Genetics and Biotechnology

Genetics is the study of heredity and how it affects plants and animals, while biotechnology is the application of modern DNA marker, isolation, and transfer technologies toward improving plant and animal agricultural productivity, environmental remediation, and the treatment of disease. Genetics and Biotechnology are relatively new fields of study and use biotechniques to genetically improve economically important plants and animals. This field holds tremendous promise for meeting the food and fiber needs of the developing world. Students are prepared for immediate employment or for graduate study in plant and animal biotechnology, molecular biology, genetics, or the health professions. Genetic manipulation of whole organisms has been happening naturally by sexual reproduction since the beginning of time. The evolutionary progress of almost all living creatures has involved active interaction between their genomes and the environment. Active control of sexual reproduction has been practiced in agriculture for decades - even centuries. In more recent times it has been used with several industrial microorganisms. It involves selection, mutation, sexual crosses, hybridisation, etc. Biotechnology has so far been considered as an interplay between two components, one of which is the selection of the best biocatalyst for a particular process, while the other is the construction and operation of the best environment for the catalyst to achieve optimum operation. The overall objective of this book is to provide a professional level reference work with comprehensive coverage of the molecular basis of life and the application of that knowledge in genetics, evolution, medicine, and agriculture.