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Molecular Biology

Molecular biology is the branch of biology that works to identify and characterize the properties, structures and functions of the molecular elements that are essential to life and that are specifically related to heredity (such as DNA, RNA, and other macromolecules and proteins). Genetic structures, DNA sequencing and the actions and reactions of genes all fall within the scope of research of molecular biology, and it shares common goals and attributes with other branches of science such as genetics and biochemistry.

Although the roots of molecular biology can be traced as far back as 1869 when the first successful isolation of DNA took place, notable progress in the field did not really begin until the 1950’s, when scientists first posited the double helix structure of DNA and learned to manipulate the individual cellular components of organisms. Since then, molecular biology has focused on deconstruction: breaking down the elements of a cell in order to study them individually in the hopes of greater understanding. Promoters of the newer branch of systems biology, however, argue that significant progress will not be made until scientists take a more holistic approach of studying a cell in its totality.

Among the methods used by molecular biologists are: polymerase chain reaction (PCA), agarose gel electrophoresis, expression cloning, northern blotting, probes and recombinant DNA.

Web Resources On Molecular Biology

Wikipedia: Molecular Biology
Methods in Molecular Biology

Book Resources On Molecular Biology

Molecular Biology of the Cell by by Bruce Alberts, et al
Molecular Biology of the Gene by James D. Watson, et al

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