From Gene To Animal

An exposition of current understanding of the way that hierarchies of genes control aspects of animal development. Emphasis is placed on the best studied systems, nameley "Drosophila" and the nematode "Caenorhabditis".

Gene transfer to animal cells was first achieved more than thirty years ago. Since then, transformation technology has developed rapidly, resulting in a multitude of techniques for cell transformation and the creation of transgenic animals. As with any expanding technology, it becomes difficult to keep track of all the developments and to find a concise and comprehensive source of information that explains all the underlying principles. Gene Transfer to Animals Cells addresses this problem by describing the principles behind gene transfer technologies, how gene expression is controlled in animal cells and how advanced strategies can be used to add, exchange or delete sequences from animal genomes in a conditional manner. A final chapter provides an overview of all the applications of animal cell transformation in farming, medicine and research.

Updated and expanded to address the latest trends in developmental genetics by examining the developmental biology of three model animal systems with a vast range of complexity and phylogenetic distance--the nematode, fruitfly and mouse. This edition places greater emphasis on molecular approaches to pattern and development formation; introduces key issues and questions involving developmental biology; explores the final stages of patterning.

Advances in Gene Technology: Molecular Genetics of Plants and Animals contains the proceedings of the Miami Winter Symposium held in January 1983 in Miami, Florida. The papers explore advances in the molecular genetics of plants and animals and cover a wide range of topics such as genetic manipulation of plants; plant cell cultures, regeneration, and somatic cell fusion; and nitrogen fixation. Practical applications of gene technology with plants are also discussed. Comprised of 84 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of how plants manufacture from carbon dioxide and water all of their substances, paying particular attention to the path of carbon in photosynthesis. The organization of the plant genome is then considered, along with techniques for cell culture, regeneration, and somatic cell fusion; vector systems; and nitrogen fixation. Some chapters focus on gene transfer by protoplast fusion; somatic cell genetic systems in corn; regulation of transcription of the nitrogen fixation operons; and leghemoglobin and nodulin genes of soybean. The final section is devoted to practical applications of gene technology to plants and to technology frontiers in animal biology, in particular embryonic development and vaccines and diagnostic methods for animal diseases. This book should be of value to molecular geneticists.

This book is about transgenic animals--animals into which new genes have been artificially introduced. It has chapters by leading authorities on the present state-of-play regarding the application of the transgenic technology to different animal groups. Scientists have conducted experiments on a great range of animal types, ranging from protozoan cells, through nematode worms and fruit flies to many higher vertebrates, and this book provides an in-depth, up-to-date, comprehensive and authoritative account of the work with all such animal types. The likely impact of transgenic animals on the future of agriculture and medicine is very great. These animals provide an unrivaled experimental system for the study of gene regulation, genetic aspects of disease, and gene therapy. One of the objectives of the book is therefore to set transgenic animals in the context of their present and future contributions to science and medicine.

In this landmark work, the author team led by Dr. Sean Carroll presents the general principles of the genetic basis of morphological change through a synthesis of evolutionary biology with genetics and embryology. In this extensively revised second edition, the authors delve into the latest discoveries, incorporating new coverage of comparative genomics, molecular evolution of regulatory proteins and elements, and microevolution of animal development. An accessible text, focusing on the most well-known genes, developmental processes and taxa. Builds logically from developmental genetics and regulatory mechanisms to evolution at different genetic morphological levels. Adds major insights from recent genome studies, new evo-devo biology research findings, and a new chapter on models of variation and divergence among closely related species. Provides in-depth focus on key concepts through well-developed case studies. Features clear, 4-color illustrations and photographs, chapter summaries, references and a glossary. Presents the research of Dr. Carroll, a pioneer in the field and the past president of the Society for Developmental Biology.

A transgenic animal is one that is genetically modified to carry genes from another species. Transgenic species can be raised to carry potentially useful genes from a variety of species. While the topics of genetic engineering and cloning are controversial, the reality is that these technologies offer tremendous benefits to society - from offering a framework for developing and screening medical therapies, to enhancing the safety and nutrition of the food we eat. One potential application of research into transgenic animal technology is the creation of domestic animals genetically designed to express a certain human disease and therefore serve as models for the study and treatment of human illnesses. Although many mouse models of human diseases are available today, such models in large domestic animals physiologically more similar to humans are sparse and critically needed. Further research in this field will undoubtedly uncover many more direct and indirect benefits of this technology. Transgenic animal technologies and the ability to introduce functional genes into animals have revolutionized our ability to address complex biomedical and biological questions. This well-illustrated handbook covers the technical aspects of gene transfer - from molecular methods to whole animal considerations - for important laboratory and domestic animal species. It describes methodologies as employed by leading laboratories and is a key resource for researchers, as well as a tool for training technicians and students. This second edition incorporates updates on a variety of genetic engineering technologies ranging from microinjection and ES cell transfer to nuclear transfer in a broad range of animal modeling systems. Contains a comprehensive collection of transgenic animal and gene transfer methods Discusses background and introduction to techniques and animal systems Teaches practical step-by-step protocols New section on analysis