Molecular Genetic Mechanisms in Development and Aging discusses the mechanisms of aging at the level of the genome. This book explores the fundamental knowledge concerning the regulation and expression of gene, which is derived from investigations on microbial organisms. Organized into nine chapters, this book starts with an overview of the molecular genetic basis for the processes of aging. This text then explores the highly complex multicellular members of the class Insecta, which provide the researcher with many distinct and unique advantages for aging studies. Other chapters discuss the mechanisms of genetic control and organization during the development and aging of eukaryotes, which pose some challenging problems in cellular and developmental biology. The final chapter deals with the limitations of previous studies, including the lack of comparability due to differences in techniques, the measuring of free amino acid titers in hemolyph only, and differing diet and environmental variations. Biologists and students interested in developmental and molecular genetics will find this book useful.

Although as part of my general plan, this book is a continua tion of my earlier monograph "Protein Biosynthesis and Problems of Ontogenesis,"* published in 1963, in all other respects it is an independent work. The earlier monograph was devoted to the analysis of many of the aspects of the problem of protein biosynthesis, and problems of inheritance and development were discussed only insofar as they are derivatives of the problems of biosynthesis. The complex act of protein biosynthesis, comprising autore production of the genetic material (DNA), formation of the templates of protein synthesis (messenger RNA), synthesis of amino acid carriers (transfer RNA), formation of ribosomes and polysomes, activation of amino acids, and so on, was examined in the previous monograph not merely from the standpoint of interaction between the components of this system, but also from that of their mani festation in actual biological systems during morphogenesis and aging of the organism. However, both morphogenesis and aging were investigated very generally, Simply as models, without any detailed analysis of their specific features and complexity. The present book is therefore a logical continuation of its prede cessor. It rests largely on a comprehensive analysis of the molecular-genetic and biochemical aspects of development and differentiation of living organisms, and questions of protein biosyn thesis are discussed briefly and generally, and only so far as is necessary for fulfillment of the primary task. • Zh. A. Medvedev. 1966. Protein Biosynthesis and Problems of Heredity. Developement.

First multi-year cumulation covers six years: 1965-70.

"Leben ist die schonste Erfindung der Natur und der Tod ist ihr Kunstgriff, viel Leben zu haben" . J. W. v. Goethe Life is the most beautiful invention of nature, and death is her device to exhibit most life. The eminent British biologist Sir Vincent B. Wigglesworth noted in 1939 that insects are an ideal medium in which to study all problems of physiology. Many fundamental discoveries in biology, particularly genetics and development, have been made on the basis of studies conducted in insects. Because of their ex treme adaptability and diversity, an appropriate insect model is available for the study of virtually any biological problems. The applicability to other groups, including mammals, of basic studies conducted on insects has helped in the gradual acceptance of the fundamental unity of biochemical principles as a dogma among biologists, as well as among enlightened medical scientists. With the recent upsurge of interest in the study of the aging process, in sects have been increasingly employed not only for the investigation of basic mechanisms of aging, but also to gain insight into the evolution of aging and senescence. If only one aging mechanism exists, it is foreseeable that some in sects, especially Drosophila, will help to unravel its molecular basis. Because of their diversity, existing studies in the gerontology of insects are widely scat tered in various specialized journals. This wealth of existing information has not, as yet, been brought together in a synthesized and comprehensive form.

Gender (sex) is a set of morphological and physiological characteristics of the organism underlying sexual reproduction, the essence of which is reduced to fertilization, i.e. the fusion of male and female gametes (gametes) zygote, which develops into a new organism.Sexual reproduction of a species is considered as one of the mechanisms of its homeostasis. Thanks to this mechanism, numerous species have an evolutionary advantage. In the book, two authors will discuss the types of genetic sex determination and differentiation, mostly in multicellular animal organisms. Sex determination is both genetic and environmental process, the sex of an individual being established through an alternative physiological solution. There are two main postulated mechanisms of sex determination: genetic (GSD, Genetical Sex Determination) and environmental (ESD, Environmental Sex Determination).

The book gives a broad overview of recombinant DNA techniques for the behavioral neuroscientist, with illustrative examples of applications. Species covered include rodents (mainly mice), Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans and Danio rerio. Experimental techniques required to characterize the behavioral phenotypes of mutant animals is provided. Several aspects of novel molecular-genetic techniques are overviewed and possible research strategies are explained. The sections of the book start with general descriptions of techniques followed by illustrative examples. It is divided into six sections. Section 1, bioinformatics and genomics research. Section 2, top-down strategies, where the researcher starts with the phenotype and then analyzes the associated genes; bottom-up strategies, where the physiological chain leading to a phenotype is analyzed starting from the gene product. Section 3, transgenic approaches in rodents including overexpressing foreign genes and gene-targeting; systemic manipulation approaches directly targeting the central nervous system and methods used with invertebrates. Section 4, methods used to evaluate relevant behavioral phenotypes, including learning and aggression. Section 5, examples on molecular brain research in man. Section 6, ethical aspects of research in this field.