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This highly illustrated textbook provides an essential overview on RNA architecture and function, it offers insights into the RNA basics and also explains novel RNA technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas and their applications. In addition, the mRNA based vaccine technology, which has long been tested, also before the COVID-19 pandemic, is discussed and students receive a basic understanding of this important medical application.The textbook is written by Prof. Grover in collaboration with her students and has an easily accessible style. The book provides a great tool for young researchers and students in biology, biomedical engineering or biochemistry, looking for a compact introduction or refresher work on RNA, including the newest findings and technologies. It is an ideal starter to learn about several RNA specific topics and to research them further.

Genetic transformation is a key technology, in which genes are transferred from one organism to another in order to improve agronomic traits and ultimately help humans. However, there is apprehension in some quarters that genetically modified crops may disturb the ecosystem. A number of non-governmental organizations continue to protest against GM crops and foods, despite the fact that many organisms are genetically modified naturally in the course of evolution. In this context, there is a need to educate the public about the importance of GM crops in terms of food and nutritional security. This book provides an overview of various crop plants where genetic transformation has been successfully implemented to improve their agronomically useful traits. It includes information on the gene(s) transferred, the method of gene transfer and the beneficial effects of these gene transfers and agronomic improvements compared to the wild plants. Further, it discusses the commercial prospects of these GM crops as well as the associated challenges. Given its scope, this book is a valuable resource for agricultural and horticultural scientists/experts wanting to explain to the public, politicians and non-governmental organizations the details of GM crops and how they can improve crops and the lives of farmers.

The series Topics in Current Chemistry Collections presents critical reviews from the journal Topics in Current Chemistry organized in topical volumes. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientific audience.Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field.The chapter'DNA-Programmed Chemical Synthesis of Polymers and Inorganic Nanomaterials'is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 License via link.springer.com.

Genetic transformation is a key technology, in which genes are transferred from one organism to another in order to improve agronomic traits and ultimately help humans. However, there is concern in some quarters that genetically modified crops may disturb the ecosystem. A number of non-governmental organizations continue to protest against GM crops and foods, despite the fact that many organisms are genetically modified naturally in the course of evolution. In this context, there is a need to educate the public about the importance of GM crops in terms of food and nutritional security. This book provides an overview of various crop plants where genetic transformation has been successfully implemented to improve their agronomically useful traits. It includes information on the gene(s) transferred, the method of gene transfer and the beneficial effects of these gene transfers and the agronomic improvements compared to the wild plants. Further, it discusses the commercial prospects of these GM crops as well as the associated challenges. Given its scope, this book is a valuable resource for agricultural and horticultural scientists/experts wanting to explain to the public, politicians and non-governmental organizations the details of GM crops and how they can improve crops and the lives of farmers. It also appeals to researchers and postgraduate students.This volume focuses on the transgenics of mungbean, cowpea, chickpea, cotton, mulberrry, Jatropha, fingermillet, papaya, citrus plants and cassava. It also discusses CRISPR edited lines.

This book reviews the development, characterization and applications of aptamers in different areas of biotechnology ranging from therapeutics to diagnostics and protein purification. Hailed as chemical antibodies, these single-stranded nucleic acid receptors were predicted to supersede antibodies in traditional assays, such as ELISA, within a short time. While this has yet to happen, readers will find in this book a deep insight into the progress of aptamer technology and a critical discussion about the limitations that need to be overcome in order to find wider acceptance and use outside of the still relatively small aptamer-community. This book covers all aspects of aptamer generation and application for the aptamer-experienced reader and curious novice alike, with the addition of an industry perspective on the future of aptamer-use in biotechnology.

This book presents three types of synthetically cooperative DNA recognizing assemblies, in order to advance the development of programmable DNA-binding pyrrole–imidazole polyamides (PIPs). PIPs represent the best-characterized class of small molecule DNA binders that can be modified to bind with any predetermined DNA sequence and regulate gene expression patterns in a transgene-free and cost-effective manner. PIPs are characterized by their small molecular size, high binding affinity, programmability, sequence selectivity, and moderate cell permeability. In recent years, there have been numerous novel studies on the applications of these biological tools; this research is thoroughly reviewed in the first chapter. There are several critical issues, however, that impede the further broad study of PIPs, which greatly concern the author. For instance, the short PIP version has an excessively hi^10 bp; this significantly decreases cell permeability. Moreover, the conventional binding strategy for PIP design cannot apply to flexible DNA binding—for example, the DNA-binding mode of a transcription factor pair. In this book, the author describes the development of three kinds of cooperative DNA-binding systems that help resolve the current highly problematic issues concerning PIPs. These three systems offer a range of significant advantages, such as favorable sequence selectivity, long recognition sequence, higher binding affinity, and a flexible gap distance. Released at a critical juncture in the application of PIPs, this book will greatly facilitate their use as therapeutic drugs in the treatment of cancer and hereditary diseases, and in regenerative medicine.

This book offers a comprehensive and detailed overview of various aspects of long non-coding RNAs. It discusses their emerging significance in molecular medicine, ranging from human cancers to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Transcriptomic studies have demonstrated that the majority of genomes found in complex organisms are expressed in highly dynamic and cell-specific patterns, producing huge numbers of intergenic, antisense and intronic long non-protein-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Thousands of lncRNAs have been identified, and unlike mRNA, they have no protein-coding capacity. A large repertoire of ncRNAs, actively transcribed from the mammalian genome, control diverse cellular processes, both in terms of development and diseases, through a variety of gene regulatory mechanisms. IncRNAs have emerged as a new paradigm in epigenetic regulation of the genome. Given its scope, the book will be of particular interest to molecular, chemical, cell and developmental biologists, as well as specialists in translational medicine involved in disease-oriented research. It also offers a valuable resource for in silico experts seeking a deeper understanding of lncRNA expression and function through computational analysis of the NGS data.

