Plant Pathogenic Bacteria includes symposia and research papers presented at the 10th International Conference on Plant Pathogenic Bacteria. The book provides the complete text of 22 symposia papers that summarize the state-of-the-art of the many facets of phytobacteriology including disease control, taxonomy, genetics of pathogenicity, virulence factors, as well as detection and diagnosis. These topics are also included among research papers, presented orally or as posters at the conference, and here presented in research paper format, conveniently separated in different sections by subject matter. This book will be an essential resource for scientists and students with an interest in plant pathogenic bacteria for it provides much new data and summarizes current thinking in almost all areas of the science. Nowhere else can one find so much information on plant pathogenic bacteria in a single resource.

This volume is the first-ever complete treatise on polymyxins and presents the most comprehensive and up-to-date reviews of all major research and clinical topics from chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, clinical use, to drug discovery. All chapters were written by internationally leading researchers and clinicians in the field. It is our wish that readers discover the importance of polymyxin structure in relation to the mechanisms of activity, resistance and toxicity. We emphasized that reliable analytic methods for polymyxins are critical when investigating their pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD). The complicated dose definitions and different pharmacopoeial standards have already compromised the safe use of polymyxins in patients. Therefore, informed by the latest pharmacological information, scientifically-based dosing recommendations have been proposed for intravenous polymyxins. Considering the PK/PD limitations and potential development of resistance, polymyxin combinations are encouraged; however, the current literature has not shown definite microbiological benefits, possibly because most clinical studies to date overlooked key PK/PD principles. Nephrotoxicity is the major dose-limiting factor and it is imperative to elucidate the mechanisms and develop novel approaches to minimize polymyxin-associated toxicities. In addition, the anti-endotoxin effect of polymyxins supports their clinical use to treat Gram-negative sepsis. Fortunately, the discovery of new-generation polymyxins with wider therapeutic windows has benefited from the latest achievements in polymyxin research. This book provides extensive pharmacological information on polymyxins to infectious diseases clinicians, pharmacists, clinical microbiologists, antimicrobial pharmacologists, and pharmaceutical scientists, and is an essential read for those who aim to develop novel polymyxins and improve their clinical use as a last-line defense against Gram-negative 'superbugs'.

This book offers a much-needed discussion on the targeting of biofilm-related infections. Chapters include discussions on the impact of biofilm on medical implants, industrial applications, as well as wound and tissue infections. It also offers discussions on regulatory management for industrial sectors and medical environments. Given that there continues to be a paucity of effective antimicrobial products, devices, and coatings in clinical and industrial use that effectively reduce rates of infection or biofilm-related problems, Targeting Biofilms in Translational Research, Device Development, and Industrial Sectors, offers a fresh and much-needed perspective aimed at helping create healthier controlled environments and safer devices. This comprehensive book is indispensable for industrial and academic translational researchers, device developers, and regulatory experts looking to create more effective antimicrobial products.

For several decades, bacteria have served as model systems to describe the life p- cesses of growth and metabolism. In addition, it is well recognized that prokaryotes have contributed greatly to the many advances in the areas of ecology, evolution, and biotechnology. This understanding of microorganisms is based on studies of members from both theBacteria andArchaea domains. With each issue of the various scienti?c publications, new characteristics of prokaryotic cells are being reported and it is - portant to place these insights in the context of the appropriate physiological processes. Structural and Functional Relationships in Prokaryotes describes the fundamental physiological processes for members of the Archaea and Bacteria domains. The - ganization of the book re?ects the emphasis that I have used in my 30 years of teaching a course of bacterial physiology. The philosophy used in the preparation of this book is to focus on the fundamental features of prokaryotic physiology and to use these features as the basis for comparative physiology. Even though diverse phenotypes have evolved from myriad genetic possibilities, these prokaryotes display considerable functional similarity and support the premise that there is a unity of physiology in the prokaryotes. The variations observed in the chemical structures and biochemical p- cesses are important in contributing to the persistence of microbial strains in a speci?c environment.

Identifying Helicobacter infection as the leading cause of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer has dramatically altered the treatment of these disease states. Over the last several decades, scientists have come to understand that the interplay between the bacteria, the host, and the environment all contribute to the clinical outcome of infection. In Helicobacter Species: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field detail many of the methods and which are now commonly used to study Helicobacter infection. These include protocols and methods that have evolved over time, and standards across the field have been established which are essential for optimal outcomes and to allow comparison of data across different laboratories. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Helicobacter Species: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid scientists in further study of this crucially important research into Helicobacter research.

