Molecular Biology of RNA

Description

The versatile RNA molecule, along with its many forms and functions, is elegantly captured in this succinct undergraduate text. Molecular Biology of RNA describes how RNA is not only an intrinsic part of the 'central dogma' of molecular biology, but also plays a part in processes as diverse as the regulation of gene expression and catalysis.

• Complete coverage of the subject area presented in an accessible style
• Written by two research-active authors—both in the field of RNA biology—who also bring extensive teaching experience to their writing
• Experimental evidence for the facts is emphasized throughout via descriptions of key researchers in the field and their landmark experiments
• The impact of RNA-based processes to human health and disease is highlighted via boxes in the text

New to this edition

• A colour plate section helps to illustrate the more complex three-dimensional structures featured in the text more effectively
• End of chapter questions help students structure their revision
• Further introductory material has been incorporated into chapter 1, to provide further support for those new to the subject
• A new final chapter 'RNA biology: future perspectives' explores how cutting edge techniques are being used to make new discoveries in the field

About the Author(s)

David Elliott, Professor of Genetics, Newcastle University, and Michael Ladomery, Reader in Biomedical Science, University of the West of England

Table of Contents

1:Introduction to Molecular Biology of RNA
2:RNA can form versatile structures
3:Catalytic RNAs
4:The RNA-binding proteins
5:Pre-mRNA splicing by the spliceosome
6:Regulated alternative splicing
7:Pre-mRNA splicing defects in development and disease
8:Co-transcriptional pre-mRNA processing
9:Nucleocytoplasmic traffic of messenger RNA
10:Messenger RNA localization
11:Translation of messenger RNA
12:Stability and degradation of mRNA
13:RNA editing
14:The biogenesis and nucleocytoplasmic traffic of non-coding RNAs
15:The 'macro' RNAs: long non-coding RNAs and epigenetics
16:The short non-coding RNAs and gene silencing
17:RNA biology: future perspectives

Reviews

Review from previous edition Highly detailed, and well illustrated, Molecular Biology of RNA represents the first text to address exclusively the role of RNA in biological systems. - Kevin Coward in Journal of Biological Education, 2012

This comprehensive textbook is pitched at just the right level and explains the concepts in sufficient detail to make them come to life. - Ilan Davis in Development, 2011

Additional Resources

The Online Resource Centre which accompanies this text features:

For students:
-Web links to online animations of processes described in the book.

For registered adopters of the text:
-Downloadable figures from the book, for use in lectures and hand-outs.
-Journal Club, to help students get to grips with the research literature.