In the tradition of the acclaimed Methods in Molecular Biology series, this collection of more than 500 tried-and-tested PCR protocols will become the standard PCR reference set in all biological science laboratories. Comprehensive in scope, yet easily searchable, these protocols will enable PCR labs to have access to the widest array of PCR protocols available and thus be able to complete any kind of PCR experiment with ease. The protocols are presented in a step-by-step fashion and cover every aspect of PCR, making this an essential reference for all biological scientists.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction and Basic Methods; A Short History of PCR; Equipping and Establishing a PCR Laboratory; PCR: Principles, Procedures, and Parameters; Polymerase Chain Reaction: Basic Principles and Routine Practice; PCR Patent Issues; Overview of PCR-Based Systems in Identity Testing; In Situ PCR: An Overview; An Introduction to PCR Primer Design and Optimization of Amplification Reactions; PCR Primer Design; Computer Programs for PCR Primer Design and Analysis; Quality Control of the Polymerase Chain Reaction; Quality Control; Amplification of Genomic DNA by PCR; Amplification of DNA and RNA by PCR; Optimization of PCR Reactions; RT-PCR in Biomedicine: Opportunities Arising from the New Accessibility of mRNA; RT-PCR Methods and Applications; The Basics of RT-PCR: Some Practical Considerations; Quantitative RT-PCR: A Review of Current Methodologies; Quantitative RT-PCR; One-Tube RT-PCR with Sequence-Specific Primers; Nested RT-PCR in a Single Closed Tube; Relative Reverse-transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction; Single-Step PCR Optimization Using Touchdown and Stepdown PCR Programming; Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Finger Printing: The Basics; Ligase Chain Reaction; Direct PCR from Serum: Application to Viral Genome Detection; Degenerate oligonucleotide primed PCR (DOP-PCR); 2. Preparation of Nucleic Acid Templates; DNA; Extraction of Nucleic Acid Templates; Extraction of DNA from Whole Blood; DNA Extraction from Plasma and Serum; DNA Extraction from Tissue; Extraction of DNA from Microdissected Archival Tissues; Extraction of Ancient DNA; Isolation of DNA and RNA; Dual DNA/RNA Extraction; Recovery of High-Molecular-Weight DNA from Blood and Forensic Specimens; Recovery of DNA for PCR Amplification from Blood and Forensic Samples Using a Chelating Resin; Isolation and Purification of Plant Nucleic Acids: Genomic and Chloroplast DNA; Preparation of DNA from Arabidopsis; High Molecular Weight DNA Extraction from Arabidopsis; Chloroplast DNA Isolation; Purification of Mitochondrial DNA from Green Tissues of Arabidopsis; Isolation of Genomic DNA from Mycobacteria; Nucleic-Acid Extraction: Plasmid/Cosmid DNA, Extraction of DNA from Mycoplasmas; DNA Extraction from Fungi, Yeast, and Bacteria; Extraction and Purification of Plasmodium Parasite DNA; Isolation and Purification of Insect DNA; Isolation and Purification of Vertebrate DNAs; Geminivirus Isolation and DNA Extraction; Caulimovirus Isolation and DNA Extraction; RNA; Formaldehyde Gel Electrophoresis of Total RNA; UV Spectrophotometric Analysis of Ribonucleic Acids; Introduction to Isolating RNA; Isolation of Messenger RNA; Large and Small Scale RNA Preparations from Eukaryotic Cells; An Improved Rapid Method of Isolating RNA from Cultured Cells; Efficient Extraction of RNA from Vascular Tissue; Isolating RNA with the Cationic Surfactant, Catrimox-14; RNA Extraction from Formalin-Fixed and Paraffin-Embedded Tissues; RNA extraction from frozen tissue. RNA extraction from tissue sections;