Understanding DNA

The functional properties of any molecule are directly related to, and affected by, its structure. This is especially true for DNA, the molecular that carries the code for all life on earth.

The third edition of Understanding DNA has been entirely revised and updated, and expanded to cover new advances in our understanding. It explains, step by step, how DNA forms specific structures, the nature of these structures and how they fundamentally affect the biological processes of transcription and replication.

Written in a clear, concise and lively fashion, Understanding DNA is essential reading for all molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics students, to newcomers to the field from other areas such as chemistry or physics, and even for seasoned researchers, who really want to understand DNA.

• Describes the basic units of DNA and how these form the double helix, and the various types of DNA double helix
• Outlines the methods used to study DNA structure
• Contains over 130 illustrations, some in full color, as well as exercises and further readings to stimulate student comprehension

Chris Calladine is Professor of Structural Mechanics at the University of Cambridge. In addition to researching aspects of structural engineering, he has applied the methods of structural mechanics to the study of flagella and DNA.

Horace Drew solved several of the first DNA crystal X-ray structures with Richard Dickerson at Caltech, and subsequently spent five years researching DNA and chromosome structures with Aaron Klug at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK He now lives in Australia and is a Principle Research Scientist at the CSIRO Division of Biomolecular Engineering in Sydney.

Ben Luisi works in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, where he has an appointment as professor of structural biology. He and his colleagues study the structure and mechanism of efflux pumps and the riboregulatory machinery that help to control the expression of the pumps and other complex systems in bacteria.