Synopses & Reviews
A plain-English guide to this fascinating topicWant to know more about genetics? This practical guide gets you up to speed on all the fundamentals and the most recent discoveries. From dominant and recessive inherited traits to the DNA double helix, you get clear explanations in easy-to-understand terms. Plus, you'll see how people are applying genetic science to fight disease, develop new products, solve crimes . . . and even clone cats.
Jump into genetics — get the 411 on how genetic information is divvied up during cell division and how trait inheritance works
Dig into DNA — discover how your DNA is put together, how it gets copied, and how the building plans for your body are encoded in the double helix
Toast to health — understand how genetics affects your health and get the lowdown on the latest developments in genetic counseling, inherited diseases, genetics and cancer, and chromosome disorders
Get in the know — learn about the impact of genetics on hot topics like population genetics, evolution, forensics, cloning, ethical issues, and more
Open the book and find:
The basics of cell biology
The laws of inheritance
A plain-English explanation of traits
The genetics of sex
How DNA is replicated
A tour of the double helix
The genetics of diseases
How gene therapy can treat genetic diseases
The use of DNA to solve crimes
Controversial topics in genetics
Learn to:
Grasp the latest developments in genetics
Understand the latest on stem cell research
Get up to speed on molecular genetics, genetic counseling, and more
Explore ethical issues as they apply to genetics
Synopsis
Genetics For Dummies, 2nd Edition serves as a perfect course supplement for students pursuing degrees in the sciences. With 25 percent new and revised material, Genetics For Dummies, 2nd Edition includes coverage of recent discoveries in the field of genetics and provides science lovers of all skill levels with easy-to-follow and easy-to-understand information about this increasingly advanced field.
It includes new information on: basic genetics genetic mutations, diseases, and evolution gene therapy and other new--and controversial--medicines the exploration of ethical issues as they pertain to the study of genetics the future of genetic science results and applications of scientific discoveries such as stem cell research, cloning, molecular genetics, behavioral genetics, bioarcheology, and genetic engineering and more
Synopsis
A plain-English guide to geneticsWant to know more about genetics? This non-intimidating guide gets you up to speed on all the fundamentals and the most recent discoveries. Now with 25% new and revised material, Genetics For Dummies, 2nd Edition gives you clear and accessible coverage of this rapidly advancing field.
From dominant and recessive inherited traits to the DNA double-helix, you get clear explanations in easy-to-understand terms. Plus, you'll see how people are applying genetic science to fight disease, develop new products, solve crimes . . . and even clone cats.
- Covers topics in a straightforward and effective manner
- Includes coverage of stem cell research, molecular genetics, behavioral genetics, genetic engineering, and more
- Explores ethical issues as they pertain to the study of genetics
Whether you?re currently enrolled in a genetics course or are just looking for a refresher, Genetics For Dummies, 2nd Edition provides science lovers of all skill levels with easy-to-follow information on this fascinating subject.
About the Author
Tara Rodden Robinson, PhD, is an Instructor of Genetics, Extended Campus, at Oregon State University. Previously, she worked as an instructor and Postdoctoral Fellow in Genetics at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Part I: The Lowdown on Genetics: Just the Basics 7Chapter 1: What Genetics Is and Why You Need to Know Some 9
Chapter 2: Basic Cell Biology 19
Chapter 3: Visualize Peas: Discovering the Laws of Inheritance 37
Chapter 4: Law Enforcement: Mendel’s Laws Applied to Complex Traits 51
Chapter 5: Differences Matter: The Genetics of Sex67
Part II: DNA: The Genetic Material 81Chapter 6: DNA: The Basis of Life 83
Chapter 7: Replication: Copying Your DNA 99
Chapter 8: Sequencing Your DNA 117
Chapter 9: RNA: DNA’s Close Cousin 129
Chapter 10: Translating the Genetic Code 143
Chapter 11: Gene Expression: What a Cute Pair of Genes 157
Part III: Genetics and Your Health 171Chapter 12: Genetic Counseling 173
Chapter 13: Mutation and Inherited Diseases: Things You Can’t Change 187
Chapter 14: Taking a Closer Look at the Genetics of Cancer 203
Chapter 15: Chromosome Disorders: It’s All a Numbers Game 221
Chapter 16: Treating Genetic Disorders with Gene Therapy 237
Part IV: Genetics and Your World 249Chapter 17: Tracing Human History and the Future of the Planet 251
Chapter 18: Solving Mysteries Using DNA 265
Chapter 19: Genetic Makeovers: Fitting New Genes into Plants and Animals 283
Chapter 20: Cloning: You’re One of a Kind 299
Chapter 21: Giving Ethical Considerations Their Due313
Part V: The Part of Tens 323Chapter 22: Ten Defi ning Events in Genetics 325
Chapter 23: Ten Hot Issues in Genetics 333
Chapter 24: Ten Hard-to-Believe Genetics Stories 341
Glossary 347Index 351