Molecular Genetics of Recombination

This book covers one of the most important topics in modern biology: recombination. Genetic recombination is an important process involved in shaping the genetic make up of progeny. Increasingly, it has become evident that recombination is a DNA repair pathway crucial during DNA replication in vegetatively growing cells. It plays a critical role in preserving the integrity of the genome by mediating the repair of DNA damage which can occur during normal cellular metabolism as a result of oxidative stress, transcription, replication fork stalling or breakdown, or after the exposure to DNA damaging agents. The book summarizes all existing views on the topic and puts them into context. It contains in-depth and up-to-date analysis of the chapter topics, written by international experts.