In this timely book, leading international Pasteurellaceae scientists critically review the most important current research providing an up-to-date review of the molecular biology, genomics and virulence of these fascinating organisms. Topics covered include taxonomy and biodiversity, phylogeny, comparative genomics, competence, DNA uptake and transformation, proteomics and protein secretion, RTX toxins, lipopolysaccharides, biofilms, quorum sensing, antimicrobial resistance, diagnosis, and OMP and iron uptake. Each chapter is independent and can be read in isolation and as a whole the book provides an important resource summarising our current knowledge of Pasteurellaceae genomics and molecular biology. Essential reading for everyone working on Pasteurellaceae and related organisms.

Cyanobacteria are single-celled organisms that live in fresh, brackish, and marine water. They use sunlight to make their own food. In warm, nutrient-rich environments, microscopic cyanobacteria can grow quickly, creating blooms that spread across the water 's surface and may become visible. Because of the color, texture, and location of these blooms, the common name for cyanobacteria is blue-green algae. However, cyanobacteria are related more closely to bacteria than to algae. Cyanobacteria are found worldwide, from Brazil to China, Australia to the United States. In warmer climates, these organisms can grow year-round. Scientists have called cyanobacteria the origin of plants, and have credited cyanobacteria with providing nitrogen fertilizer for rice and beans. But blooms of cyanobacteria are not always helpful. When these blooms become harmful to the environment, animals, and humans, scientists call them cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs). Freshwater CyanoHABs can use up the oxygen and block the sunlight that other organisms need to live. They also can produce powerful toxins that affect the brain and liver of animals and humans. Because of concerns about CyanoHABs, which can grow in drinking water and recreational water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added cyanobacteria to its Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List. This list identifies organisms and toxins that EPA considers to be priorities for investigation. Reports of poisonings associated with CyanoHABs date back to the late 1800s. Anecdotal evidence and data from laboratory animal research suggest that cyanobacterial toxins can cause a range of adverse humanhealth effects, yet few studies have explored the links between CyanoHABs and human health. Humans can be exposed to cyanobacterial toxins by drinking water that contains the toxins, swimming in water that contains high concentrations of cyanobacterial cells, or breathing air that contains cyanobacterial cells or toxins (while watering a lawn with contaminated water, for example). Health effects associated with exposure to high concentrations of cyanobacterial toxins include: stomach and intestinal illness; trouble breathing; allergic responses; skin irritation; liver damage; and neurotoxic reactions, such as tingling fingers and toes. Scientists are exploring the human health effects associated with long-term exposure to low levels of cyanobacterial toxins. Some studies have suggested that such exposure could be associated with chronic illnesses, such as liver cancer and digestive-system cancer. This monograph contains the proceedings of the International Symposium on Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms held in Research Triangle Park, NC, September 6-10, 2005. The symposium was held to help meet the mandates of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act, as reauthorized and expanded in December 2004. The monograph will be presented to Congress by an interagency task force. The monograph includes: 1) A synopsis which proposes a National Research Plan for Cyanobacteria and their Toxins; 2) Six workgroup reports that identify and prioritize research needs; 3) Twenty-five invited speaker papers thatdescribe the state of the science; 4) Forty poster abstracts that describe novel research.

Helicobacter pylori is an important human pathogen that infects up to 50% of the human population. As the leading cause of peptic ulcers, gastritis, and gastric cancer worldwide, the organism has been the subject of intensive research to unravel the mysteries of its genetics and cellular biology. In fact, the number of publications in this field has risen dramatically in recent years making it extremely difficult for even the most diligent reader to stay abreast of progress. This book distills the most important cutting-edge findings in the field to produce a timely and comprehensive review. With contributions from leading international helicobacter researchers, topics include: lipopolysaccharides, outer membrane proteins, motility and chemotaxis, type IV secretions systems, metal metabolism, molecular mechanisms of host adaptation, genomotyping, and proteonomics. As a useful introduction to the subject for new researchers and as an invaluable reference for the experienced researcher, this book is essential reading for all researchers working with Helicobacter and related organisms.

Plasmids are fascinating entities which can replicate autonomously in bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic cells. They profit from the cellular environment of the host but can also carry a rich diversity of genes which can be beneficial for the host. Plasmids confer the ability to degrade organic compounds and to fix nitrogen. In addition, plasmids carry antibiotic resistance genes and their spread in pathogenic bacteria is of great medical importance. Plasmids are used in molecular studies of various organisms with ramifications in synthetic biology, medicine, ecology, and evolution, as well as basic research in molecular and structural biology. Written by acknowledged experts in the field, this volume provides an up-to-date treatment of the structure, function, and application of plasmids, with a particular emphasis on current and future trends. The book is aimed primarily at research scientists, graduate students, and professional scientists, but will also be of great interest to all

The book '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 intended 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.

