Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomesDistinguish between chromosomes, genes, and traitsDescribe the mechanisms of chromosome compaction

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the structure of nucleic acids and define the two types of nucleic acidsExplain the structure and role of DNAExplain the structure and roles of RNA

This resource is intended for an introductory or intermediate-level college genetics course. It begins with an exploration of DNA and genome structure and continues with a study of the molecular mechanisms that drive gene expression. Concepts of classical transmission genetics are linked to the molecular mechanisms that underlie observable phenotypes. It concludes with specific topics that synthesize information from both molecular and transmission genetics, including consideration of topics like epigenetics, cancer biology, and evolution. Examples of both historical and current problems in genetics are presented, along with conversations of the relationship between genetics and society.