The long-awaited Fifth Edition of James D. Watson's classic text, Molecular Biology of the Gene, has been thoroughly revised and is published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Watson and Crick's paper on the structure of the DNA double-helix.

Though completely updated, the new edition retains the distinctive character of earlier editions that made it the most widely used book in molecular biology. Twenty-one concise chapters, co-authored by five highly respected molecular biologists, provide current, authoritative coverage of a fast-changing discipline.

Divided into five parts, the first (Chemistry and Genetics) begins with an overview of molecular biology, placing the discipline in historical context and introducing the basic chemical concepts that underpin our description of molecular biology today. The second and third parts (Maintenance of the Genome and Expression of the Genome) form the heart of the book, describing in detail the basic mechanisms of DNA replication, transcription and translation. The fourth part of the book (Regulation) deals with how gene expression is regulated - from the examination of basic mechanisms that regulate gene expression in bacterial and eukaryotic systems, to a description of how regulation of gene expression lies at the heart of the process of development. Recent findings from sequencing whole genomes of several animals have revealed that they all share essentially the same genes. The last chapter in the regulation section looks at how changes in gene regulation can account for how different animals can be made up of the same genes. The final part of the book (Methods) deals with the techniques and methods used in molecular biology.

Contents

CHEMISTRY AND GENETICS.

1. The Mendelian View of the World.
2. Nucleic Acids Convey Genetic Information.
3. The Importance of Weak Chemical Interactions.
4. The Importance of High-Energy Bonds.
5. Weak and Strong Bonds Determine Macromolecular Structure.

MAINTENANCE OF THE GENOME.

1. The Structures of DNA and RNA.
2. Chromosomes, Chromatin, and the Nucleosome.
3. The Replication of DNA.
4. The Mutability and Repair of DNA.
5. Homologous Recombination at the Molecular Level.
6. Site-Specific Recombination and Transposition of DNA.

EXPRESSION OF THE GENOME.

1. Mechanisms of Transcription.
2. RNA Splicing.
3. Translation 411.
4. The Genetic Code.

REGULATION.

1. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes.
2. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes.
3. Gene Regulation During Development.
4. Comparative Genomics and the Evolution of Animal Diversity.

METHODS.

1. Techniques of Molecular Biology.
2. Model Organisms.