Small Non-Coding RNAs


Book Description

This volume contains state-of-the-art methods tackling all aspects of small non-coding RNAs biology. Small Non-Coding RNAs: Methods and Protocols guides readers through customized dedicated protocols and technologies that will be of valuable help to all those willing to contribute deciphering the numerous functions of small non-coding RNAs. Written in the highly successful Methods of 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 key tips on troubles troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Instructive and practical, Small Non-Coding RNAs: Methods and Protocols reaches out to biochemists, cellular and molecular biologists already working in the field of RNA biology and to those just starting to study small non-coding RNAs.




Epigenetics in Psychiatry


Book Description

Epigenetics in Psychiatry, Second Edition covers all major areas of psychiatry in which extensive epigenetic research has been performed, fully encompassing a diverse and maturing field, including drug addiction, bipolar disorder, epidemiology, cognitive disorders, and the uses of putative epigenetic-based psychotropic drugs. Uniquely, each chapter correlates epigenetics with relevant advances across genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. The book acts as a catalyst for further research in this growing area of psychiatry. This new edition has been fully revised to address recent advances in epigenetic understanding of psychiatric disorders, evoking data consortia (e.g., CommonMind, ATAC-seq), single cell analysis, and epigenome-wide association studies to empower new research. The book also examines epigenetic effects of the microbiome on psychiatric disorders, and the use of neuroimaging in studying the role of epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression. Ongoing advances in epigenetic therapy are explored in-depth. - Fully revised to discuss new areas of research across neuronal stem cells, cognitive disorders, and transgenerational epigenetics in psychiatric disease - Relates broad advances in psychiatric epigenetics to a modern understanding of the genome, transcriptome, and proteins - Catalyzes knowledge discovery in both basic epigenetic biology and epigenetic targets for drug discovery - Provides guidance in research methods and protocols, as well how to employ data from consortia, single cell analysis, and epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) - Features chapter contributions from international leaders in the field




Small RNAs:


Book Description

In recent years, the discovery of functional small RNAs has brought about an unprecedented revolution within the field of molecular biology. This volume describes strategies for the discovery and validation of small RNAs. It provides a snapshot of our current understanding of the different mechanisms triggered by small RNAs and the variations encountered in different organisms.




Bioinformatics for Beginners


Book Description

Bioinformatics for Beginners: Genes, Genomes, Molecular Evolution, Databases and Analytical Tools provides a coherent and friendly treatment of bioinformatics for any student or scientist within biology who has not routinely performed bioinformatic analysis. The book discusses the relevant principles needed to understand the theoretical underpinnings of bioinformatic analysis and demonstrates, with examples, targeted analysis using freely available web-based software and publicly available databases. Eschewing non-essential information, the work focuses on principles and hands-on analysis, also pointing to further study options. - Avoids non-essential coverage, yet fully describes the field for beginners - Explains the molecular basis of evolution to place bioinformatic analysis in biological context - Provides useful links to the vast resource of publicly available bioinformatic databases and analysis tools - Contains over 100 figures that aid in concept discovery and illustration




Long Noncoding RNAs in Plants


Book Description

The growth of human population has increased the demand for improved yield and quality of crops and horticultural plants. However, plant productivity continues to be threatened by stresses such as heat, cold, drought, heavy metals, UV radiations, bacterial and fungal pathogens, and insect pests. Long noncoding RNAs are associated with various developmental pathways, regulatory systems, abiotic and biotic stress responses and signaling, and can provide an alternative strategy for stress management in plants. Long Noncoding RNAs in Plants: Roles in development and stress provides the most recent advances in LncRNAs, including identification, characterization, and their potential applications and uses. Introductory chapters include the basic features and brief history of development of lncRNAs studies in plants. The book then provides the knowledge about the lncRNAs in various important agricultural and horticultural crops such as cereals, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and fiber crop cotton, and their roles and applications in abiotic and biotic stress management. - Includes the latest advances and research in long noncoding RNAs in plants - Provides alternative strategies for abiotic and biotic stress management in horticultural plants and agricultural crops - Focuses on the application and uses of long noncoding RNAs




Epigenetics in Human Disease


Book Description

Epigenetics is one of the fastest growing fields of sciences, illuminating studies of human diseases by looking beyond genetic make-up and acknowledging that outside factors play a role in gene expression. The goal of this volume is to highlight those diseases or conditions for which we have advanced knowledge of epigenetic factors such as cancer, autoimmune disorders and aging as well as those that are yielding exciting breakthroughs in epigenetics such as diabetes, neurobiological disorders and cardiovascular disease. Where applicable, attempts are made to not only detail the role of epigenetics in the etiology, progression, diagnosis and prognosis of these diseases, but also novel epigenetic approaches to the treatment of these diseases. Chapters are also presented on human imprinting disorders, respiratory diseases, infectious diseases and gynecological and reproductive diseases. Since epigenetics plays a major role in the aging process, advances in the epigenetics of aging are highly relevant to many age-related human diseases. Therefore, this volume closes with chapters on aging epigenetics and breakthroughs that have been made to delay the aging process through epigenetic approaches. With its translational focus, this book will serve as valuable reference for both basic scientists and clinicians alike. Comprehensive coverage of fundamental and emergent science and clinical usage Side-by-side coverage of the basis of epigenetic diseases and their treatments Evaluation of recent epigenetic clinical breakthroughs




