Aglow in the Dark: The Revolutionary Science of Biofluorescence
May 20, 2010 by biotechbillboard.com
Product Description
In the early 1960s, in a small shack on the Washington coast, a young, self-educated Japanese scientist performed an experiment to determine what made a certain jellyfish glow. The substance he discovered, green fluorescent protein, would revolutionize molecular biology, transforming our study of everything from the AIDS virus to the workings of the brain. Aglow in the Dark follows the path that took this glowing compound from its inauspicious arrival on the scientific scene to its present-day eminence as one of the most groundbreaking discoveries of the twentieth century.
The story unfolds in far-flung places, from the coral reefs of the Pacific Ocean, to the medical schools and marine stations of our leading universities, to a cold war-era research laboratory in Moscow. Traversing the globe and the decades, Aglow in the Dark conveys the human fascination with bioluminescence, or “living light,” its little-known application in war, forensic science, and molecular biology, and how it led to the finding of green fluorescent protein. The book reveals a hidden world where light is manipulated by animals and humans and put to remarkable uses–unlocking the secrets of the human brain, conquering dreaded diseases, and perhaps someday linking minds and machines. The authors deftly lead the reader through a complex story at the interface of biology and physics–and into the realm of wonder on the frontiers of scientific endeavor.
(20060316)
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As mentioned in the synopsis, this book contains much of the story behind the discovery and isolation of fluorescent proteins. But more specifically it’s about the scientist’s lives, and how their discoveries impacted future research. While the history lesson was interesting, it did not contain enough specifics on the biophysics of protein function for my taste. In light of the book being almost entirely a narrative, I would’ve enjoyed a few more pictures. If you want the inside story on Glo-fish, buy it, if you’re looking for detailed information on GFP, and related proteins, skip it.
Rating: 3 / 5
Compulsive reading from cover to cover. Excellent expose and clear writing, with equally good pictures and diagrams.
Rating: 5 / 5
This review is for the 2005 edition of this book which I checked out from the library of Arizona State University. This book covers the history of human research into biofluorescence, which is how life generates light without heat. This field of science started in Aristotle’s time, but most research occurred in the 20th century after WWII. The book looks at the careers of various scientists involved in the research, and also explains the science itself. The difficulty of the text is beyond most high school students, and I would suggest some initial reading on biology, genetics and biochemistry before tackling this book. The book’s size is small, with big words and occasional color pictures. Note that the emphasis of this book is on the science; the book does not provide a comprehensive coverage of biofluorescence in nature.
Rating: 3 / 5
Are you working with GFP or other fluorescent proteins? This book is full of fascinating stories about the discovery and harnessing the power of fluorescent proteins. I couldn’t put the book down – this is a must-read for all molecular biologists, but is probably easily accessible for non-professionals as well. I liked the design of the book, too. Will make an excellent gift.
Rating: 5 / 5
I am studying dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum luciferase and fascinated by this book. It provides a comprehensive scientific backgroud in a format that can be understood by any reader with little or no scientific background. More over, the historical perspective is nicely blended in order to understand how the GFP and luciferases gained ground in last few years.
Loved this book!
Rating: 5 / 5