Research Catalog

Title

Who are we? : microbes, the puppet masters! / Yuan Kun Lee.

Author

Lee, Y. K. (Yuan Kun)

Publication

Hackensack, N.J. : World Scientific, c2009.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

viii, 85 p. : ill.; 23 cm.

Summary

Junk DNAs make up as much as 98.5% of our genome. The terme"junk" means that serve no apparent purpose and scientists believe that some of them came into existence millions of years ago, when viruses inserted their DNA into that of the human host. There is emerging evidence that suggests that these bits of microbial DNAs may alter our functional genes, impacting our body physiology and behavior.

Subject

• DNA, Intergenic > physiology
• DNA, Viral > genetics
• DNA, Viral > physiology
• Genetics, Behavioral
• Host-Pathogen Interactions
• Host-parasite relationships
• Human body > Microbiology
• Microbial genetics

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-85).

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

• Why do you get a kick out of roller coaster rides and bungee jumps? -- Looking into the cells : how human are we? -- Looking into the command post of human cells : the nucleus, are we human at all? -- Why is there so much junk in our genes? -- The tendency of humans to trade-off our body functions under the assault of disease-causing microbes -- Looking into our intestines -- Why do we have diarrhoea? -- Do we eat because we need the food? -- Microbes help those who help themselves -- Are we fat because we eat too much and exercise too little? --
• Our indecent liaison with yeast -- Who is the father of democracy? -- The pseudo-tyrants -- Did HIV learn from smallpox? -- Why are some pathogens more willing to kill the hosts than others? -- SARS virus, the new kid on the block -- Who is afraid of bird flu? -- Why do microbes want to colonize the human body? -- Does the ability to love make humans different from lower forms of organisms? -- Microbes kill for their offspring! -- Does your blood type determine your fortune? -- A human body without microbes?

ISBN

• 9789812835604 (pbk. : alk. paper)
• 9812835601 (pbk. : alk. paper)

LCCN

^^2008040288

OCLC

244765929

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library