Jennifer A. Marshall Graves - Böcker

Biological sex is central to our continued existence. Yet the mechanism that determines sex, rather than being rational and conserved, is a battlefield of warring genes, sexual antagonism, unbalanced expression and self-destructing sex chromosomes that come in bewildering varieties.Drawing on 50 years of research in three fields in which the author has played key roles, this unique book explores the function, activity and evolution of sex genes and chromosomes in humans and other animals. Providing eye-witness stories of early discoveries and modern genomic insights, it examines how genes and chromosomes determine sex; delving into key breakthroughs, theories on gene and chromosome function, and the enormous scope for variation in body traits and behaviour.Reflecting the huge advances in genetics and genomics that help explain the wonders of human existence and evolution, this book is a fascinating resource for anyone interested in the biology of sex- particularly students and researchers in reproduction, genetics and evolution.

Genomics has experienced a dramatic development during the last 15-20 years. Data from mammalian genomes such as the human, mouse and rat have already been published, while others such as the dog, cattle and chimpanzee will soon follow. This book summarizes the current knowledge of mammalian genomics and offers a comparative analysis of genomes known today. This analysis includes farm, companion and lab animals. Topics covered include structural and functional aspects of the mammalian genome, mechanisms of genomic changes at the molecular level, evolution of DNA sequences, comparative chromosome mapping and painting, genome databases, gene prediction and the use of genomic information to understand inherited diseases. Contributors include leading researchers from Europe, USA, Australia and Japan.

Biological sex is central to our continued existence. Yet the mechanism that determines sex, rather than being rational and conserved, is a battlefield of warring genes, sexual antagonism, unbalanced expression and self-destructing sex chromosomes that come in bewildering varieties.Drawing on 50 years of research in three fields in which the author has played key roles, this unique book explores the function, activity and evolution of sex genes and chromosomes in humans and other animals. Providing eye-witness stories of early discoveries and modern genomic insights, it examines how genes and chromosomes determine sex; delving into key breakthroughs, theories on gene and chromosome function, and the enormous scope for variation in body traits and behaviour.Reflecting the huge advances in genetics and genomics that help explain the wonders of human existence and evolution, this book is a fascinating resource for anyone interested in the biology of sex- particularly students and researchers in reproduction, genetics and evolution.

Marsupials belong to the Class Mammalia, sharing some features with other mammals, yet they also possess many unique features. It is their differences from the more traditionally studied mammals, such as mice and humans, that is of greatest value to comparative studies. Sequencing of genomes from two distantly related marsupials, the short grey-tailed opossum from South America and the Australian tammar wallaby, has launched marsupials into the genomics era and accelerated the rate of progress in marsupial research. With the current worldwide concern for the plight of the endangered Tasmanian devil, marsupial genetics and genomics research is even more important than ever if this species is to be saved from extinction. This volume recounts some of the history of research in this field and highlights the most recent advances in the many different areas of marsupial genetics and genomics research.