The staphylococci are important pathogenic bacteria responsible for a variety of diseases in humans and other animals. They are the most common cause of hospital-acquired infection. Antibiotic resistant strains (MRSA) have become endemic in hospitals in most countries, causing major public health issues. In addition, the incidence of new strains that cause severe community-acquired infections in healthy people is increasing and MRSA strains are emerging in agricultural and domestic animals. In the race to understand staphylococcal pathogenesis, the focus has been on genetics, as a bacterium can only do what its genes allow. The publication of the first staphylococcal whole genome sequence in 2001 paved the way for a greater understanding of the molecular basis of its virulence, evolution, epidemiology, and drug resistance. Since then, the available genomic data has mushroomed and this, coupled with the major advances in genetic know-how and the availability of better genetic tools, has

The genome sequences of several pseudomonads have become available in recent years and researchers are beginning to use the data to make new discoveries about this bacterium. This concise volume reviews the most current and topical aspects of Pseudomonas molecular biology and genomics and is aimed at a readership of research scientists, graduate students and other specialists. Renowned international authors have contributed chapters on diverse topics including taxonomy, genome diversity, oligonucleotide usage, polysaccharides, pathogenesis, virulence, biofilms, antibiotic resistance and iron uptake. In addition an entire chapter is devoted to the genetic tools being developed to take full advantage of the wealth of information generated by the genome sequencing efforts. This book is essential reading for anyone involved in Pseudomonas research.

This volume collects new information on the genomics of saprophytic soil Pseudomonas, as well as functions related to genomic islands. It explores life styles in different settings and sheds further insights on the wide metabolic potential of this microbe for the removal of pollutants and production of added-value products. This volume also explores how Pseudomonas responds and reacts to environmental signals, including detection of cell density.

Pathological bacteria are only 5% of the bacterial population. The other 95% promote the health and well-being of Earth. The digestive tract holds trillions of archaebacteria from over 4 1/2 billion years ago. When in danger, bacteria create shells for protection. Are humans evolved shells in order to protect the bacteria from atmospheric oxygen? Life forms are descended from prokaryote archaebacteria, for whom oxygen is unnecessary. After millions of years of evolution, can bacteria now direct humans to return the planet, through pollution, ozone depletion, or a nuclear disaster, to a more manageable level of oxygen from a present 21% to less than 1%? No bacteria reside in the cranial brain. Was the enteric nervous system the first brain? Are the archaebacteria within the gastrointestinal tract directing the actions of the body? Are the archaebacteria the architects and directors of evolution?

This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.

Bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) are fascinating organisms that have played and continue to play a key role in bacterial genetics and molecular biology. Phage can confer key phenotypes on their host for example, converting a non-pathogenic strain into a pathogen and they play a key role in regulating bacterial populations in all sorts of environments. The phage-bacterium relationship varies enormously, from the simple predator-prey model to a complex, almost symbiotic relationship that promotes the survival and evolutionary success of both. While infection of bacteria used in the fermentation industry can be very problematic and result in financial losses, in other scenarios, phage infection of bacteria can be exploited for industrial and/or medical applications. Interest in phage and phage gene products as potential therapeutic agents is increasing rapidly and is likely to have a profound impact on the pharmaceutical industry and biotechnology in general over the comi

Magnetoreception or magnetotaxis in bacteria was discovered only some 30 years ago. All magnetotactic bacteria, which occur in many environments and display a remarkable diversity, synthesize magnetosomes, complex intracellular organelles that contain magnetic iron crystals.

Recent developments in the research on magnetotactic bacteria are presented in this volume. Included are reviews on the formation and organization of magnetosomes, the genes controlling magnetosome biomineralization, and new cryogenic techniques to visualize novel cytoskeleton structures. Described here are potential nanobiotechnological applications of the magnetosome crystals, which have magnetic and crystalline characteristics unmatched by their inorganic counterparts. Related topics such as the impact of biogenic magnetic crystals in geobiology and paleomagnetism also are discussed. The aim of the book is to provide a broad survey of this multidisciplinary field and to inspire future research on these fascinating organisms.

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 details the widely accepted hypothesis that the majority of bacteria in virtually all ecosystems grow in matrix-enclosed biofilms. The author, who first proposed this biofilm hypothesis, uses direct evidence from microscopy and from molecular techniques, arguing cogently for moving beyond conventional culture methods that dominated microbiology in the last century. Bacteria grow predominantly in biofilms in natural, engineered, and pathogenic ecosystems; this book provides a solid basis for the understanding of bacterial processes in environmental, industrial, agricultural, dental and medical microbiology. Using a unique "ecological" perspective, the author explores the commensal and pathogenic colonization of human organ systems.

