Tutorial. Molecular biology for the clinician. Part II. Tools of molecular biology.

Abstract

This is the second of a series of tutorials on molecular biology for the clinician. Part I introduced general principles of nucleic acid and gene structure. This tutorial will build on those general principles and describe some of the commonly used techniques employed in research and diagnosis to examine genes and gene function. The tools of molecular biology include recombinant DNA techniques that have revolutionized the study of DNA and genetic information. Recombinant DNA technology allows the isolation of specific regions of chromosomal DNA and the recovery of unlimited quantities of that DNA for analyses, including determination of the nucleotide sequence of genes, examination of the mechanisms of gene regulation, and the identification of gene products (RNA and protein).