Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Contents: 1. DNA: the basic molecule of \'gene\'. 2. Gene cloning and construction of genomic libraries. 3. Gene cloning and cDNA libraries. 4. Expression of foreign DNA in bacterial cell. 5. Eukaryotic gene cloning systems: I. Yeast. 6. Eukaryotic gene cloning systems: II. Mammalian cells. 7. Genetic engineering and medicine: I. Prophylaxis. 8. Genetic engineering and disease diagnosis. 9. Genetic engineering and medicines: III. Therapeutics. 10. Genetic engineering in plants and agriculture: I. Microbes and plants. 11. Genetic engineering in plants and agriculture: II. Gene technology and crop improvement. 12. Genetic engineering in plants and agriculture: III. Transforming vectors in plants. 13. Genetic engineering in plants and agriculture: IV. Some cherished goals and prospects in plant improvement through gene technology. 14. Genetic engineering and microbial products. 15. Techniques and technologies.
"Application of Genetic Engineering and recombinant DNA is bringing about a revolution in our understanding of living organisms; and there is no field of experimental biology that is untouched by the power we have now to isolate, analyze and manipulate genes. This book is an attempt to give the reader the basics of genetic engineering and its application to biotechnology. The initial part of the book sketches out historical introduction to development of recombinant technology, with details of methods currently being used to clone and analyze the genes. The next chapters are devoted to describe some accomplishments of the technology including the developments for pharmaceutical industry, diagnostics, treatment of human diseases and agriculture. Wherever necessary the product developed through genetically modified/engineered cells along with strategies planned to develop these have been described.
For giving impetus to development of strategies and to illustrate important biological phenomena, information from real experiments have been used. But, inevitably all the subtle experimental details have been avoided. The figures have been used profusely to make the text easily assimilable.
It is hoped that the book will convey the excitement of the continuing process of discoveries and the strategies developing in biotechnology. The book is suitable for undergraduate and graduate students of biotechnology course in science, medical and agriculture streams and for all those who have interest in recombinant DNA technology."
