A Short Guide to the Human Genome - Softcover

Although the human genome has been sequenced, it can be difficult to find answers to seemingly simple questions about its characteristics. How many genes are there? Which genes are commonly associated with genetic diseases? How many DNA–binding proteins, mobile elements, or kinases are present? What are the major differences between human proteins and those of other species? This convenient handbook, written in question–and–answer format, allows researchers and teachers alike access to basic facts about the human genome.

Scherer has compiled a wonderful text that not only answers many of the kinds of questions that I can think to ask about the human genome, but the kinds of questions that I get from my students and other instructors. The whole book in fact consists of questions and answers. Although the book truly is short in length, 173 pages including the index, it's long on the kinds of answers that you'd like to have at your fingertips. These kinds of analyses are not readily available from skimming the databases. I know from personal experience that gathering these kinds of data and compiling them so nicely in tables and readily accessible summaries takes time and effort. Clearly, Scherer has spent many hours doing the research to put this book together. As a researcher, I would want 'A Short Guide to the Human Genome' for quick reference. As an instructor, this text is going to serve as a really great source of questions to ask my students. I also think, since it mostly addresses the human genome, the questions inside suggest a wealth of potential student projects with genomes from other organisms. -- Sandra Porter FinchTalk It's a fun little review; appropriate for browsing during your 'in-between' time. As the title emphasizes this guide is characterized by extreme brevity, under 200 pages. Nevertheless it attempts a survey of the major results which have come to light over the past decade in human genomics. -- Razib Khan, GeneExpression