This volume provides readers with the latest information on the advances made in the field of rhodopsins. The chapters in this book cover topics such as new discoveries and developments; new ways to search for rhodopsins; methods to characterize the function and structure of rhodopsins on a molecular level; nano volume high throughput in meso crystallization, and fourth generation x-ray synchrotron sources. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and thorough, Rhodopsin: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for any scientist and researcher interested in learning more about this developing field.

As this book. Antibacterial Peptide Protocols, will attest, my enthusi asm for the field of antibacterial peptides is based on a conviction (and I am unashamed to say, prejudice) that these substances are in essence antibiotics produced by the host that then participate in host defense against infectious agents. Because of their capacity to exert antibiotic-like action against patho genic microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses), there is reason to believe that these agents will soon be used clinically to treat infectious diseases. In fact, in recent years, biotechnology companies have been formed for the sole purpose of developing antibacterial peptides for clinical use. It should be emphasized that antibacterial peptides will likely play a major role in the treatment of infectious diseases, particularly with the increasing prob lem of multidrug-resistant microbes and the relative dearth of new antibiotics being provided by pharmaceutical companies. The topic of this volume of Methods in Molecular Biology, the diverse methods used in research on antibacterial peptides, is thus quite timely. As the subject of antibacterial peptides develops into its own discipline (something strongly suggested by the explosion in the number of papers published over the past decade), it is essential that reliable techniques and strategies be made available not only to those of us in the field, but also to the newcomers and researchers in complementary disciplines."

Rhodococcus are metabolically versatile actinobacteria frequently found in the environment with potential applications in bioremediation, biotransformations and biocatalysis, among other biotechnological processes. These microorganisms are currently the subject of research in many countries of the world. The number of publications and patents on rhodococci has intensified significantly within the last years. In this context, the knowledge acquired during the last decade about basic aspects of Rhodococcus biology is significant and promising about their future prospects. Several genomic projects of Rhodococcus members are now available and in progress through public and private efforts due to the increasing interest in their use for biotechnology. The large Rhodococcus genomes containing a multiplicity of catabolic genes, a high genetic redundancy of biosynthetic pathways and a sophisticated regulatory network reflect the complexity of Rhodococcus biology. The combination of functional genomics studies with biochemical and physiological knowledge is providing new insights, which will enable the biotechnological use of rhodococci. This Microbiology Monographs volume provides a thorough review of many aspects of biochemistry, physiology and genetics of Rhodococcus, in the context of new genomic information. Expert international scientists contributed with reviews on the extraordinary capability of Rhodococcus genus for biodegradation of diverse compounds and bioremediation, biosynthesis of lipids and biosurfactants, adaptation and tolerance to solvents, interaction with metals and biotechnological applications. Chapters dealing with taxonomy, genomes and plasmids, and oligotrophic and central metabolism are also included in this volume. Moreover, the book includes basic aspects of the phytopathogenic R. fascians.

Listeria monocytogenes is still a major threat to public health. A new book in the Methods in Molecular Biology series, Listeria monocytogenes: Methods and Protocols addresses its titular pathogen with protocols and methodologies used in research to gain a better understanding of Listeria at a molecular level. The topics covered include sampling in order to isolate Listeria, methods for their identification and characterization, methods for gene manipulation and finally, methods for control of the organism. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective subjects, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Vital and authoritative, Listeria monocytogenes: Methods and Protocols aims to contribute to the harmonization of the methods used in the field and will therefore benefit all those interested in Listeria research.

The booka (TM)s purpose is to explain from the development of life on earth to the evolution of diversity. It is this diversity that led, almost automatically to the development of pathogens and predators. The relationship of pathogens and host lead to the development of antibiotics and resistance mechanism. Man has extended this process and we now have a situation in which new antibiotics only are effective for a short time. If we are to create long term antibiotics we must design them with this history in mind.

Understanding antibiotic chemotherapy at the ecological level is necessary for more permanent advances in development and in the usage of antibiotic agents both old, new, and in the future.

This book is indented for students at various levels that will be the microbiology researchers in the time to come. Also microbiology professors, particularly those teaching medical microbiology as well as physicians administering antibiotics daily and researchers in the pharmaceutical industry may find this book useful.

