Channarayappa, received his B.Sc. (Ag.), M.Sc. (Ag.), and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. He then went on to earn a second Ph.D., in Genetics and Developmental Biology from West Virginia University, USA, in 1990. He worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston. He was the recipient of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Award for Outstanding Postgraduate Agricultural Research (1993) for significant research contribution in genetics and plant breeding, awarded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. He has been teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students of molecular biology and biotechnology courses for more than 20 years. He is the author of many scientific papers resulting from research conducted in plant sciences, mutation research, and cancer biology. He has already published a book with us: Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and Practices.

1 Origin of Biological Systems 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Theories of the origin and history of life 1.3 The universe 1.4 The Big Bang theory 1.5 The solar system 1.6 The earth and its primitive atmosphere 1.7 Origin of biological systems (life forms) 1.8 Simple inorganic molecules to complex free living cells 1.9 Origin of genetic information 1.10 The first cell 1.11 Origin of information systems 1.12 Cellular energy sources 1.13 Evolution of metabolic diversity 1.14 Evolution of metabolic reactions 1.15 Evolution of photosynthesis and aerobic respiration 1.16 Cells fixing nitrogen, carbon dioxide and others 1.17 From prokaryotic to eukaryotic cells 1.18 Development of multicellular organisms 2 Atomic Basis of Life 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Fine structure of atoms 2.3 Organization of matter 2.4 Atomic interactions 2.5 Elements that constitute life 2.6 Chemical reactions and molecular forces 2.7 Water 2.8 Solutions of weak acids and their salts 2.9 Bioenergetics 2.10 Metabolic reactions 3 Biomolecules 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Elements essential for life 3.3 Carbon skeleton 3.4 Functional groups of biomolecules 3.5 Classes of biomolecules 3.6 Carbohydrates 3.7 Lipids 3.8 Proteins 3.9 Nucleic acids 4 Prokaryotic Cells 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Five kingdom approach of classification 4.3 Cellular diversity within an organism 4.4 Archaebacteria 4.5 Bacteria 4.6 Intracellular structures of bacterial cell 4.7 Bacterial cell components 4.8 Nanobacteria 5 Eukaryotic Cells 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Structure of eukaryotic cell 5.3 Subcellular structures of eukaryotes 5.4 Plasma membrane 5.5 Cytoplasm 5.6 Nucleus 5.7 Endoplasmic reticulum 5.8 Golgi complex 5.9 Ribosomes 5.10 Endosomes 5.11 Vacuoles 5.12 Lysosomes 5.13 Microbodies 5.14 Hydrogenosome 5.15 Spherosome 5.16 Centrosome 5.17 Mitochondria and plastids 5.18 The cytoskeleton 5.19 Cell specialization 5.20 Special plant cells 6 Biological Membranes 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Plasma membrane 6.3 Transport of substances across cell membranes 6.4 Bulk transportation 6.5 Cell recognition 7 Mitochondria: Powerhouse of the Cell 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Cytoplasmic inheritance 7.3 Cytoplasmic inheritance in mitochondria and chloroplasts 7.4 Endosymbiotic theory of organelles 7.5 Mitochondrial biology and genetics 8 Plastids: Food Factory of the Cell 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Photosynthesis: Biological oxidation–reduction process 8.3 Plastids 190 8.4 Phases of photosynthesis: Light and dark reactions 8.5 Regulation of photosynthesis 8.6 Biogenesis of chloroplast and other plastid types 8.7 Peroxisomes 8.8 Genetic engineering of chloroplasts 9 Cell Division: Propagation of Genetic Information 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Eukaryotic cell cycle 9.3 Mitosis 9.4 Meiosis 10 Cell Signalling 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Cellular communication 10.3 Receptors and signalling pathways 10.4 Regulation of cell-surface receptors 10.5 Activation of transcription factors 10.6 Extracellular matrix: A source of developmental signals 10.7 Signal transduction and the cytoskeleton 11 Sensory Signalling 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Nervous system 11.3 Sensory system 12 Differentiation and Development 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Molecular mechanisms of development 12.3 Simple developmental models 12.4 Evolution of cell differentiation 12.5 Pattern formation 12.6 Morphogenesis in development 12.7 Environmental regulation of development 12.8 Life cycles and the evolution of developmental patterns 12.9 The egg 12.10 Model organism: Invertebrate 12.11 Tissue-specific DNA methylation and differentiation 13 Building Multicellular Organisms 13.1 Introduction 13.2 From unicellular to multicellular life 13.3 Multicellular organisms 13.4 Multicellularity in higher organisms 13.5 The extracellular matrix 13.6 Cell–cell interactions 14 Cytoskeleton and Cell Motility 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Cytoskeletal filaments 14.3 Cytoplasmic microtrabecular system (lattice) 14.4 Covalent modification of cytoskeletal proteins 14.5 Cytoskeletal architecture 14.6 Extracellular signals 14.7 Plants 15 Growth, Sexual Reproduction and Ageing 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Growth 15.3 Reproduction 15.4 Ageing 15.5 Death 16 Cell Death and Cell Renewal 16.1 Introduction 16.2 Evolutionary origin of PCD 16.3 Morphological features of apoptosis 16.4 Molecular and biochemical markers for apoptosis 16.5 Functions of apoptosis 16.6 Apoptosis triggering mechanisms 16.7 Apoptosis and normal physiology 16.8 PCD: Oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes 16.9 Infection-induced apoptosis 16.10 Apoptosis in plants 16.11 Apoptosis in nematode 16.12 Applications of apoptosis 16.13 Cell renewal 17 Plant Growth and Development 17.1 Introduction 17.2 Plant development 17.3 Life cycle of flowering plants 17.4 Germination and vegetative development 17.5 Growth of the primary plant body 17.6 Primary root development 17.7 Shoot development 17.8 Leaf development 17.9 Secondary growth 17.10 Transition to reproductive phase 17.11 Development of reproductive cells 17.12 Pollination 17.13 Formation of endosperm and embryo 18 Immune Response 18.1 Introduction 18.2 The immune system 18.3 Three lines of defence 18.4 Natural and acquired immunity 18.5 Adaptive immunity 18.6 Antigen-presenting cells: Triggers for immune response 18.7 Specific immune systems 18.8 Generation of antibody diversity 18.9 Activation of B cells to produce antibodies 18.10 Cell-mediated responses 18.11 Immunodeficiency diseases 18.12 Immunologic tolerance and auto-immunity 18.13 Immunological therapy 19 Non-Cellular Life Forms 19.1 Introduction 19.2 Plasmids 19.3 Bacteriophage 19.4 Viruses 19.5 Subviral agents 20 Tools for the Study of Cells 20.1 Introduction 20.2 Size relationships 20.3 Microscopy 20.4 Spectroscopy 20.5 Flow cytometer 20.6 X-ray crystallography 20.7 Subcellular fractionation 20.8 Cell culture techniques 20.9 Model organisms used in molecular biology Index

>> Current Science 10th March 2011