Ebook: Extracellular Nucleic Acids

Extracellular nucleic acids have recently emerged as important players in the fields of biology and the medical sciences. In the last several years, extracellular nucleic acids have been shown to be involved in not only microbial evolution as genetic elements but also to have structural roles in bacterial communities, such as biofilms. Circulating DNA and RNA have been found in human blood and expected to be useful as non-invasive markers for the diagnosis of several diseases. In addition, extracellular nucleic acids have attracted attention as active modulators of the immune system of higher organisms, including humans. This book covers nearly all of the newly developing fields related to extracellular nucleic acids, including those of basic biology, ecology and the medical sciences, and provides readers with the latest knowledge on them.

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Extracellular nucleic acids have recently emerged as important players in the fields of biology and the medical sciences. In the last several years, extracellular nucleic acids have been shown to be involved in not only microbial evolution as genetic elements but also to have structural roles in bacterial communities, such as biofilms. Circulating DNA and RNA have been found in human blood and expected to be useful as non-invasive markers for the diagnosis of several diseases. In addition, extracellular nucleic acids have attracted attention as active modulators of the immune system of higher organisms, including humans. This book covers nearly all of the newly developing fields related to extracellular nucleic acids, including those of basic biology, ecology and the medical sciences, and provides readers with the latest knowledge on them.

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Extracellular nucleic acids have recently emerged as important players in the fields of biology and the medical sciences. In the last several years, extracellular nucleic acids have been shown to be involved in not only microbial evolution as genetic elements but also to have structural roles in bacterial communities, such as biofilms. Circulating DNA and RNA have been found in human blood and expected to be useful as non-invasive markers for the diagnosis of several diseases. In addition, extracellular nucleic acids have attracted attention as active modulators of the immune system of higher organisms, including humans. This book covers nearly all of the newly developing fields related to extracellular nucleic acids, including those of basic biology, ecology and the medical sciences, and provides readers with the latest knowledge on them.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Extracellular DNA as Matrix Component in Microbial Biofilms....Pages 1-14
Gene Transfer Agents and Defective Bacteriophages as Sources of Extracellular Prokaryotic DNA....Pages 15-24
Roles of Extracellular DNA in Bacterial Ecosystem....Pages 25-37
Stable Extracellular DNA: A Novel Substrate for Genetic Engineering that Mimics Horizontal Gene Transfer in Nature....Pages 39-53
Extracellular Nucleic Acids of the Marine Phototrophic Bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum and Related Bacteria: Physiology and Biotechnology....Pages 55-67
Systemic RNAi in C. elegans from the Viewpoint of RNA as Extracellular Signals....Pages 69-92
Circulating Nucleic Acids in Health and Disease....Pages 93-128
Circulating MicroRNAs in Cancer....Pages 129-145
Biology and Diagnostic Applications of Cell-Free Fetal Nucleic Acids in Maternal Plasma....Pages 147-166
The Biology of Circulating Nucleic Acids in Plasma and Serum (CNAPS)....Pages 167-189
Modulation and Regulation of Gene Expression by CpG Oligonucleotides....Pages 191-208
Immune Recognition of Nucleic Acids and Their Metabolites....Pages 209-227
Back Matter....Pages 229-232

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Extracellular nucleic acids have recently emerged as important players in the fields of biology and the medical sciences. In the last several years, extracellular nucleic acids have been shown to be involved in not only microbial evolution as genetic elements but also to have structural roles in bacterial communities, such as biofilms. Circulating DNA and RNA have been found in human blood and expected to be useful as non-invasive markers for the diagnosis of several diseases. In addition, extracellular nucleic acids have attracted attention as active modulators of the immune system of higher organisms, including humans. This book covers nearly all of the newly developing fields related to extracellular nucleic acids, including those of basic biology, ecology and the medical sciences, and provides readers with the latest knowledge on them.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Extracellular DNA as Matrix Component in Microbial Biofilms....Pages 1-14
Gene Transfer Agents and Defective Bacteriophages as Sources of Extracellular Prokaryotic DNA....Pages 15-24
Roles of Extracellular DNA in Bacterial Ecosystem....Pages 25-37
Stable Extracellular DNA: A Novel Substrate for Genetic Engineering that Mimics Horizontal Gene Transfer in Nature....Pages 39-53
Extracellular Nucleic Acids of the Marine Phototrophic Bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum and Related Bacteria: Physiology and Biotechnology....Pages 55-67
Systemic RNAi in C. elegans from the Viewpoint of RNA as Extracellular Signals....Pages 69-92
Circulating Nucleic Acids in Health and Disease....Pages 93-128
Circulating MicroRNAs in Cancer....Pages 129-145
Biology and Diagnostic Applications of Cell-Free Fetal Nucleic Acids in Maternal Plasma....Pages 147-166
The Biology of Circulating Nucleic Acids in Plasma and Serum (CNAPS)....Pages 167-189
Modulation and Regulation of Gene Expression by CpG Oligonucleotides....Pages 191-208
Immune Recognition of Nucleic Acids and Their Metabolites....Pages 209-227
Back Matter....Pages 229-232
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