Two decades ago Benjamin Lewin's Genes revolutionized the teaching of molecular biology and molecular genetics by introducing a unified approach to bacteria and higher organisms. Genes has remained at the cutting edge of molecular biology, covering gene structure, organization, and expression.

Originally the text opened with the genetic code and worked toward genome structure. Genes VIII changed the approach to begin with the sequence of the human and other genomes and starts with complete coverage of recent advances in genomics. The coverage of genomics is then integrated throughout the text.

In striving to maintain currency, the new edition has updated coverage on genome organization, DNA replication, gene regulation and many other new topics.