Cancer Genomics


Book Description

The discovery of microRNA (miRNA) involvement in cancer a decade ago, and the more recent findings of long non-coding RNAs in human diseases, challenged the long-standing view that RNAs without protein-coding potential are simply “junk” transcription within the human genome. These findings evidently changed the dogma that “DNA makes RNA makes protein” by showing that RNAs themselves can be essential regulators of cellular function and play key roles in cancer development. MiRNAs are evolutionarily conserved short single-stranded transcripts of 19–24 nucleotides in length. They do not code for proteins, but change the final output of protein-coding genes by regulating their transcriptional and/or translation process. Ultraconserved genes (UCGs) are non-coding RNAs with longer length (>200bp) that are transcribed from the ultraconserved genomic region. Both miRNAs and UCGs are located within cancer-associated genomic regions (CAGRs) and can act as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. In this chapter, we present principles and concepts that have been identified over the last decade with respect to our understanding of the function of non-coding RNAs, and summarize recent findings on the role of miRNAs and UCGs in cancer development. Finally, we will conclude by discussing the translational potential of this knowledge into clinical settings such as cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.




Drug Discovery in Cancer Epigenetics


Book Description

Drug Discovery in Cancer Epigenetics is a practical resource for scientists involved in the discovery, testing, and development of epigenetic cancer drugs. Epigenetic modifications can have significant implications for translational science as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis or therapy prediction. Most importantly, epigenetic modifications are reversible and epigenetic players are found mutated in different cancers; therefore, they provide attractive therapeutic targets. There has been great interest in developing and testing epigenetic drugs, which inhibit DNA methyltransferases, histone modifying enzymes or chromatin reader proteins. The first few drugs are already FDA approved and have made their way into clinical settings. This book provides a comprehensive summary of the epigenetic drugs currently available and aims to increase awareness in this area to foster more rapid translation of epigenetic drugs into the clinic. - Highlights the potential of epigenetic alterations in cancer for drug development - Covers the tools and methods for epigenetic drug discovery, preclinical and clinical testing, and clinical implications of epigenetic therapy - Provides important information regarding putative epigenetic targets, epigenetic technologies, networks and consortia for epigenetic drug discovery and routes for translation




Generation of cDNA Libraries


Book Description

Since its invention and subsequent development nearly 20 years ago, po- merase chain reaction (PCR) has been extensively utilized to identify numerous gene probes in vitro and in vivo. However, attempts to generate complete and full-length complementary cDNA libraries were, for the most part, fruitless and remained elusive until the last decade, when simple and rapid methods were developed. With current decoding and potential application of human genome information to genechips, there are urgent needs for identification of functional significance of these decoded gene sequences. Inherent in bringing these app- cations to fruition is the need to generate a complete and full-length cDNA library for potential functional assays of specific gene sequences. Generation of cDNA Libraries: Methods and Protocols serves as a laboratory manual on the evolution of generation of cDNA libraries, covering both ba- ground information and step-by-step practical laboratory recipes for which p- tocols, reagents, operational tips, instrumentation, and other requirements are detailed. The first chapter of the book is an overview of the basics of generating cDNA libraries, which include the following: (a) the definition of a cDNA library, (b) different kinds of cDNA libraries, (c) differences between methods for cDNA library generation using conventional approaches and novel stra- gies, including reverse generation of RNA repertoires from cDNA libraries, and (d) the quality of cDNA libraries.




Advances in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology


Book Description

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 5th Brazilian Symposium on Bioinformatics, BSB 2010, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August/September 2010. The 5 full papers and 5 extended abstracts presented were carefully reviewed and selected for inclusion in the book. The topics of interest vary in many areas of Bioinformatics, including sequence analysis, motifs, and pattern matching; biomedical text mining; biological databases, data management, integration; biological data mining; structural, comparative, and functional genomics; protein structure, modeling and simulation; gene identification, and regulation; gene expression analysis; gene and protein interaction and networks; molecular docking; molecular evolution and phylogenetics; computational systems biology; computational proteomics; statistical analysis of molecular sequences; algorithms for problems in computational biology; as well as applications in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, and associated subjects.