Includes bibliographical references (p. [333]-335) and index.

Nucleic Acid Structure and Function -- Structure of nucleic acids -- DNA -- RNA -- Hydrophobic interactions -- Different forms of the double helix -- Supercoiling -- Denaturation and hybridization -- Orientation of nucleic acid strands -- Replication of DNA -- Unwinding and rewinding -- Fidelity of replication: proof-reading -- Chromosome replication and cell division -- DNA repair -- Mismatch repair -- Excision repair -- Recombination (post-replication) repair -- SOS repair -- Gene expression -- Transcription -- Translation -- Post-translational events -- Gene organization -- Mutation and Variation -- Variation and evolution -- Fluctuation test -- Directed mutation in bacteria? -- Types of mutations -- Point mutations -- Conditional mutants -- Variation due to larger scale DNA alterations -- Extrachromosomal agents and horizontal gene transfer -- Phenotypes -- Restoration of phenotype -- Reversion and suppression -- Complementation -- Recombination -- Mechanisms of mutation -- Spontaneous mutation -- Chemical mutagens -- Ultraviolet irradiation -- Isolation and identification of mutants -- Mutation and selection -- Replica plating -- Penicillin enrichment -- Isolation of other mutants -- Molecular methods -- Regulation of Gene Expression -- Gene copy number -- Transcriptional control -- Promoters -- Terminators, attenuators and anti-terminators -- Induction and repression: regulatory proteins -- Attenuation: trp operon -- Two-component regulatory systems -- Global regulatory systems.