Bioinformatics: Sequence and Genome Analysis, Vol. 5

Based on a course given at the University of Arizona, this text is a foundation for the undergraduate and graduate student. Features sequence alignment, structure prediction, database searching, underlying algorithms, examples in simple numerical terms, tables, and web sources.

As more species' genomes are sequenced, computational analysis of these data has become increasingly important. The second, entirely updated edition of this widely praised textbook provides a comprehensive and critical examination of the computational methods needed for analyzing DNA, RNA, and protein data, as well as genomes. The book has been rewritten to make it more accessible to a wider audience, including advanced undergraduate and graduate students. New features include chapter guides and explanatory information panels and glossary terms. New chapters in this second edition cover statistical analysis of sequence alignments, computer programming for bioinformatics, and data management and mining. Practically oriented problems at the ends of chapters enhance the value of the book as a teaching resource. The book also serves as an essential reference for professionals in molecular biology, pharmaceutical, and genome laboratories.

Nature Genetics

Bioinformatics is for the biologist who wants to learn more about the fundamentals of DNA sequence analysis. An analogy for the target audience would be readers who want to know the components of an automobile that make it go, rather than seeking information on how to drive from Tucson to Santa Fe, or on the physics of an internal combustion engine. This audience is probably the largest and, until now, the most neglected .The text [in Bioinformatics] is well formatted and easily read, with many figures and tables. Color is used both effectively and densely. The book is worth purchasing if only for the extensive bibliographies at the end of each chapter. Moreover, the quality and level of explanation in each chapter is generally consistent, something that cannot be said for 'compilation' texts .Bioinformatics is an excellent text for the biologist who wants to learn more about the field, and is well worth exploring by the instructor looking to tackle his or her first bioinformatics course.

David W. Mount is Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Professor of Biochemistry, and Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona in Tucson. His broad-ranging research interests include sequence analysis and genomic databases, mechanisms of genetic recombination and radiation resistance in plants, as well as conservation genetics, molecular ecology, and molecular evolution. His book Bioinformatics: Sequence and Genome Analysis is based on a course he teaches at the University of Arizona.