The Biochemistry of the Nucleic Acids

When the first edition of this book was published in 1950, it predated the publication of the double-helical structure of DNA by three years. It is not, therefore, surprizing that nothing of the original book remains in the current edition. Indeed, such is the pace of change in the field of nucleic acids that less than 50% of material incorporated into the 1986 edition has been retained. The book aims at the advanced undergraduate and at graduates that are undertaking course work or requiring an in-depth background for their research. It also aims to provide the established scientist with a single text that permits updating across the whole field from DNA structure, replication and repair, through gene expression and its control to protein synthesis. Every chapter is accompanied by thorough referencing that enables the reader to evaluate personally the data and methodology that cannot be included in the text. In an attempt to keep this list within bounds, references are limited to about ten per page and, to accommodate the more recent literature, many of the older references have been left out in this latest edition.

`With its emphasis on the biochemistry that has led to so much of our knowledge of nucleic acids, this text is a valuable complement to other works that concentrate on the contribution made by more genetic approaches.'
Nature
`This book is very readable with helpful diagrmas, and an extensive bibliography at the end of each chapter; thus it is useful not only for third year undergraduate courses, but also as a basic reference book.'
New Scientist
`The authors have contiued to select their material to fulfil the requirements of advanced undergraduate, and graduate, students in biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology ... The book is very readable and profusely illustrated, and embraces most of the current trends in molecular biology.'
Febs Letters