The production of modified crops and animals for farming and as producers of
important therapeutic proteins is also one of the most exciting developments of molecu-
lar biology. This has allowed the production of modified crops, improving their resistance
to environmental factors and their stability (Table 6.10). The production of transgenic
animals also holds great promise for improved livestock quality, low-cost production of
pharmaceuticals and disease-free or disease-resistant strains. In the future this may
overcome such factors as contamination with agents such as BSE. There is no doubt
that improved methods of producing livestock by whole-animal cloning will also be a
major benefit. All of these developments do however require debate and the many ethical
considerations that arise from them require careful consideration.
6.12 Suggestions for further reading
Augen, J. (2005).Bioinformatics in the Post-Genomic Era. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Brooker, R. J. (2005).Genetics Analysis and Principles, 2nd edn. McGraw-Hill.
Brown, T. A. (2006).Gene Cloning and DNA Analysis. Oxford, UK: Wiley–Blackwell.
Primrose, S. B. and Twyman, R. (2006).Principles of Gene Manipulation and Genomics. Oxford,
UK: Wiley–Blackwell.
Strachan, T. and Read, A. P. (2004).Human Molecular Genetics, 3rd edn. Oxford, UK: Bios.
Walker, J. M. and Rapley, R. (2008).Molecular Biomethods Handbook, 2nd edn. Totowa, NJ:
Humana Press.
Watson, J. D., Caudy, A. A., Myers, R. M. and Witkowski, J. A. (2007).Recombinant DNA: Genes and
Genomes. San Francisco, CA: W. H. Freeman.
262 Recombinant DNA and genetic analysis
