Mobile Genetic Elements: Protocols and Genomic Applications (Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol. 260)

Leading experts describe in step-by-step detail their most productive transposon-based methods and strategies for studying genome structure, function, and evolution. These readily reproducible techniques cover a wide range, including mutagenesis, transgenesis, gene silencing, and molecular systematics. Among the highlights are a series of DNA hybridization methods for analyzing the distribution and dynamics of mobile DNA at the hosts' genomic level, techniques for studying LTR retrotransposons in heterologous host systems, and mutagenesis protocols for investigating gene functions in a broad range of organisms. These cutting-edge methods offer investigators powerful genetic tools for dissecting the function of a specific gene, elaborating on the mechanisms leading to genetic change and diversity, and studying the evolutionary impact of mobile DNA on the biology and evolution of organisms.