This book discusses Prosthetic Joint Infection (PJI), which remains one of the most common problems necessitating revision arthroplasty. It pursues a multidisciplinary approach, bringing together opinions from the leading experts in the field. The book identifies the potential causes of these infections, provides sound diagnostic criteria guidelines, and explains how these prosthetic infections are managed from orthopedic surgery, clinical and diagnostic perspectives. PJI can lead to multiple revision surgeries and significant patient morbidity. Periprosthetic infection rates remain around 1-2% after primary total hip and knee arthroplasty and account for approximately 7-12% of all revision cases. Orthopedic hardware infections are much-feared and costly complications that can occur when these devices are implemented both in traumatic cases as well as in joint replacement surgery. Because these infections can lead to higher morbidity, it is important to understand their pathophysiology and the principles behind their diagnosis and initial treatment. The pathogenesis of these kinds of infections is intimately connected to the biofilm-producing trait characteristic of many microorganisms, which can have a critical effect on the likely success of treatments. The book offers a unique guide for all scientists working in arthroplasty who are seeking an update on the field, and for newcomers alike.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of pertussis - also known as whooping cough. The first part discusses the evolution the genus Bordetellae and the molecular epidemiology of B. pertussis, while the following chapters focus on the role of B. pertussis virulence factors in infection and disease and on the mechanisms of the immune response to infection and vaccination. The book also explores the prevention and control of the disease as well as its clinical management, with the finally section addressing vaccination, from improved immunization strategies to novel vaccines. Pertussis remains one of the most poorly controlled vaccine-preventable diseases around the globe. Universal vaccination has dramatically reduced its incidence but has failed to bring it completely under control. In recent decades, changes in pertussis epidemiology have been noted, likely related to the use of acellular pertussis vaccines, which in many countries have replaced older-generation, whole-cell pertussis vaccines. Several years after their introduction, it is becoming apparent that immunity conferred by acellular vaccines wanes more rapidly than expected. Unlike whole-cell vaccines, acellular vaccines, while protecting against the disease, do not seem to prevent colonization and transmission. Increasing incidence among adolescents and adults makes them a reservoir for transmission to unimmunized infants, who in turn are at risk of severe disease and death. This book is a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians in the field of medical microbiology, vaccine research and infectious diseases.

Nitrogen fixation research is presented as a rapidly developing, synergistic area of modern science, using the methods of, and accumulating data from, many fundamental branches of biology and chemistry. These include catalytic mechanisms, protein structure and function, molecular organization of genes and the regulation of their activities, biochemistry of plants and microorganisms, the signalling and surface interactions between organisms, microbial taxonomy and evolution, formal and population genetics, and ecology. The relationships between biological nitrogen fixation research and different branches of applied biology are addressed and analyzed, such as: the monitoring of genetically engineered microorganisms, selection of plant-associated microbes, plant breeding, increasing the protein content of crops, providing ecologically safe food production, and diminishing the chemical pollution of the environment. Immediate impacts and long-term prospects for nitrogen fixation research are presented: both fundamentals and applications.

Quorum sensing (QS) describes a chemical communication behavior that is nearly universal among bacteria. Individual cells release a diffusible small molecule (an autoinducer) into their environment. A high concentration of this autoinducer serves as a signal of high population density, triggering new patterns of gene expression throughout the population. However QS is often much more complex than this simple census-taking behavior. Many QS bacteria produce and detect multiple autoinducers, which generate quorum signal cross talk with each other and with other bacterial species. QS gene regulatory networks respond to a range of physiological and environmental inputs in addition to autoinducer signals. While a host of individual QS systems have been characterized in great molecular and chemical detail, quorum communication raises many fundamental quantitative problems which are increasingly attracting the attention of physical scientists and mathematicians. Key questions include: What kinds of information can a bacterium gather about its environment through QS? What physical principles ultimately constrain the efficacy of diffusion-based communication? How do QS regulatory networks maximize information throughput while minimizing undesirable noise and cross talk? How does QS function in complex, spatially structured environments such as biofilms? Previous books and reviews have focused on the microbiology and biochemistry of QS. With contributions by leading scientists and mathematicians working in the field of physical biology, this volume examines the interplay of diffusion and signaling, collective and coupled dynamics of gene regulation, and spatiotemporal QS phenomena. Chapters will describe experimental studies of QS in natural and engineered or microfabricated bacterial environments, as well as modeling of QS on length scales spanning from the molecular to macroscopic. The book aims to educate physical scientists and quantitative-oriented biologists on the application of physics-based experiment and analysis, together with appropriate modeling, in the understanding and interpretation of the pervasive phenomenon of microbial quorum communication."

This is the first book which deals with cyanobacterial nitrogen metabolism exclusively. It combines both environmental and biotechnological aspects. The chapters are contributed by leading researchers of the subject area.

