The publication of the first draft of the human genome five years ago marked the start of a new era of vertebrate comparative genomics. Genome draft sequences for chimpanzee, mouse, rat, dog, chicken as well as for several fish species are now available for the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of vertebrate genomes over the last 450 million years. This volume of Genome Dynamics presents a timely update on the past, present and future of major vertebrate genome projects. In 16 chapters, renowned specialists provide informative reviews on the current status of mammalian, bird, amphibian and fish genomics. In addition, a chapter on urochordate genomes is included. The reader will also find a useful overview of resources available for each genome as well as a description of the medical and economical perspectives opened by the different projects. This book is recommended reading for biologists interested in genetics, genomics, evolution and zoology.

It is said that "necessity is the mother of invention". To be sure, wheels and pulleys were invented out of necessity by the tenacious minds of upright citi zens. Looking at the history of mankind, however, one has to add that "Ieisure is the mother of cultural improvement". Man's creative genius flourished only when his mind, freed from the worry of daily toils, was permitted to entertain apparently useless thoughts. In the same manner, one might say with regard to evolution that "natural selection mere(y tnodifted, while redundanry created". Natural selection has been extremely effective in policing alleHe mutations which arise in already existing gene loci. Because of natural selection, organisms have been able to adapt to changing environments, and by adaptive radiation many new species were created from a common ancestral form. Y et, being an effective policeman, natural selection is extremely conservative by nature. Had evolution been entirely dependent upon natural selection, from a bacterium only numerous forms of bacteria would have emerged. The creation of metazoans, vertebrates and finally mammals from unicellular organisms would have been quite impos sible, for such big leaps in evolution required the creation of new gene loci with previously nonexistent functions. Only the cistron which became redun dant was able to escape from the relentless pressure of natural selection, and by escaping, it accumulated formerly forbidden mutations to emerge as a new gene locus.

Genomics in Aquaculture is a concise, must-have reference that describes current advances within the field of genomics and their applications to aquaculture. Written in an accessible manner for anyone—non-specialists to experts alike—this book provides in-depth coverage of genomics spanning from genome sequencing, to transcriptomics and proteomics. It provides, for ease of learning, examples from key species most relevant to current intensive aquaculture practice. Its coverage of minority species that have a specific biological interest (e.g., Pleuronectiformes) makes this book useful for countries that are developing such species. It is a robust, practical resource that covers foundational, functional, and applied aspects of genomics in aquaculture, presenting the most current information in a field of research that is rapidly growing. - Provides the latest scientific methods and technologies to maximize efficiencies for healthy fish production, with summary tables for quick reference - Offers an extended glossary of technical and methodological terms to help readers better understand key biological concepts - Describes state-of-the-art technologies, such as transcriptomics and epigenomics, currently under development for future perspective of the field - Covers minority species that have a specific biological interest (e.g., Pleuronectiformes), making the book useful to countries developing such species

Provides a synthesis of our current understanding of hemoglobin (Hb) function and evolution, and illustrates how research on this protein has provided more general insights into mechanisms of protein evolution and biochemical adaptation.

The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection by R.A. Fisher (1930) dictated that sexual dimorphisms may depend upon a single medelian factor. This could be true for some species but his suggestion could not take off the ground as gender in Drosophila is determined by the number of X chromosomes. Technical advances in molecular biology have revived the initial thinking of Fisher and dictate that TDF or SRY genes in humans or Tdy in mice are sex determining genes. The fortuitous findings of XX males and XY female, which are generally termed sex reversal phenomenon, are quite bewildering traits that have caused much amazement concerning the pairing mechanism(s) of the pseudoautosomal regions of human X and Y chromosomes at meiosis. These findings have opened new avenues to explore further the genetic basis of sex determination at the single gene level.The aim of the fourth volume, titled Genetics of Sex Determination is to reflect on the latest advances and future investigative directions, encompassing 10 chapters. Commissioned several distinguished scientists, all pre-eminent authorities in each field to shed their thoughts concisely but epitomise their chapters with an extended bibliography. Obviously, during the past 60 years, the metoric advances are voluminous and to cover every account of genes, chromosomes, and sex in a single volume format would be a herculean task. Therefore, a few specific topics are chosen, which may be of great interest to scientists and clinicians. The seasoned scientists who love to inquire about the role of genes in sex determination should find the original work of these notable contributors very enlightening. This volume is intended for advanced students who want to keep abreast as well as for those who indulge in the search for genes of sex determination.

This open access book offers the first comprehensive account of the pan-genome concept and its manifold implications. The realization that the genetic repertoire of a biological species always encompasses more than the genome of each individual is one of the earliest examples of big data in biology that opened biology to the unbounded. The study of genetic variation observed within a species challenges existing views and has profound consequences for our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underpinning bacterial biology and evolution. The underlying rationale extends well beyond the initial prokaryotic focus to all kingdoms of life and evolves into similar concepts for metagenomes, phenomes and epigenomes. The book’s respective chapters address a range of topics, from the serendipitous emergence of the pan-genome concept and its impacts on the fields of microbiology, vaccinology and antimicrobial resistance, to the study of microbial communities, bioinformatic applications and mathematical models that tie in with complex systems and economic theory. Given its scope, the book will appeal to a broad readership interested in population dynamics, evolutionary biology and genomics.