Methods for Computational Gene Prediction [Hardcover]

William H. Majoros (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521877512 | ISBN-13: 978-0521877510 | Publication Date: August 27, 2007 | Edition: 1

Inferring the precise locations and splicing patterns of genes in DNA is a difficult but important task, with broad applications to biomedicine. The mathematical and statistical techniques that have been applied to this problem are surveyed and organized into a logical framework based on the theory of parsing. Both established approaches and methods at the forefront of current research are discussed. Numerous case studies of existing software systems are provided, in addition to detailed examples that work through the actual implementation of effective gene-predictors using hidden Markov models and other machine-learning techniques. Background material on probability theory, discrete mathematics, computer science, and molecular biology is provided, making the book accessible to students and researchers from across the life and computational sciences. This book is ideal for use in a first course in bioinformatics at graduate or advanced undergraduate level, and for anyone wanting to keep pace with this rapidly-advancing field.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"... groundbreaking book..."
Books-On-Line

Book Description

This advanced text describes in detail the algorithms and models used to identify genes in genomic DNA sequences. It provides the underlying theory of both established techniques and also methods at the forefront of current research and is ideal for use in a first course in bioinformatics or computational biology.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (August 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521877512
• ISBN-13: 978-0521877510
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,305,160 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bill Majoros is a scientist, author, musician, and photographer living in North Carolina. While his several books and numerous music CD's are all available through Amazon.com, his nature photography can be viewed at ThirdBirdFromTheSun.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Extraordinary Addition to the Bioinformatics Bookshelf, November 19, 2007

By 

Brian J. Haas - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Methods for Computational Gene Prediction (Paperback)

If you are interested in bioinformatics and the art of gene prediction or genome annotation, you MUST buy this book!! Methods for Computational Gene Prediction was written with both molecular biologists and computer scientists in mind. Although those with training in math and statistics will find some of the material easier to grasp, the book starts out with both a math primer and background on molecular biology to bring both target audiences up to speed. The author, Bill Majoros, did a fantastic job at describing gene prediction methods and walks the reader through examples by providing numerous illustrations and blocks of pseudocode. My personal favorite is the chapter on the `Toy Exon Finder', which really sets the stage for studying the art of gene prediction. The book is structured so that it can be used as a textbook for a course in bioinformatics, with problem sets provided at the end of each chapter. Although there are many books that focus on topics in bioinformatics, this is most definitely one of my favorites, alongside Durbin and Eddy's Biological Sequence Analysis, another essential text for anyone in this field.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic resource, November 21, 2009

By 

Adam M. Phillippy - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Methods for Computational Gene Prediction (Paperback)

This is a fantastic reference on a complex, yet fundamental, problem in genomics. Computational gene prediction is a foundational aspect of modern genomics, yet it is hard to find a one-stop-shop to learn what it is all about. This book provides that all-in-one resource, covering the general biological, mathematical, and machine learning backgrounds alongside the detailed and clear explanations of gene finding. The book also includes many helpful examples, with pseudocode, making it ideal for a class textbook. After working through the examples I came away not only with a clear understanding, but with my own functioning gene finder! This is an excellent book that provides the kind of detail not found in the journals, along with lots of tips and tricks accumulated by the author that can't be found elsewhere. I highly recommend it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read, great bioinfomatics book!, September 1, 2009

By 

S. Munshaw (Durham NC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Methods for Computational Gene Prediction (Paperback)

I wanted to learn about implementing HMMs to a particular problem and this book was extremely useful for that. The explanations, though mathematical are simple and straightforward. It is an easy read and provides a great reference for various bioinformatic tools.