An indispensable handbook of the highest standard for those working in the fields of food analysis and forensic applications.

Over the last decade there has been a rapid development of molecular techniques, with an increasing range of instrumentation now available. The development of accompanying reference literature has not kept pace with technological advances and this poses significant challenges to the analyst. Essentials of Nucleic Acid Analysis sets out to guide the analyst through the steps needed to obtain good quality results in DNA analysis. The underlying principles for achieving this goal were formulated by LGC (formerly the Laboratory of the Government Chemist) as the six principles for ensuring valid analytical measurement, which are detailed in the introduction. The reader is also provided with guidelines for method validation and quality control of established and emerging DNA measurement techniques. The authors of each chapter are practitioners of the art of DNA analysis in areas where the quality of the result is critical. Technical details and examples of application of key techniques in nucleic acid analysis are provided while highlighting best practice, available standards and practical advice on improving measurement quality. This book provides an indispensable handbook and premier reference for those working in the widely varying areas and specifically in the fields of food analysis and forensic applications.

A comprehensive treasury of all the key molecular biology methods-ranging from DNA extraction to gene localization in situ-needed to function effectively in the modern laboratory. Each of the 120 highly successful techniques follows the format of the much acclaimed Methods in Molecular BiologyOao series, providing an introduction to the scientific basis of each technique, a complete listing of all the necessary materials and reagents, and clear step-by-step instruction to permit error-free execution. Included for each technique are notes about pitfalls to avoid, troubleshooting tips, alternate methods, and explanations of the reasons for certain steps-all key elements contributing significantly to success or failure in the lab. The Nucleic Acid Protocols Handbook constitutes today's most comprehensive collection of all the key classic and cutting-edge techniques for the successful isolation, analysis, and manipulation of nucleic acids by both experienced researchers and those new to the field."

Probabilistic models are becoming increasingly important in analysing the huge amount of data being produced by large-scale DNA-sequencing efforts such as the Human Genome Project. For example, hidden Markov models are used for analysing biological sequences, linguistic-grammar-based probabilistic models for identifying RNA secondary structure, and probabilistic evolutionary models for inferring phylogenies of sequences from different organisms. This book gives a unified, up-to-date and self-contained account, with a Bayesian slant, of such methods, and more generally to probabilistic methods of sequence analysis. Written by an interdisciplinary team of authors, it aims to be accessible to molecular biologists, computer scientists, and mathematicians with no formal knowledge of the other fields, and at the same time present the state-of-the-art in this new and highly important field.

In Nucleic Acid Chemistry: Methods and Protocols, expert researches in the field detail techniques and approaches for the detection of DNA and RNA. These techniques include the recovery of trace amounts of DNA for amplification and analysis, new qPCR chemistries, new application of isothermal amplification techniques, assays with visual or electric signals for point-of-care diagnostics, improvement of fluorescent in situ hybridization, and new signal amplification techniques. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Nucleic Acid Chemistry: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid scientists in the further study of detection for DNA and RNA.

Providing current information and guidance on the uses of various nucleic acid amplification technologies for clinical laboratory diagnosis, this book goes beyond the Polymerase Chain Reaction to explore a broader range of important alternative DNA/RNA amplification methods including the Ligase Chain Reaction, Q[beta] Replicase Assays and TMA. There are many examples of specific applications of these technologies, discussions of yet unresolved issues and demonstrations of the relevance of these technologies to medical research and disease diagnostics. Individual chapters cover uses of these methods in clinical situations such as detection of food pathogens, viral infections, STDs, Mycobacteria drug resistance mutations, and heritable diseases. Automation, diagnostic test evaluation, and the synthesis of artificial DNA are also discussed. This book is designed for all biomedical scientists interested in the application of molecular biology to clinical diagnosis.

This first book on the market covers the many new and important RNA species discovered over the past five years, explaining current methods for the enrichment, separation and purification of these novel RNAs. Building up from general principles of RNA biochemistry and biophysics, this book addresses the practical aspects relevant to the laboratory researcher throughout, while discussing the performance and potential problems of the methods discussed. An appendix contains a glossary with the important terms and techniques used in RNA analysis. By explaining the basic and working principles of the methods, the book allows biochemists and molecular biologists to gain much more expertise than by simply repeating a pre-formulated protocol, enabling them to select the procedure and materials best suited to the RNA analysis task at hand. As a result, they will be able to develop new protocols where needed and optimize and fine-tune the general purpose standard protocols that come with the purification equipment and instrumentation.

Since most therapeutic efforts have been predominantly focused on pharmaceuticals that target proteins, there is an unmet need to develop drugs that intercept cellular pathways that critically involve nucleic acids. Progress in the discovery of nucleic acid binding drugs naturally relies on the availability of analytical methods that assess the eff

Protocols for Nucleic Acid Analysis by Non-radioactive Probes, Second Edition provides a firm background on the basic preparative protocols required for the analysis of nucleic acids by nonradioactive methods. Presenting the methodologies using amazing new applications, this volume offers guide chapters on nucleic acid extractions, preparation of nucleic acid blots, and labeling of nucleic acids with nonradioactive haptens. New fluorescent techniques such as Real Time PCR and microarrays are also included, allowing users to get a nonradioactive protocol implemented in the laboratory with minimum adaptation required and fastest time to results. The protocols follow the successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, each offering step-by-step laboratory instructions, an introduction outlining the principles behind the technique, lists of the necessary equipment and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.