswitch in the 5' UTR Region Can Control Translation of the mRNA
    13.7 Bacteria Contain Regulator RNAs
    13.8 Eukaryotes Contain Regulator RNAs
    13.9 Summary

  Chapter 14 Phage Strategies
    14.1 Introduction
    14.2 Lytic Development Is Divided into Two Periods
    14.3 Lytic Development Is Controlled by a Cascade
    14.4 Two Types of Regulatory Event Control the Lytic Cascade
    14.5 Lambda Immediate Early and Delayed Early Genes Are Needed for Both Lysogeny and the Lytic Cycle
    14.6 The Lytic Cycle Depends on Antitermination by N
    14.7 Lysogeny Is Maintained by the lambda Repressor Protein
    14.8 The lambda Repressor and Its Operators Define the Immunity Region
    14.9 The DNA-Binding Form of the lambda Repressor Is a Dimer
    14.10 Repressor Uses a Helix-Turn-Helix Motif to Bind DNA
    14.11 Repressor Dimers Bind Cooperatively to the Operator
    14.12 Lambda Repressor Maintains an Autoregulatory Circuit
    14.13 Cooperative Interactions Increase the Sensitivity of Regulation
    14.14 The cII and cIII Genes Are Needed to Establish Lysogeny
    14.15 Lysogeny Requires Several Events
    14.16 The cro Repressor Is Needed for Lytic Infection
    14.17 What Determines the Balance Between Lysogeny and the Lytic Cycle?
    14.18 Summary

Part 4 DNA Replication and Recombination

  Chapter 15 The Replicon
    15.1 Introduction
    15.2 An Origin Usually Initiates Bidirectional Replication
    15.3 The Bacterial Genome Is a Single Circular Replicon
    15.4 Methylation of the Bacterial Origin Regulates Initiation
    15.5 Each Eukaryotic Chromosome Contains Many Replicons
    15.6 Replication Origins Bind the ORC
    15.7 Licensing Factor Controls Eukaryotic Rereplication and Consists of MCM Proteins
    15.8 Summary

  Chapter 16 Extrachromosomal Replicons
    16.1 Introduction
    16.2 The Ends of Linear DNA Are a Problem for Replication
    16.3 Terminal Proteins Enable Initiation at the Ends of Viral DNAs
    16.4 Rolling Circles Produce Multimers of a Replicon
    16.5 Rolling Circles Are Used to Replicate Phage Genomes
    16.6 The F Plasmid Is Transferred by Conjugation between Bacteria
    16.7 Conjugation Transfers Single-Stranded DNA
    16.8 The Bacterial Ti Plasmid Transfers Genes into Plant Cells
    16.9 Transfer of T-DNA Resembles Bacterial Conjugation
    16.10 Summary

  Chapter 17 Bacterial Replication Is Connected to the Cell Cycle
    17.1 Introduction
    17.2 Replication Is Connected to the Cell Cycle
    17.3 The Septum Divides a Bacterium into Progeny That Each Contain a Chromosome
    17.4 Mutations in Division or Segregation Affect Cell Shape
    17.5 FtsZ Is Necessary for Septum Formation
    17.6 min Genes Regulate the Location of the Septum
    17.7 Chromosomal Segregation May Require Site-Specific Recombination
    17.8 Partitioning Involves Separation of the Chromosomes
    17.9 Single-Copy Plasmids Have a Partitioning System
    17.10 Plasmid Incompatibility Is Determined by the Replicon
    17.11 How Do Mitochondria Replicate and Segregate?
    17.12 Summary

  Chapter 18 DNA Replication
    18.1 Introduction
    18.2 Initiation: Creating the Replication Forks at the Origin
    18.3 DNA Polymerases Are the Enzymes That Make DNA
    18.4 DNA Polymerases Control the Fidelity of Replication
    18.5 DNA Polymerases Have a Common Structure
    18.6 The Two New DNA Strands Have Different Modes of Synthesis
    18.7 Replication Requires a Helicase and Single Strand Binding Protein
    18.8 Priming Is Required to Start DNA Synthesis
    18.9 DNA Polymerase Holoenzyme Consists of Subcomplexes
    18.10 The Clamp Controls Association of Core Enzyme with DNA
    18.11 Coordinating Synthesis of the Lagging and Leading Strands
    18.12 Okazaki Fragments Are Linked by Ligase
    18.13 Separate Eukaryotic DNA Polymerases Undertake Initiation and Elongation
    18.14 The Primosome is Needed to Restart Replication
    18.15 Summary

