Essential Molecular Biology

Like most scientific disciplines, the techniques for studying genes and DNA are complicated and difficult for the novice to understand. This book provides an introduction to practical molecular biology and is aimed specifically at students and other research workers who have no prior knowledge of the subject. In Volume 1, the fundamental techniques for handling and cloning DNA are described, with the emphasis on sound technical instruction, together with theoretical background and trouble-shooting guidance. The aim is to give the reader a sufficiently strong knowledge of these general techniques to allow the procedures to be used with confidence in specific research applications. In Volume 2, the more specialized procedures for gene identification and characterization are covered, again with the emphasis on coming to terms with the practical and conceptual aspects of the techniques.Table of ContentVOLUME I: T.A. Brown: The essential techniques in molecular biology; B.W. Bainbridge: Microbiological techniques for molecular biology; P. Towner: Purification of DNA; M. Wilkinson: Purification of RNA; A.T. Andrews: Electrophoresis of nucleic acids; P. Towner: Recovery of DNA from electrophoresis gels; F. Gannon, & R. Powell: Construction of recombinant DNA molecules; T.A. Brown: Generation and identification of recombinant clones; P.H. Pouwels: Survey of cloning vectors of both plasmids and phages