This book describes the rational design, development and application of nucleic acid amplification strategies for biosensing, bioimaging and biomedicine. It consists of fifteen chapters demonstrating the use of these strategies in various areas, including fluorescence techniques, Chemiluminescence biosensors, electrochemiluminescence biosensors, colorimetric assays, surface plasmon resonance technologies, electrochemical DNA sensors, photoelectrochemical biosensor, nanopore sensors, quartz crystal microbalance, fluorescence imaging, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, in vitro and in vivo metal ions detection, theranostics and microdroplet chips. Offering a collection of reviews illustrating the latest advances in biochemical analysis and therapeutics, the book shares valuable insights into current challenges and future prospects, making it a valuable resource for a wide readership in the various fields of biosensing, bioimaging and biomedicine.

This book highlights the development of a functional nucleic acid based biosensor detection method in the context of food safety. Although there have been major advances in food processing technology in both developed and developing countries, food safety assurance systems are generally becoming more stringent, in response to growing (both real and perceived) food safety problems. These problems are due in part to foodborne microorganisms, heavy metals, and small chemical molecules (biological toxins, pesticide residues, and veterinary drug residues), etc. In addition, the nucleic acid biomarkers (DNA methylation, microRNA, and circRNA) induced by these risk factors are also closely related to food safety. Accordingly, this book offers a brief guide to targets and strategies in functional nucleic acid based biosensors for food safety detection. Divided into several chapters that focus on various respective targets, it will be a valuable resource for students and researchers in the fields of biosensor detection, food science etc.

The origin of life is one of the biggest unsolved scientific questions. This book deals with the formation and first steps of the chemical evolution of nucleic acids, including the chemical roots behind the origin of their components from the simplest sources in a geochemical context. Chemical evolution encompasses the chemical processes and interactions conducive to self-assembly and supramolecular organization, leading to an increase of complexity and the emergence of life. The book starts with a personal account of the pioneering work of Stanley Miller and Jeffrey Bada on the Chemistry of Origins of Life and how the development of organic chemistry beginning in the 19th century led to the emergence of the field of prebiotic chemistry, situated at the frontier between organic, geo- and biochemistry. It then continues reviewing in tutorial manner current central topics regarding the organization of nucleic acids: the origin of nucleobases and nucleosides, their phosphorylation and polymerization and ultimately, their self-assembly and supramolecular organization at the inception of life.

This comprehensive book presents a modern concept in biophysics based on recently published research. It highlights various aspects of the biophysical fundamentals and techniques that are currently used to study different physical properties of biomolecules, and relates the biological phenomenon with the underlying physical concepts. The content is divided into nine chapters summarizing the structural details of proteins, including recently discovered novel folds, higher order structures of nucleic acids, as well as lipids and the physical forces governing the macromolecular interactions which are essential for the various biological processes. It also provides insights into the recent advances in biophysical techniques including Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange with Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS), Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and Cryo Electron Microscopy (cryo EM), supplemented with interesting experimental data. It is a valuable reference resource for anyone with a desire to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals of biophysical concepts and techniques of important biomolecules.

This book offers low-cost and rapid molecular assays for the characterization of mutant plant germplasm. Detailed protocols are provided for the desiccation of plant tissues; the extraction of high-quality DNA for downstream applications; the extraction of single-strand-specific nucleases for single nucleotide polymorphism; and small insertion/deletion discovery using standard agarose gel electrophoresis. The methods described can be applied in any laboratory equipped for basic molecular biology and do away with the need for expensive freezers and toxic organic compounds. With the appropriate validation of sample quality and longevity, they can provide sufficient DNA for a variety of molecular applications, such as marker studies and TILLING, at approximately one tenth of the cost per sample when compared to commercial kits.

Molecular Beacons explains working principle of molecular beacons, discusses their design, synthesis, purification and characterization, explores their thermodynamic and kinetic properties, and more importantly, reviews their in vivo and in vitro applications with the emphasis on the design and modification of molecular beacons for in vivo mRNA imaging applications.This book is designed to bring together in a single resource an organized and comprehensive view of molecular beacons and will be a valuable resource for academic, clinical and industrial scientists and graduate students who may consider exploring molecular beacons in their research or practice.Chaoyong James Yang is the Lu Jiaxi Professor of Chemistry at Xiamen University, China.Weihong Tan is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at Hunan University, China and also a University of Florida Distinguished Professor and V. T. and Louis Jackson Professor of Chemistry at the University of Florida, USA.

Nature has long used nucleic acid aptamers and enzymes for regulatory activities, such as the recently discovered “riboswitches” involved in gene expression. The existence of a large array of natural and artificial functional nucleic acids has generated tremendous enthusiasm and new opportunities for molecular scientists from diverse disciplines to devise new concepts and real applications that take advantage of those nucleic acids for sensing and other analytical applications. This book provides a timely and comprehensive overview of recent advances in the field, from leading experts in biology, chemistry, and engineering. A variety of topics are covered, from fundamentals of functional nucleic acids, to their applications as sensors, to nanotechnologies; as well as integration of functional nucleic acids into practical analytical systems.