  Chapter 19 Homologous and Site-Specific Recombination
    19.1 Introduction
    19.2 Homologous Recombination Occurs between Synapsed Chromosomes
    19.3 Double-Strand Breaks Initiate Recombination
    19.4 Recombining Chromosomes Are Connected by the Synaptonemal Complex
    19.5 Specialized Enzymes Catalyze 5' End Resection and Single-Strand Invasion
    19.6 The Ruv System Resolves Holliday Junctions
    19.7 Topoisomerases Relax or Introduce Supercoils in DNA
    19.8 Site-Specific Recombination Resembles Topoisomerase Activity
    19.9 Yeast Use a Specialized Recombination Mechanism to Switch Mating Type
    19.10 Summary

  Chapter 20 Repair Systems
    20.1 Introduction
    20.2 Repair Systems Correct Damage to DNA
    20.3 Nucleotide Excision Repair Systems Repair Several Classes of Damage
    20.4 Base Excision Repair Systems Require Glycosylases
    20.5 Error-Prone Repair
    20.6 Controlling the Direction of Mismatch Repair
    20.7 Recombination-Repair Systems
    20.8 Non-Homologous End-Joining Also Repairs Double-Strand Breaks
    20.9 Summary

  Chapter 21 Transposons, Retroviruses, and Retroposons
    21.1 Introduction
    21.2 Insertion Sequences Are Simple Transposition Modules
    21.3 Transposition Occurs by Both Replicative and Nonreplicative Pathways
    21.4 Mechanisms of Transposition
    21.5 Controlling Elements Form Families of Transposons in Maize
    21.6 Transposition of P Elements Causes Hybrid Dysgenesis
    21.7 The Retrovirus Life Cycle Involves Transposition-Like Events
    21.8 Retroviral RNA Is Converted To DNA and Integrates Into the Host Genome
    21.9 Retroviruses May Transduce Cellular Sequences
    21.10 Retroposons Fall into Three Classes
    21.11 Summary

  Chapter 22 Immune Diversity
    22.1 Introduction
    22.2 Immunoglobulin Genes Are Assembled from Their Parts in Lymphocytes
    22.3 Light Chains Are Assembled by a Single Recombination
    22.4 Heavy Chains Are Assembled by Two Successive Recombinations
    22.5 Immune Recombination Uses Two Types of Consensus Sequence
    22.6 The RAG Proteins Catalyze Breakage and Reunion
    22.7 Class Switching Is Caused by DNA Recombination
    22.8 Somatic Mutation Is Induced by Cytidine Deaminase and Uracil Glycosylase
    22.9 Avian Immunoglobulins Are Assembled from Pseudogenes
    22.10 T Cell Receptors Are Related to Immunoglobulins
    22.11 Summary

  Chapter 23 Chromosomes
    23.1 Introduction
    23.2 Viral Genomes Are Packaged into Their Coats
    23.3 The Bacterial Genome Is a Supercoiled Nucleoid
    23.4 Eukaryotic DNA Has Loops and Domains Attached to a Scaffold
    23.5 Chromatin Is Divided into Euchromatin and Heterochromatin
    23.6 Chromosomes Have Banding Patterns
    23.7 Polytene Chromosomes Form Bands that Expand at Sites of Gene Expression
    23.8 Centromeres Often Contain Repetitive DNA
    23.9 S. cerevisiae Centromeres Have Short Protein-Binding DNA Sequences
    23.10 Telomeres Have Simple Repeating Sequences
    23.11 Summary

Part 5 Eukaryotic Gene Expression

  Chapter 24 Chromatin
    24.1 Introduction
    24.2 The Nucleosome Is the Subunit of All Chromatin
    24.3 Nucleosomes Have a Common Structure
    24.4 Histone Variants Produce Alternative Nucleosomes
    24.5 DNA Structure Varies on the Nucleosomal Surface
    24.6 The Path of Nucleosomes in the Chromatin Fiber
    24.7 Reproduction of Chromatin Requires Assembly of Nucleosomes
    24.8 Do Nucleosomes Lie at Specific Positions?
    24.9 DNase Hypersensitive Sites Reflect Changes in Chromatin Structure
    24.10 An LCR May Control a Domain
    24.11 Insulators Define Independent Domains
    24.12 What Constitutes a Regulatory Domain?
    24.13 Summary

  Chapter 25 Eukaryotic Transcription
    25.1 Introduction
    25.2 Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases Consist of Many Subunits
    25.3 RNA Polymerase I Has a Bipartite Promoter
    25.4 RNA Polymerase III Uses Both Downstream and Upstream Promoters
    25.5 The Startpoint for RNA Polymerase II
    25.6 TBP Is a Universal Factor
    25.7 The Basal Apparatus Assembles at the Promoter
    25.8 Initiation Is Followed by Promoter Clearance and Elongation
    25.9 Enhancers Contain Bidirectional Elements That Assist Initiation
    25.10 Enhancers Work by Increasing the Concentration of Activators Near the Promoter
    25.11 Summary

