For over 25 years the study of retroviruses has underpinned much of what is known about information transfer in cells and the genetic and biochemical mechanisms that underlie cell growth and cancer induction. Emergent diseases such as AIDS and adult T-cell lymphoma have widened even further the community of investigators directly concerned with retroviruses, a development that has highlighted the need for an integrated understanding of their biology and their unique association with host genomes. This remarkable volume satisfies that need. Written by a group of the field's most distinguished investigators, rigorously edited to provide a seamless narrative, and elegantly designed for clarity and readability, this book is an instant classic that demands attention from scientists and physicians studying retroviruses and the disorders in which they play a role.

All but one* of the following articles represent comprehensive reports on a workshop held between 7 and 9 May 1981 at the Institute of Virology and Immunobiology, University of Wfuzburg, Federal Republic of Germany. The title of the workshop was "The Involvement of Endogenous Retroviruses inN ormalFunction and Pathological Growth of Lymphocytes." Rather than collecting and printing manuscripts of the individual communications, the organizers asked selected parti cipants to write, after the workshop, concise articles each compris ing several contributions and discussions on major topics. In so doing, we hope to present to a larger audience a synopsis of the various information and views exchanged at the meeting. Such a procedure seemed the more appropriate as the workshop was intended to bring together specialists from two rather diverse fields: RNA-tumor virology and immunobiology. While this created some initial problems of terminology, it was quite effective in making representatives of one field more aware of the significance and the contributions ofthe other. It also great ly contributed to realization of the complexity of the problems involved in virus-induced leukemogenesis.

The first book to specifically cover the molecular biology of retroviruses - of immense importance since the high profile of HIV. International contributors provide detailed reviews of the latest knowledge. An excellent text for both medical and non-medical researchers, it also serves as an illuminating introduction for scientists active in other areas.

Methods included in this volume apply to the expression and characterization of retroviral proteases and their inhibitor/substrate design.

Leading scientists in the field review the genomics, molecular biology and pathogenesis of these important viruses, comprehensively covering all the recent advances.

This book provides both in-depth background and up-to-date information in this area. The chapters are organized by general themes and principles, written by experts who illustrate topics with current findings. Topics covered include: - the role of ions and hydration in protein-nucleic acid interactions - transcription factors and combinatorial specificity - indirect readout of DNA sequence - single-stranded nucleic acid binding proteins - nucleic acid junctions and proteins, - RNA protein recognition - recognition of DNA damage. It will be a key reference for both advanced students and established scientists wishing to broaden their horizons.

“Ridley leaps from chromosome to chromosome in a handy summation of our ever increasing understanding of the roles that genes play in disease, behavior, sexual differences, and even intelligence. . . . . He addresses not only the ethical quandaries faced by contemporary scientists but the reductionist danger in equating inheritability with inevitability.” — The New Yorker The genome's been mapped. But what does it mean? Matt Ridley’s Genome is the book that explains it all: what it is, how it works, and what it portends for the future Arguably the most significant scientific discovery of the new century, the mapping of the twenty-three pairs of chromosomes that make up the human genome raises almost as many questions as it answers. Questions that will profoundly impact the way we think about disease, about longevity, and about free will. Questions that will affect the rest of your life. Genome offers extraordinary insight into the ramifications of this incredible breakthrough. By picking one newly discovered gene from each pair of chromosomes and telling its story, Matt Ridley recounts the history of our species and its ancestors from the dawn of life to the brink of future medicine. From Huntington's disease to cancer, from the applications of gene therapy to the horrors of eugenics, Ridley probes the scientific, philosophical, and moral issues arising as a result of the mapping of the genome. It will help you understand what this scientific milestone means for you, for your children, and for humankind.