Genomics Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology Volume 175)

We must unashamedly admit that a large part of the motivation for editing Genomics Protocols was selfish. The possibility of assembling in a single volume a unique and comprehensive collection of complete protocols, relevant to our work and the work of our colleagues, was too good an opportunity to miss. We are pleased to report, however, that the outcome is something of use not only to those who are experienced practitioners in the genomics field, but is also valuable to the larger community of researchers who have recognized the potential of genomics research and may themselves be beginning to explore the technologies involved. Some of the techniques described in Genomics Protocols are clearly not restricted to the genomics field; indeed, a prerequisite for many procedures in this discipline is that they require an extremely high throughput, beyond the scope of the average investigator. However, what we have endeavored here to achieve is both to compile a collection of procedures concerned with geno- scale investigations and to incorporate the key components of “bottom-up” and “top-down” approaches to gene finding. The technologies described extend from those traditionally recognized as coming under the genomics umbrella, touch on proteomics (the study of the expressed protein complement of the genome), through to early therapeutic approaches utilizing the potential of genome programs via gene therapy (Chapters 27–30).

Genome analysis is essential both to understanding the molecular bases of physiological processes and to the development of novel therapies for treating human diseases. In Genomics Protocols, an expert panel of internationally acclaimed researchers from academia, industry, and leading genome centers provides a comprehensive generic set of protocols for gene hunting and genome analysis. Drawing on emerging technologies in the fields of bioinformatics and proteomics, these protocols cover not only those traditionally recognized as genomics, but also early therapeutic approaches exploiting the potential of gene therapy. Highlights include methods for the analysis of differential gene expression, SNP detection, comparative genomic hybridization, and the functional analysis of genes, as well as the use of bioinformatics for gene identification and the prediction of protein function. Each method includes step-by-step instructions and invaluable notes that describe the quirks in a procedure and the little tricks that make all the difference to a successful outcome.
Comprehensive and eminently practical, Genomics Protocols provides academic and pharmaceutical researchers alike with richly detailed accounts of the most up-to-date genomics techniques, including the emerging technologies from proteomics-all highly effective tools that will help investigators expand their research horizons and better understand gene function.