  Chapter 26 Eukaryotic Transcription Regulation
    26.1 Introduction
    26.2 There Are Several Types of Transcription Factors
    26.3 Independent Domains Bind DNA and Activate Transcription
    26.4 Activators Interact with the Basal Apparatus
    26.5 There Are Many Types of DNA-Binding Domains
    26.6 Chromatin Remodeling Is an Active Process
    26.7 Nucleosome Organization or Content May Be Changed at the Promoter
    26.8 Histone Modification Regulates Chromatin Function
    26.9 Histone Acetylation Is Associated With Transcription Activation
    26.10 Methylation of Histones and DNA Is Connected
    26.11 Promoter Activation Involves Multiple Changes to Chromatin
    26.12 Histone Phosphorylation Affects Chromatin Structure
    26.13 How Do You Turn On A Gene?
    26.14 Yeast GAL Genes, Positive Inducible, Catabolite Repressible
    26.15 Summary

  Chapter 27 Epigenetic Effects Are Inherited
    27.1 Introduction
    27.2 Heterochromatin Propagates from a Nucleation Event
    27.3 Heterochromatin Depends on Interactions with Histones
    27.4 Polycomb and Trithorax Are Antagonistic Repressors and Activators
    27.5 X Chromosomes Undergo Global Changes
    27.6 CpG Islands Are Subject to Methylation
    27.7 DNA Methylation Is Responsible for Imprinting
    27.8 Yeast Prions Show Unusual Inheritance
    27.9 Prions Cause Diseases in Mammals
    27.10 Summary

  Chapter 28 RNA Splicing and Processing
    28.1 Introduction
    28.2 Nuclear Splice Junctions Are Short Sequences
    28.3 Splice Junctions Are Read in Pairs
    28.4 Pre-mRNA Splicing Proceeds through a Lariat
    28.5 snRNAs Are Required for Splicing
    28.6 U1 snRNP Initiates Splicing
    28.7 The E Complex Commits an RNA to Splicing
    28.8 Five snRNPs Form the Spliceosome
    28.9 Splicing Is Connected to Export of mRNA
    28.10 Group II Introns Autosplice via Lariat Formation
    28.11 Alternative Splicing Involves Differential Use of Splice Junctions
    28.12 trans-Splicing Reactions Use Small RNAs
    28.13 Yeast tRNA Splicing Involves Cutting and Rejoining
    28.14 The 3' Ends of mRNAs Are Generated by Cleavage and Polyadenylation
    28.15 Small RNAs Are Required for rRNA Processing
    28.16 Summary

  Chapter 29 Catalytic RNA
    29.1 Introduction
    29.2 Group I Introns Undertake Self-Splicing by Transesterification
    29.3 Group I Introns Form a Characteristic Secondary Structure
    29.4 Ribozymes Have Various Catalytic Activities
    29.5 Some Group I Introns Code for Endonucleases That Sponsor Mobility
    29.6 Some Group II Introns Code for Reverse Transcriptases
    29.7 Some Autosplicing Introns Require Maturases
    29.8 Viroids Have Catalytic Activity
    29.9 RNA Editing Occurs at Individual Bases
    29.10 RNA Editing Can Be Directed by Guide RNAs
    29.11 Protein Splicing Is Autocatalytic
    29.12 Summary

  Chapter 30 Genetic Engineering
    30.1 Introduction
    30.2 Restriction Endonucleases Are a Key Tool in Manipulating DNA
    30.3 Cloning Vectors Are Used to Amplify Donor DNA
    30.4 Cloning Vectors Can Be Specialized for Different Purposes
    30.5 Transfection Introduces Exogenous DNA into Cells
    30.6 Genes Can Be Injected into Animal Eggs
    30.7 Gene Targeting Allows Genes to Be Replaced or Knocked Out
    30.8 Summary

• Lewin's Essential GENES is appropriate for my course because it covers all the essential elements of molecular biology in a logical format that flows well. 

  Donna L. Pattison
  University of Houston

Appropriate for the following courses and areas of study:

• Molecular Biology
• Molecular Genetics
• Introduction to Molecular Biology (or Molecular Genetics)
• Suitable for a variety of Biology or Biochemistry departments, as well as for first year medical school curricula.

• Sample Chapter One
• Chapter Summaries
  Chapter Summaries