Molecular tools for molecular ecologists

This chapter explores the molecular tools used in studying molecular ecology. It explains genetic manipulation in terms of molecular ecology. The chapter explains the process of protein and DNA extraction from tissue samples. It also lists the non-PCR-based tools for studying genetic variations such as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Moreover, the chapter discusses PCR-based molecular markers which may or may not require sequence information by referencing microsatellite loci and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) as respective examples. It notes the measurement of gene expression using DNA microarrays. This has become an increasingly common approach among molecular ecologists. The chapter looks into next generation sequencing and the marker revolution. It highlights the importance of understanding genetic manipulation and cloning.