Once considered merely `selfish' or `parasitic' DNA, transposable elements are today recognized as being of major biological significance. Not only are these elements a major source of mutation, they have contributed both directly and indirectly to the evolution of genome structure and function. On October 8-10, 1999, 100 molecular biologists and evolutionists representing 11 countries met on the campus of The University of Georgia in Athens for the inaugural Georgia Genetics Symposium. The topics of presentations ranged from how the elements themselves have evolved to the impact transposable elements have had on the evolution of their host genomes. The papers in this volume therefore represent state-of-the-art thinking, by leading world experts in the field, on the evolutionary significance of transposable elements.

An exploration of the raw power of genetic material to refashion itself to any purpose... Virtually all organisms contain multiple mobile DNAs that can move from place to place, and in some organisms, mobile DNA elements make up a significant portion of the genome. Mobile DNA III provides a comprehensive review of recent research, including findings suggesting the important role that mobile elements play in genome evolution and stability. Editor-in-Chief Nancy L. Craig assembled a team of multidisciplinary experts to develop this cutting-edge resource that covers the specific molecular mechanisms involved in recombination, including a detailed structural analysis of the enzymes responsible presents a detailed account of the many different recombination systems that can rearrange genomes examines the tremendous impact of mobile DNA in virtually all organisms Mobile DNA III is valuable as an in-depth supplemental reading for upper level life sciences students and as a reference for investigators exploring new biological systems. Biomedical researchers will find documentation of recent advances in understanding immune-antigen conflict between host and pathogen. It introduces biotechnicians to amazing tools for in vivo control of designer DNAs. It allows specialists to pick and choose advanced reviews of specific elements and to be drawn in by unexpected parallels and contrasts among the elements in diverse organisms. Mobile DNA III provides the most lucid reviews of these complex topics available anywhere.

This book discusses advances in our understanding of the structure and function of the maize genome since publication of the original B73 reference genome in 2009, and the progress in translating this knowledge into basic biology and trait improvement. Maize is an extremely important crop, providing a large proportion of the world’s human caloric intake and animal feed, and serving as a model species for basic and applied research. The exceptionally high level of genetic diversity within maize presents opportunities and challenges in all aspects of maize genetics, from sequencing and genotyping to linking genotypes to phenotypes. Topics covered in this timely book range from (i) genome sequencing and genotyping techniques, (ii) genome features such as centromeres and epigenetic regulation, (iii) tools and resources available for trait genomics, to (iv) applications of allele mining and genomics-assisted breeding. This book is a valuable resource for researchers and students interested in maize genetics and genomics.

This paper provides guidelines for new high-throughput screening methods – both phenotypic and genotypic – to enable the detection of rare mutant traits, and reviews techniques for increasing the efficiency of crop mutation breeding.

During the early 1930s, when I was a graduate student and later a post-doctoral researcher at the National Research Council for the University of Wisconsin at Madison, we had the opportunity to get acquainted with many graduate students from China who were sent to the University for training in modern basic sciences as well as social sciences. The University of Wisconsin continues to graduate a large number of Chinese students. Economic conditions in the 1930s were very precarious for the United States and other parts of the world. Many of us students grew closer together because we were living on similarly tight budgets. As a matter of fact, we subleased a part of our apartment in Madison to some Chinese graduate students. This was a very nice opportunity for us to learn about the scientific and cultural back ground of our Chinese friends. Many of them came from the interior of China and had had very little opportunity to become acquainted with people from a western culture. Living with these students was a very pleasant and educational experience which gave us a good pic ture of the cultural life and educational system of China at that time--an intimate picture that one normally would not see without travelling in that country.

Documents the remarkable mobility of DNA in procaryotic and eucaryotic genomes: the ability of various DNA segments to move to new sites, to invert, and to undergo deletion or amplification, generally without the extensive DNA sequence homology needed for classical recombination. Seventy contributors explore the mechanisms of these rearrangements, how they are regulated, their biological consequences, and their potential use as research tools. For students and researchers of molecular genetics. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

In the summer of 1992 a distinguished group of molecular, population and evolutionary geneticists assembled on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, USA to discuss the relevance of their research to the role played by transposable elements (TEs) in evolution. The meeting consisted of a series of informal discussions of issues brought up in papers written by the participants and distributed among them prior to the meeting. These papers and the transcripts of the ensuing discussions are presented in this volume.

Mechanisms of Eukaryotic DNA Recombination is a collection of papers that discusses advances in eukaryotic genetic recombination. Papers address issues in eukaryotic genetic recombination, particularly DNA integration in mammalian genomes, genetic recombination in Drosophila or Caenorhabditis; the manipulation of the mouse genome; genome organization; and genetic recombination in protozoa. One paper discusses chromatid interactions during intrachromosomal recombination in mammalian cells, namely, intrachromatid and sister chromatid. Another paper analyzes the implication for chromosomal recombination and gene targeting; results on extrachromosomal recombination show that circles are inefficient substrates for recombination even if only one of two substrates in an intermolecular reaction is circular. One author discusses the genetics and molecular biology of recombination, citing the work of Watson and Crick, stating that crossing-over occurs between genes (not within them). He also explains that the formation and resolution of recombination intermediaries depend on enzyme or other proteins. This book will prove invaluable to cellular biologists, microbiologists, and researchers engaged in genetics and general biology.