Books in the Methods in Molecular Biology series

Metabolic engineering is the practice of genetically optimizing metabolic and regulatory networks within cells to increase production and/or recovery of certain substance from cells.

In Liver Stem Cells: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers focus on several hepatic progenitor cells, hepatic differentiation form stem cells, bile ductal cell formation from stem cells, liver stem cells and hepatocarcinogenesi, and application of liver stem cells for cell therapy.

Population genomics is a recently emerged discipline, which aims at understanding how evolutionary processes influence genetic variation across genomes.

The development of the hybridoma technology created the possibility to obtain unlimited amounts of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) with high specificity and affinity for any target and to introduce mAbs in a wide range of applications;

In Embryo Culture: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field detail many of the methods which are now commonly used to study human embryo culture.

Today, cells are commonly analyzed en masse, with thousands of cells per sample, yielding results on the average response of the cells.

Transposable elements are used as genetic tools for dissecting the function of a specific gene and elaborating on mechanisms leading to genetic change and diversity, and the evolutionary impact of mobile DNA on the biology and evolution of organism.

The second edition of Bioinformatics and Drug Discovery has been completely updated to include topics that range from new technologies in target identification, genomic analysis, cheminformatics, protein analysis, and network or pathway analysis.

The detailed volume is focused on basic protocols for isolating antibodies and, at the same time, it selects a range of specific areas with the aim of providing guides for the overall process of antibody isolation and characterization as well as protocols for enhancing classical antibodies and antibody fragments.

Organogenesis entails the regulation of cell division, cell expansion, cell and tissue type differentiation, and patterning of the organ as a whole. It is essential to gain insight into how organs are initiated and how they develop. However, this very often is subject to technical difficulties as these processes take place embedded deep in tissues or are difficult to access or visualize. To achieve this, we need specialized techniques such as those concisely illustrated in Plant Organogenesis: Methods and Protocols. Chapters address topics such as how to study and image the structure of ovules and embryos of Arabidopsis thaliana, tools to establish cell lineages in order to visualize the contribution of each cell and cell division to the building of a mature organ, approaches to study the totipotency of several plant cells, techniques such as the use of fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to analyse transcriptomes and hormone levels in Arabidopsis, methods to investigate organogenesis in economically important crops, and computer-based approaches to bring everything together. Written in the 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 protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Plant Organogenesis: Methods and Protocols serves both professionals and novices with its well-honed methodologies in an effort to further our knowledge of this fascinating researchfield.

The second edition of p53 Protocols expands upon the first edition with progress in p53 research since the publication of the first edition.

A broad definition of a receptor is a specialized protein on or in a cell that recognizes and binds a specific ligand to undergo a conformational change, leading to a physiological response or change in cell function.

Plant Salt Tolerance: Methods and Protocols describes recent advances and techniques employed by researchers to understand the molecular and ionic basis of salinity tolerance and to investigate the mechanisms of salt stress perception and signalling in plants.

These include methods and techniques to identify regulatory RNAs, characterizing the function and expression of regulatory RNAs in bacterial cells, RNA structure prediction, and interactions between regulatory RNAs and proteins.

Current knowledge of the mechanisms that regulate DNA repair has grown significantly over the past years with technology advances such as RNA interference, advanced proteomics and microscopy as well as high throughput screens.

Filamentous fungi have long been known for their ability to produce an enormous range of unusual chemical compounds known as secondary metabolites, many of which have potentially useful antibiotic or pharmacological properties. Recent focus on fungal genomics coupled with advances in detection and molecular manipulation techniques has galvanized a revitalization of this field.  Fungal Secondary Metabolism: Methods and Protocols is aimed at providing the key methodologies currently in use and necessary for accessing and exploiting the natural product information provided by the genomes of this large and varied kingdom. Written by active researchers in the field, the chapters deal with all the steps necessary, from optimization of fungal culture conditions for metabolite production, through rapid genome sequencing and bioinformatics, and genetic manipulations for functional analysis, to detection and testing of metabolites. In addition, chapters on basic science address approaches to the genetic regulation, protein biochemistry, and cellular localization of the biosynthetic pathways. 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 tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Practical and hands-on, Fungal Secondary Metabolism: Methods and Protocols encourages new investigators to enter the field and expands upon the expertise and range of skills of those already researching fungal natural products.