Genetics Essentials Concepts and Connections Fifth Edition

Book Preface

Genetics is among the most exciting and important biology courses that you will take. Almost daily, we see examples of the relevance of genetics: the discovery of genes that influence human diseases, traits, and behaviors; the use of DNA sequencing to trace the transmission of pathogens and to study the remains of long-dead organisms; the application of genetic technology to develop new products. Today, genetics is particularly important to the student of biology, serving as the foundation for many biological concepts and processes. It is truly an exciting time to be learning genetics!
I’ve had a great deal of fun writing this fi h edition of Genetics Essentials: Concepts and Connections. When writing, I tried to imagine that I was sitting with a small group of students, having a conversation about genetics. My goal as the author of this book is to have that conversation with you. I want to become a trusted guide on your journey through introductory genetics. In this book, I’ve tried to share some of what I’ve learned in my 40 years of teaching genetics. I provide advice and encouragement at places where students o en have difficulty, and I tell stories of the people, places, and experiments of genetics—past and present—to keep the subject relevant, interesting, and alive. My goal is to help you learn the necessary details, concepts, and problem-solving skills while encouraging you to see the elegance and beauty of the larger landscape.

Genetics Essentials: Concepts and Connections was written in response to requests from instructors and students for a more streamlined and focused genetics textbook that covers less content than a full-length genetics textbook while still emphasizing major concepts. It has as its foundation my more comprehensive Genetics: A Conceptual Approach, which is now in its seventh edition. In this fi h edition of Genetics Essentials: Concepts and Connections, I wanted to share some active learning tools that I use in my own classroom: think-pair-share and concept mapping problems—exercises designed for small group work—as well as extensive problem sets at the end of each chapter. Additional group learning exercises and digital learning tools are provided on Macmillan Learning’s Achieve platform. I encourage you to take advantage of these resources and to work with other students in learning genetics.

At Southwestern University, my office door is always open, and my students frequently drop in to share their own approaches to learning as well as their experiences, concerns, and triumphs. I would love to hear from you by email ([email protected]), by telephone (512-863-1974), or in person (Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas).
Ben Pierce
Professor of Biology
and Holder of the Lillian Nelson Pratt Chair,
Southwestern University

Contents in Brief
1 Introduction to Genetics
2 Chromosomes and Cellular Reproduction
3 Basic Principles of Heredity
4 Extensions and Modifications of Basic Principles
5 Linkage, Recombination, and Eukaryotic Gene Mapping
6 Chromosome Variation
7 Bacterial and Viral Genetic Systems
8 DNA: The Chemical Nature of the Gene
9 DNA Replication and Recombination
10 From DNA to Proteins: Transcription and RNA Processing
11 From DNA to Proteins: Translation
12 Control of Gene Expression
13 Gene Mutations and DNA Repair
14 Molecular Genetic Analysis and Biotechnology
15 Genomics and Proteomics
16 Cancer Genetics
17 Quantitative Genetics
18 Population and Evolutionary Genetics
Glossary
Index