As in previous editions, the basic philosophy of this extremely popular text remains to present the principles and techniques of gene manipulation in sufficient detail for the non-specialist reader to understand them. However, in the five years since the last edition, molecular biologists have seen a dramatic increase in available techniques and applications.

Every chapter in this fifth edition has been extensively revised or rewritten to take these developments into account - including a greatly expanded section on the polymerase chain reaction and its manifold applications; a new chapter examining the impact of recombinant DNA techniques on our understanding of human genetics; and extended coverage of gene transfer techniques.

With entirely new illustrations in two colours throughout, this will remain the textbook of choice for undergraduates and postgraduates alike.