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Welcome to the Genome: A User's Guide to the Genetic Past, Present, and Future

Posted on: Tuesday, 21 February 2006, 15:00 CST

By Mifflin, Theodore E

Welcome to the Genome: A User's Guide to the Genetic Past, Present, and Future. Rob DeSalle and Michael Yudell. Published in association with the American Museum of Natural History. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Liss, A John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Publication, 2005, 215 pp., $29.95, hardcover. ISBN 0-471-45331-5.

This book attempts to connect the science of discovery and utilization of DNA with its sometimes controversial politics and history. The authors are members of the American Museum of Natural History staff, and their backgrounds and credentials give them a unique perspective seldom seen in other books about DNA.

The book is divided into 3 main parts: Discovery, Information, and Advancement. The authors begin by discussing a large amount of the history (>100 years) of molecular genetics discoveries and some of its more notable controversies. Several topics addressed later in the book, such as stem cell technology, genetically modified plants, and forensic uses of DNA analysis, are quite current and often in the media and lay press, and are certainly relevant to current public discussions. The references are mostly current, particularly for the second and third sections, and the book addresses these topics from a relatively recent perspective.

The book's first 3 chapters provide a brief overview of cell biology and molecular genetics, interspersed with the authors' historical perspectives. Throughout the book, the authors weave the science of DNA into the fabric of its more notable history along with a mixture of social commentary. Unfortunately, the book presents a somewhat biased perspective that tends to focus on negative events and ignores some of the major accomplishments of molecular genetics during this time (e.g., inexpensive screening of newborns for inherited diseases; discovery of HIV, HCV, and other human pathogenic viruses; and detection and quantification of viruses for medical diagnosis).

In addition to that bias, the book lacks the benefit of relevant figures to facilitate explanation of key concepts. The authors of this book have purposely attempted to reach out to the lay reader; I was therefore disappointed that the figures were impressionistic and unconnected with the text-they failed to promote understanding of the material. Moreover, some of the figures contained errors (e.g., incorrect 3-letter abbreviations for amino acids, such as "Lle" and "Lev").

The book also omits several topics. There is almost no mention made of bioinformatics. Molecular genetics would not be where it is now without the development of this ancillary discipline. Clearly, the potential for misuse of computer-based information derived from molecular biological analysis is rapidly increasing. Another topic inadequately addressed is that of the development and use of intellectual property associated with molecular genetics. The authors do talk about this briefly, but this topic could have received more of their attention, considering its long-term consequences. A more subliminal issue raised by this book is one of education about molecular genetics and how to improve and enhance it in our public schools. Perhaps this book can elevate the awareness about how important teaching and learning this topic will be for our future.

In summary, the book fills a niche by providing a time-related commentary about the use of DNA and molecular genetics discoveries and how society addresses the best policies to manage the results of this new scientific discipline. The book's strong point is the annotated comparison it offers between the history of DNA's discovery and the more controversial segments of its social and political history. Welcome to the Genome will be of interest to nonscientists with some awareness of DNA science but who are primarily interested in its social and political history. For those trained in molecular genetics or biology, this book offers some interesting background information.

Theodore E. Mifflin

University of Virginia

Department of Pathology/MARC

Charlottesville, VA 22908

DOI: 10.1373/clinchem.2004.045849

Copyright American Association for Clinical Chemistry Feb 2006

Source: Clinical Chemistry

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