Molecular Analyses

DNA and RNA extraction methods from a variety of tissues and samples are  now routine, including extraction from single cells. Many methods are  now automated. Sequencing efficiency has reached the point where it is  now possible to obtain gigabases of data, both quickly and  inexpensively. Such methods permit the identification of gene versions,  including those associated with disease (e.g. small nucleotide  polymorphism analyses, or SNPs). The general public as well as  clinicians can now access a wide variety of literature on the molecular  bases of diseases, allowing them to better assess disease risks and  treatments. This volume concentrates on medically-focused methods, and  therefore the major audience will be medical professionals, students,  and those involved in medically-related research endeavors. There are  also papers in this volume dealing specifically with methods developed  to analyze large sequence data sets. Many methods reviewed herein are  more broadly applicable to other fields in biology, chemistry,  bioinformatics, and bioengineering, and are intended for a broad  readership.

Key Features
Summarizes nucleic acid extractions from a wide variety of tissues and cells
Describes processes of nucleic acid preservation
Reviews forensic sampling, detection of nucleic acids, and delivery of nucleic acids to multicellular organisms
Provides essential guidance for sequencing, sequence analysis, database searches, and phylogenetic analyses
Includes additional methods useful for analysis of nucleic acids and proteins