RNA interference (RNAi) is a widely used technology for gene silencing and has become a key tool in a myriad of research and lead discoveries. In recent years, the mechanism of RNAi agents has been well investigated, and the technique has been optimized for better effectiveness and safety. On the other hand, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated Cas9/gRNA system is a recent, novel, targeted genome-editing technique derived from the bacterial immune system. Recent advances in gene-editing research and technologies have enabled the CRISPR Cas9 system to become a popular tool for sequence-specific gene editing to correct and modify eukaryotic systems. In this book, we will focus on the mechanisms, applications, regulations (their pros and cons), and various ways in which RNAi-based methods and CRIPSR-Cas9 technology have stimulated the modulation of gene expression, thereby making them a promising therapeutic tool to treat and prevent complex diseases and disorders.

Epigenetic Gene Expression and Regulation reviews current knowledge on the heritable molecular mechanisms that regulate gene expression, contribute to disease susceptibility, and point to potential treatment in future therapies. The book shows how these heritable mechanisms allow individual cells to establish stable and unique patterns of gene expression that can be passed through cell divisions without DNA mutations, thereby establishing how different heritable patterns of gene regulation control cell differentiation and organogenesis, resulting in a distinct human organism with a variety of differing cellular functions and tissues. The work begins with basic biology, encompasses methods, cellular and tissue organization, topical issues in epigenetic evolution and environmental epigenesis, and lastly clinical disease discovery and treatment. Each highly illustrated chapter is organized to briefly summarize current research, provide appropriate pedagogical guidance, pertinent methods, relevant model organisms, and clinical examples. - Reviews current knowledge on the heritable molecular mechanisms that regulate gene expression, contribute to disease susceptibility, and point to potential treatment in future therapies - Helps readers understand how epigenetic marks are targeted, and to what extent transgenerational epigenetic changes are instilled and possibly passed onto offspring - Chapters are replete with clinical examples to empower the basic biology with translational significance - Offers more than 100 illustrations to distill key concepts and decipher complex science

This comprehensive account of the human herpesviruses provides an encyclopedic overview of their basic virology and clinical manifestations. This group of viruses includes human simplex type 1 and 2, Epstein–Barr virus, Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, cytomegalovirus, HHV6A, 6B and 7, and varicella-zoster virus. The viral diseases and cancers they cause are significant and often recurrent. Their prevalence in the developed world accounts for a major burden of disease, and as a result there is a great deal of research into the pathophysiology of infection and immunobiology. Another important area covered within this volume concerns antiviral therapy and the development of vaccines. All these aspects are covered in depth, both scientifically and in terms of clinical guidelines for patient care. The text is illustrated generously throughout and is fully referenced to the latest research and developments.

The use of CRISPR/Cas technology for genome editing suggests many potential applications, including the alteration of the germline of humans, animals and food crops. The speed and efficiency of the CRISPR/Cas system make it a potentially useful system for gene therapy. In this volume expert international authors provide a useful and timely review of the applications of the CRISPR/Cas system across diverse fields and explore further avenues and research directions of this novel and powerful editing technology. The technology and its application are reviewed with respect to reproduction and development, immunity and genetic diseases, system structure and system specificity. Some of the potential problems of the CRISPR/Cas system are also discussed, in particular the specificity of the system: this remains an important topic as improvement could lead to the more direct and efficient use of the CRISPR/Cas system in clinical settings. The authors also debate ethical concerns associated with this powerful new technology. This volume is a rigorous review of the applications and new opportunities for the CRISPR/Cas system and provides a stimulus for current and future research. An invaluable guide for all scientists working in the fields of genome editing and gene therapy the book is also recommended for all life sciences libraries.

There is now compelling evidence that the complexity of higher organisms correlates with the relative amount of non-coding RNA rather than the number of protein-coding genes. Previously dismissed as “junk DNA”, it is the non-coding regions of the genome that are responsible for regulation, facilitating complex temporal and spatial gene expression through the combinatorial effect of numerous mechanisms and interactions working together to fine-tune gene expression. The major regions involved in regulation of a particular gene are the 5’ and 3’ untranslated regions and introns. In addition, pervasive transcription of complex genomes produces a variety of non-coding transcripts that interact with these regions and contribute to regulation. This book discusses recent insights into the regulatory roles of the untranslated gene regions and non-coding RNAs in the control of complex gene expression, as well as the implications of this in terms of organism complexity and evolution.​

The discovery in 1977 that genes are split into exons and introns has done away with the one gene - one protein dogma. Indeed, the removal of introns from the primary RNA transcript is not necessarily straightforward since there may be optional pathways leading to different messenger RNAs and consequently to different proteins. Examples of such an alternative splicing mechanism cover all fields of biology. Moreover, there are plenty of occurrences where deviant splicing can have pathological effects. Despite the high number of specific cases of alternative splicing, it was not until recently that the generality and extent of this phenomenon was fully appreciated. A superficial reading of the preliminary sequence of the human genome published in 2001 led to the surprising, and even deceiving to many scientists, low number of genes (around 32,000) which contrasted with the much higher figure around 150,000 which was previously envisioned. Attempts to make a global assessment of the use of alternative splicing are recent and rely essentially on the comparison of genomic mRNA and EST sequences as reviewed by Thanaraj and Stamm in the first chapter of this volume. Most recent estimates suggest that 40-60% of human genes might be alternatively spliced, as opposed to about 22% for C. elegans.

Guide to Biochemistry provides a comprehensive account of the essential aspects of biochemistry. This book discusses a variety of topics, including biological molecules, enzymes, amino acids, nucleic acids, and eukaryotic cellular organizations. Organized into 19 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the construction of macromolecules from building-block molecules. This text then discusses the strengths of some weak acids and bases and explains the interaction of acids and bases involving the transfer of a proton from an acid to a base. Other chapters consider the effectiveness of enzymes, which can be appreciated through the comparison of spontaneous chemical reactions and enzyme-catalyzed reactions. This book discusses as well structure and function of lipids. The final chapter deals with the importance and applications of gene cloning in the fundamental biological research, which lies in the preparation of DNA fragments containing a specific gene. This book is a valuable resource for biochemists and students.