The application of modern methods in molecular biology and biotechnology to the
study of human, animal, and plant viruses continues to revitalize the age-old discipline
of virology. Modern virology remains at the vanguard of contemporary biomedical
research largely owing to the impact of viruses in human disease and pathogenesis,
but also because of the utility of viruses as model systems for investigation of basic
biological processes. DNA Viruses: Methods and Protocols describes innovative
approaches to solving important problems in modern virology and also provides
methodologies that can equally be applied to numerous other biological systems. Since
virology, like cell biology, covers a vast expanse of methodological approaches, it is
virtually impossible to cover all aspects of this dynamic field. The scope of the book is
limited to DNA viruses, and it includes only a small sample of the many exciting
methodological innovations of the last few years. This book does not include any
specific applications to RNA viruses, but some of the methods describe techniques
that have general applications to RNA viruses, as well as to cell biology.