Free open textbook · Dr. Akash Garg
General Biology
A free general biology textbook in fourteen chapters. Every chapter has original labeled diagrams, summary tables, study tips, real world connections, a glossary and a self check.
Chapter 1The Chemistry of Life and Biological MacromoleculesAtoms, bonds and the properties of water; Carbon and functional groups; Carbohydrates and lipids; Proteins: structure and folding; Nucleic acids and the flow of informationChapter 2Cell Structure, Membranes and TransportMicroscopy and the cell theory; Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; The endomembrane system, mitochondria and chloroplasts; The cytoskeleton and cell junctions; Membrane structure, passive and active transport, bulk transportChapter 3Energy, Enzymes, Cellular Respiration and PhotosynthesisEnergy, free energy and ATP; Enzymes and their regulation; Glycolysis, the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation; Fermentation and the regulation of respiration; Photosynthesis: light reactions, the Calvin cycle, C4 and CAM plantsChapter 4Cell Communication and Cell DivisionSignals, receptors and signal transduction; Cellular responses and apoptosis; The cell cycle and mitosis; Regulation of the cell cycle and cancer; Meiosis and sexual life cyclesChapter 5Mendelian Genetics and the Chromosomal Basis of InheritanceMendel's experiments and the laws of segregation and independent assortment; Probability and genetic problems; Extensions: dominance, multiple alleles, epistasis, polygenic traits; Sex linkage, linked genes and recombination; Chromosomal alterations and human disordersChapter 6DNA Structure, Replication and Gene ExpressionThe search for the genetic material and DNA structure; DNA replication and repair; Transcription and RNA processing; The genetic code and translation; Mutations and their effectsChapter 7Gene Regulation and BiotechnologyGene regulation in bacteria: operons; Gene regulation in eukaryotes and epigenetics; Development and differential gene expression; DNA technology: PCR, cloning, sequencing and CRISPR; Applications and ethics of biotechnologyChapter 8Evolution, Natural Selection and Population GeneticsDarwin and descent with modification; Evidence for evolution; Hardy Weinberg equilibrium and its assumptions; Natural selection, genetic drift and gene flow; Adaptation and the limits of selectionChapter 9Speciation, Phylogeny and the History of LifeSpecies concepts and reproductive isolation; Allopatric and sympatric speciation; Phylogenetic trees and cladistics; The origin of life and the fossil record; Major events and mass extinctions in the history of lifeChapter 10Bacteria, Archaea, Viruses, Protists and FungiProkaryotic structure, diversity and metabolism; Viruses and their replication; Protist diversity and endosymbiosis; Fungal structure, reproduction and diversity; Microbes in ecosystems and human healthChapter 11Plants: Diversity, Structure, Transport and ReproductionPlant evolution: from algae to flowering plants; Plant tissues, organs and growth; Transport in plants and plant nutrition; Flowers, fertilization, seeds and fruit; Plant hormones and responses to the environmentChapter 12Animal DiversityAnimal body plans and the animal tree of life; Invertebrates: sponges to arthropods; Echinoderms and chordates; Fishes, amphibians and reptiles including birds; Mammals and human evolutionChapter 13Animal Form, Function, Homeostasis, Reproduction and DevelopmentTissues, homeostasis and thermoregulation; Nutrition, circulation and gas exchange; Immune, excretory and endocrine systems; Nervous systems, sensation and movement; Animal reproduction and developmentChapter 14Ecology: Populations, Communities, Ecosystems and ConservationEcology and the biosphere: climate and biomes; Population ecology: growth and regulation; Community ecology: interactions and succession; Ecosystems: energy flow and nutrient cycles; Conservation biology and global change