Knowledge of transcription has moved forward at a furious pace over recent years, and an understanding of the processes involved in gene regulation and expression has become an essential element in biochemistry, genome biology, molecular biology and molecular genetics. In this timely book, the authors present an accessible, yet comprehensive, coverage suitable for students at a senior undergraduate level, and for postgraduates needing an overview of the current state of play. It covers a number of pertinent examples of transcription systems for eukaryotes and prokaryotes, indicates methods for studying transcription, and surveys the whole topic of transcription from many perspectives.