Synopses & Reviews
Bioinformatics – the process of searching biological databases, comparing sequences, examining protein structures, and researching biological questions with a computer – is one of the marvels of modern technology that can save you months of lab work. And the most amazing part is that, if you know how, you can use highly sophisticated programs over the Internet without paying a dime and sometimes, without installing anything new on your own computer. All you need to know is how to use these technological miracles.
That's where Bioinformatics For Dummies comes in. If you want to know what bioinformatics is all about and how to use it without wading through pages of computer gibberish or taking a course full of theory, this book has the answers in plain English. You'll find out how to
- Use Internet resources
- Understand bioinformatics jargon
- Research biological databases
- Locate the sequences you need
- Perform specific tasks, step by step
Written by two experts who helped develop the science, Bioinformatics For Dummies is all about getting things done. If you're just getting your feet wet, start at the beginning with a quick review of those necessary parts of microbiology and an overview of the tools available. If you already know what you want to do, you can go directly to a chapter that shows you how. Get the lowdown on
- Researching and analyzing DNA and protein sequences
- Gathering information from all published sources
- Searching databases for similar sequences and acquiring information about gene functions through sequence comparisons
- Producing and editing multiple sequence comparisons for presentation
- Predicting protein structures and RNA structures
- Doing phylogenetic analysis
With an Internet connection and Bioinformatics For Dummies, you'll discover how to peruse databases that contain virtually everything known about human biology. It's like having access to the world's largest lab, right from your desk. This book is your lab assistant – one that never takes a day off, never argues when you ask it for help, and won't demand a benefits package.
Review
“…buy soon and read fast!…” (
Spixiana, July 2004)
"...will be of enormous practical assistance to anyone getting to grips with bioinformatics tools in the course of their research..." (Briefings in Bioinformatics, June 2003)
Synopsis
A practical introduction to bioinformatics--computer technologies that biochemical and pharmaceutical researchers use to analyze genetic and biological data. This reference addresses common biological questions, problems, and projects, while also providing a UNIX/Linux overview and tips on tweaking bioinformatic applications using Perl.
Synopsis
Search databases and analyze sequences like a proGet the most out of your PC and the Web with the right tools
Explore the human genome and analyze DNA — without leaving your desktop! All it takes is the basics of molecular biology and the wealth of information in this friendly guide. You'll discover the online tools and useful tips you need to ask the right questions, analyze sequences, and compare results. It's a plain-English introduction to the field!
Discover how to
- Do biological research online
- Use gene-centric databases
- Visualize proteins in 3-D
- Interpret and analyze sequences
- Produce and publish results
Synopsis
"A painless and thorough introduction to the field."
-Jim Kent, Research Scientist, UC Santa Cruz
Related Web site helps you find the best tools
Get an overview, choose the right databases, or analyze sequences like a pro
Whether you're baffled by bioinformatics or just weary of wandering the Web, you've come to the right place. This friendly volume is like chatting with the experts. You'll get bioinformatics basics plus a cookbook of cool ideas, tips on tools, directions to the best Web sites, and shortcuts to great results - all in plain English!
Praise for Bioinformatics For Dummies
"The authors cover practical and theoretical aspects of a wide range of bioinformatics tools with remarkable clarity and humor. This book is a painless and thorough introduction to the field."
- Jim Kent, Author of GigAssembler, used in the Human Genome Project
About the Author
Jean-Michel Claverieis Professor of Medical Bioinformatics at the School of Medicine of the Université de la Méditerranée, and a consultant in genomics and bioinformatics. He is the founder and current head of the Structural & Genomic Information Laboratory, located in Marseilles, a sunny city on the Mediterranean coast of France. Using science as a pretext to travel, Jean-Michel has held positions in Paris (France), Sherbrooke (PQ, Canada), the Salk Institute (La Jolla, CA), the Pasteur Institute (Paris), Incyte pharmaceutical (Palo Alto, CA); and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (Bethesda, MD). He has used computers in biology since the early days –– his Ph.D. work involved modeling biochemical reactions by programming an 8K Honeywell 516 computer right from the console switches! Although he has no clear recollection of it, he has been credited with introducing the French word “bioinformatique” in the late eighties, before involuntarily coining the catchy “bioinformatics” by mistranslating it while giving a talk in English!
Jean-Michel’s current research interests are in microbial and structural genomics, and in the development of bioinformatic methods for the prediction of gene function. He is the author or coauthor of more than 150 scientific publications, and a member of numerous international review panels and scientific councils. In his spare time, he enjoys the relaxed pace of life in Marseilles, with his wife Chantal and their two sons, Nicholas and Raphael.
Cedric Notredameis a researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research. Cedric has used and abused the facilities offered by science to wander around Europe. After a Ph.D. at EMBL (Heidelberg, Germany) and at the European Bioinformatics Institute (Cambridge, UK) under the supervision of Des Higgins (yes, the ClustalW guy), Cedric did a post-doc at the National Institute of Medical Research (London, UK), in the lab of Willie Taylor and under the supervision of Jaap Heringa. He then did a post-doc in Lausanne (Switzerland) with Phillip Bucher, and remained involved with the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics for several years. Having had his share of rain, snow, and wind, Cedric has finally settled in Marseilles, where the sun and the sea are simply warmer than any other place he has lived in.
Cedric dedicates most of his research to the multiple sequence alignment problem and its many applications in biology. His friends claim that his entire life (past, present, future) is somehow stuffed into the T-Coffee multiple-sequence alignment package. When he is not busy dismantling T-Coffee and brewing new sequences, Cedric enjoys life in the company of his wife, Marita.
Table of Contents
Introduction.Part I: Getting Started in Bioinformatics.
Chapter 1: Finding Out What Bioinformatics Can Do for You.
Chapter 2: How Most People Use Bioinformatics.
Part II: A Survival Guide to Bioinformatics.
Chapter 3: Using Nucleotide Sequence Databases.
Chapter 4: Using Protein and Specialized Sequence Databases.
Chapter 5: Working with a Single DNA Sequence.
Chapter 6: Working with a Single Protein Sequence.
Part III: Becoming a Pro in Sequence Analysis.
Chapter 7: Similarity Searches on Sequence Databases.
Chapter 8: Comparing Two Sequences.
Chapter 9: Building a Multiple Sequence Alignment.
Chapter 10: Editing and Publishing Alignments.
Part IV: Becoming a Specialist: Advanced Bioinformatics Techniques.
Chapter 11: Working with Protein 3-D Structures.
Chapter 12: Working with RNA.
Chapter 13: Building Phylogenetic Trees.
Part V: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 14: The Ten Commandments When Using Servers.
Chapter 15: Some Useful Bioinformatics Resources.
Glossary.
Index.