Microbes produce an extraordinary array of defense systems. These include bacteriocins, a class of antimicrobial molecules with narrow killing spectra, produced by bacteria. The book describes the diversity and ecological role of bacteriocins of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, presenting a new classification scheme for the former and a state-of-the-art look at the role of bacteriocins in bacterial communication. It discusses the molecular evolution of colicins and colicin-like bacteriocins, and provides a contemporary overview of archaeocins, bacteriocin-like antimicrobials produced by archaebacteria. Furthermore, various modeling (in silico) studies elucidate the role of bacteriocins in microbial community dynamics and fitness, delving into rock-paper-scissors competition and the counter-intuitive survival of the weakest. The book makes compelling reading for a multi-faceted scientific audience, including those working in the fields of biodiversity and biotechnology, notably in the human and animal health domain.

This book introduces Planctomycetes bacteria and deals in detail with their unusual structure, physiology, genomics and evolutionary significance. It is a definitive summary of recent knowledge of this important distinctive group of bacteria, microorganisms which challenge our very concept of the bacterium. Planctomycetes, and their relatives within the PVC superphylum of domain Bacteria, including verrucomicrobia and chlamydia, challenge our classical concept of the bacterium and its modes of life and provide new experimental models for exploring evolutionary cell biology and the full diversity of how living cells can be organized internally. Unique among bacteria, they include species possessing cells with intracellular membrane-bounded compartments and a peptidoglycan-less cell wall, and bacteria such as the anammox organisms performing unique anaerobic ammonium oxidation significant for global nitrogen cycle.

This book discusses the decoding of the lytic mechanism of an -helical pore-forming toxin, YaxAB, composed of two different subunits. Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are among the most common bacterial toxins. They are produced by a variety of pathogens, which infect a wide range of organisms including plants, insects and humans. Yet the maturation of these particles and the structural changes required for pore formation are still poorly understood for many PFT families. Using a diverse panel of biochemical and structural techniques, including X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, Dr. Brauning and colleagues have succeeded in identifying the mechanistic contributions of the two toxin components and elucidating the lytic state of the pore complex. The results of this thesis on the YaxAB system are applicable to orthologues from agriculturally relevant insect pathogens, and offer valuable structural and mechanistic insights to inform future bioengineering efforts.

Plasticity in Plant-Growth-Promoting and Phytopathogenic Bacteria brings together the expertise of a panel of researchers from around the world to provide comprehensive up-to-date reviews on the most interesting aspects of genomic and phenotypic plasticity in plant-beneficial and phytopathogenic bacteria. The book covers various topics, including common and specific features in the genomes of symbiotic, plant-growth-promoting, and phytopathogenic bacteria; regulation of conjugative plasmid transfer in rhizobia; genetic and phenotypic variability in plant-beneficial pseudomonads and azospirilla; genomic fluxes in phytopathogenic xanthomonads and pseudomonads; genome plasticity in obligate parasitic Phytoplasmas; comparative genomics of plant-growth-promoting and phytopathogenic Herbaspirillum species; horizontal gene transfer in planta and microevolution of plant-associated bacteria in the phytosphere. Plasticity in Plant-Growth-Promoting and Phytopathogenic Bacteria is recommended for all microbiology and plant biology laboratories.

Focuses on the aggregation of recombinant proteins in bacterial cells in the form of inclusion bodies and on their use in biotechnological and medical applications The first book devoted specifically to the topic of aggregation in bacteria, Protein Aggregation in Bacteria: Functional and Structural Properties of Inclusion Bodies in Bacterial Cells provides a large overview of protein folding and aggregation, including cell biology and methodological aspects. It summarizes, for the first time in one book, ideas and technical approaches that pave the way for a direct use of inclusion bodies in biotechnological and medical applications. Protein Aggregation in Bacteria covers: * Molecular and cellular mechanisms of protein folding, aggregation, and disaggregation in bacteria * Physiological importance and consequences of aggregation for the bacterial cell * Factors inherent to the protein sequence responsible for aggregation and evolutionary mechanisms to keep proteins soluble * Structural properties of proteins expressed as soluble aggregates and as inclusion bodies within bacterial cells both from a methodological point of view and with regard to their similarity with amyloids * Control of the structural and functional properties of aggregated proteins and use thereof in biotechnology and medicine Protein Aggregation in Bacteria is ideal for researchers in protein science, biochemistry, bioengineering, biophysics, microbiology, medicine, and biotechnology, particularly if they are related with the production of recombinant proteins and pharmaceutical science.

