Developments in capillary electrophoresis

Capillary Electrophoresis of Nucleic Acids, Volumes 1 & 2edited by Keith Mitchelson and Jing ChengCold Spring Harbor Press, 2001.ISBN 0 89603 779 7 and 0 89603 765 7Recently, the completion of the rough draft of the Human Genome Project has been announced – several years ahead of the target date of 2005. DNA separation using gel electrophoresis is well known and it is fair to say that capillary electrophoresis (CE) had a key role in the project. CE made it possible to significantly increase the throughput and reduce the cost of DNA sequencing by introducing automation to an otherwise tedious process.A monograph in this topical area is, therefore, appropriate and timely. When the human genome has been sequenced completely, there will be an even greater demand for DNA analysis to take advantage of what has been learned about the genetic makeup of humans. This will enable clinicians to take the individual's genotype into consideration when prescribing drugs rather than prescribing solely on the basis of their disease phenotype. Most of the demands will come from the clinical field, in which many genetically based diseases and many patients will have to be screened.These books cover many topics that range from fundamental separation mechanisms to actual applications. It was written by a collection of experts in the field, each of who have published primary papers on this topic. The level is such that beginners can follow the discussion and learn about the field but, at the same time, the topics are diverse and discussed in enough depth to be a good reference source for the experts. Often, the subtle details of a particular separation protocol are the key to obtaining good results. Having this collection of methods all together will facilitate the development of new applications.The most well known use of capillary electrophoresis is, of course, DNA sequencing. The books contain several chapters about capillary array electrophoresis – the standard strategy used in nucleic acids laboratories today. Also included is a good review of the speed and reliability of special matrix materials, instrumentation and sample preparation schemes. Although it is still under development, sequencing in microfabricated devices is explained in anticipation of its increased use in the future.Two areas of intense current interest are mutation detection and forensic DNA fingerprinting. The books contain comprehensive chapters on these two topics. Mutation is, of course, what needs to be detected when diagnosing diseases. The same amount of detail is not available as from full DNA sequencing but the cost effectiveness, speed and throughput are much enhanced. This might well be the largest field of application for nucleic acid analysis in the future. DNA fingerprinting is another area for large-scale use of the technology. Many individual DNA profiles and forensic samples are waiting to be analysed because, at the moment, high-throughput schemes are not widely available.This monograph introduces several other areas of application in addition to traditional genomic studies. It provides a good introduction to the study of environmental damage and cellular metabolism of DNA. These research areas involve smaller DNA fragments down to the single nucleotide and modified nucleotides, which are all separated on the basis of hydrophobicity and not only according to size. Additionally, there are chapters on RNA analysis of gene expression, as well as DNA–protein interactions.Overall, this is an excellent collection of essential information for anyone who is interested in the analysis of nucleic acids. It is a highly valuable resource that has a place on every laboratory bench.