This book describes the various applications of microorganisms in improving plant growth, health and the efficiency of phytochemical production. The chapters trace topics such as the role of PGPRs in improving salt stress and heavy metal tolerance in plants; the prevention and control of plant diseases; boosting soil fertility and agriculture productivity; the induction of secondary metabolite biosynthesis in medicinal and aromatic plants; the enhancement of phytochemical levels, and the action mechanisms, diversity and characterization of PGPRs. The reviews will be of interest for scientists in the fields of agriculture, microbiology, soil biology, plant breeding and herbal medicinal products.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat that needs immediate attention and action from the scientific community. This book compiles and presents the latest and most important aspects of AMR, including the biology involved, its persistence and spread, and novel approaches to tackle this threat. The book first describes the mechanisms and spread of AMR, and then discusses the various approaches and strategies for combating it. Important topics include, microbial pathogenesis, AMR traits and major mechanisms underlying drug-resistance and the emerging strategies and technologies for combating AMR. Emphasis has been given on current developments about natural products including potent phyto-molecules, antimicrobial peptides and endophytes effective against the drug-resistant microbes and target the main drug-resistance determinants (efflux pumps, biofilms, quorum sensing, plasmids, etc.) in these bacterial pathogens. Other exciting topics include applications of nanomaterials in tackling AMR and CRISPR-Cas based precise sequence-specific antimicrobials. This informative book is meant for students and researchers in basic and medical microbiology and biotechnology. It is also useful to public health professionals and industry experts involved in AMR research and related drug-designing.

The present volume by the author is based on the outcome of extensive explorations in the Himalayas for more than a decade. It incorporates the original research findings along with that based on literature survey. It is intended to provide a comprehensive account of an important group of fungi which has a direct bearing on wood industry and forest ecosystem besides commercial application in bioremediation and pollution control. It is the first step in providing the mycologists with consolidated, systematically up-to-date and illustrative monograph of wood-rotting fungi of Himalayas. Every year the students of the post graduate colleges and universities particularly Indian sub-continent go in for fungal forays to collect fungi which forms part of their course curriculum. This book will serve as a field manual for identification. The book has more than 240 color photographs and 123 plates of camera lucida drawings covering all the fungi which have been reported till-to-date from the study area.

The Third International Conference on Haemophilus, Actinobacillus, and Pasteurella (HAP94) was held in July and August at the Edinburgh Conference Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton Campus, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Previous conferences in 1981, Copenhagen, and 1989, Guelph, had indicated widespread interest in this group of pathogenic bacteria and the timing of the Edinburgh conference was prompted by the major advances in our knowledge of the HAP group that had occurred in the five years since the Guelph meeting. These organisms are considered as a group because of their close relationship in an evolutionary sense and because of the similarities in the types of diseases that they preduce. The main objectives of the meeting were to review and discuss current knowledge and present experimental findings relating to the fundamental, applied, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of disease research involving the HAP group of organisms. HAP 94 was attended by 160 delegates from around the world and included many of the foremost researchers studying HAP organisms. The conference was structured around 16 talks from invited speakers who covered key areas of HAP research including taxonomy, mechanisms of pathogenesis, animal disease models, virulence factors, molecular biology, immunolgy, antigen analyses, and experimental and commercial vaccine development. The talks provided a review of the current state of research in each field and allowed each speaker to focus on his or her personal research interests.

The Handbook of Laboratory Animal Bacteriology, Second Edition provides comprehensive information on all bacterial phylae found in laboratory rodents and rabbits to assist managers, veterinary pathologists and laboratory animal veterinarians in the management of these organisms. The book starts by examining the general aspects of bacteriology and how to sample and identify bacteria in animals. It then describes the most relevant species within each phylum and discusses the impact they may have on research. Emphasizing those bacteria known to interfere with research protocols, the book offers methods for isolation and differentiation among related bacteria. It discusses where to purchase reagents for rodent bacteriology and outlines standards for safety in a bacteriological laboratory. Highlights of the second edition: Focuses on modern sequencing techniques based on molecular identification Reorganizes content according to modern systematics based on new identification methods Presents new chapters on mechanisms behind bacterial impact on animal models and on the systematic classification of bacteria Provides information on a range of bacteria interfering with animal models for human disease, not only for those bacteria which cause disease in laboratory animal colonies Includes new figures in color and with enhanced resolution The book is essential reading for those interested in the management of organisms known to interfere with the colony health of rabbits and rodents used in research protocols-including facility managers, clinical veterinarians, veterinary pathologists, and researchers.