TwentyyearshavegonebysinceJackSokatch?rstpublishedhisoutsta- ingTheBiologyofPseudomonasbackin1986.Thiswasfollowedbytwobooks published by the ASM that contained the presentations of the Pseudomonas meetings held in Chicago in 1989 and Trieste in 1991. The earlier volume of these two was edited by Simon Silver, Al Chakrabarty, Barbara Iglewski, and Sam Kaplan, and the later one by Enrica Galli, Simon Silver, and Bernard Witholt. The time was ripe for a series of books on Pseudomonas because of its importance in human and plant pathogenesis, bio?lms, soil and rhizosphere colonization, etc. Efforts were devoted to produce the ?rst three volumes of the series on the biology of Pseudomonas after a meeting with Kluwer staff members in August 2002 during the XI IUMS conference in Paris (France). In less than a year a group of outstanding scientists in the ?eld, after devoting much of their valuable time, managed to complete their chapters for the three volumes of the series. To ensure the high standard of each chapter, renowned scientists participated in the reviewing process. The three books collected part of the "explosion" of new vital information on the genus Pseudomonas.

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.

The field of bacterial diagnostics has seen unprecedented advances in recent years. The increased need for accurate detection and identification of bacteria in human, animal, food, and environmental samples has fueled the development of new techniques. The field has seen extensive research aided by the information from bacterial genome sequencing projects. Although traditional methods of bacterial detection and identification remain in use in laboratories around the world, there is now a growing trend toward the use of nucleic ac- based diagnostics and alternative biochemically and immunologically based formats. The ultimate goal of all diagnostic tests is the accurate detection, identification, or typing of microorganisms in samples of interest. Although the resulting information is of obvious use in the areas of patient management, animal health, and quality control, it is also of use in monitoring routes of infection and outlining strategies for infection control. There is, therefore, a need to ensure that the information being provided is of the highest standard and that any new technique is capable of delivering this.

Salt is an essential requirement of life. Already from ancient times (e. g. , see the books of the Bible) its importance in human life has been known. For example, salt symbolizes destruction (as in Sodom and Gomorra), but on the other hand it has been an ingredient of every sacrifice during the Holy Temple periods. Microbial life in concentrated salt solutions has fascinated scientists since its discovery. Recently there have been several international meetings and books devoted entirely to halophiles. This book includes the proceedings of the "Halophiles 2004" conference held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in September 2004 (www. u- lj. si/~bfbhaloph/index. html). This meeting was attended by 120 participants from 25 countries. The editors have selected presentations given at the meeting for this volume, and have also invited a number of contributions from experts who had not been present in Ljubljana. This book complements "Halophilic Microorganisms", edited by A. Ventosa and published by Springer-Verlag (2004), "Halophilic Microorganism and their Environments" by A. Oren (2002), published by Kluwer Academic Publishers as volume 5 of "Cellular Origins, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology" (COLE), and "Microbiology and Biogeochemistry of Hypersaline Environments" edited by A. Oren, and published by CRC Press, Boca Raton (1999). Salt-loving (halophilic) microorganisms grow in salt solutions above seawater salinity (~3. 5% salt) up to saturation ranges (i. e. , around 35% salt). High concentrations of salt occur in natural environments (e. g.

Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, one of the most comprehensive and authoritative works in the field of prokaryotic systematics is undergoing an extensive revision that will ultimately culminate in a five volume Second Edition. Arrangement of the content of the Second Edition follows the now familiar and well regarded phylogeny of the 16S rRNA gene, yet retains much of the layout of the First Edition. Volume 1, encompassing the Archaea, Deeply Branching and Phototrophic Bacteria was published in 2001. We are pleased to announce that work on Volume 2, The Proteobacteria, has been completed. This culminates a four year effort by Bergey's Manual Trust and more than 150 internationally recognized authorities to provide a comprehensive view of the Proteobacteria, the largest prokaryotic phylum. Encompassing 72 families and including descriptions of 425 genera and over 1875 named species, the volume will be subdivided into three sub-volumes: The Gammaproteobacteria (Part A), The Alphaproteobacteria (Part B) and the Beta-, Delta-, and Epsilonproteobacteria. Also included are new introductory chapters specific to the phylum.

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.

During the last decade a wealth of new data has arisen from the use of new fluorescent labelling techniques and the sequencing of whole microbial genomes. One important conclusion from these data is that bacterial cells are much more structured than previously thought. The wall and the outer membrane contain topological domains, some proteins localize or move in specific patterns inside the cells, and some genes appear clustered in the chromosome and form conserved evolutionary units. Many of these structures are related to the cell cycle and to the process of cell morphogenesis, two processes that are themselves related to each other. From these observations the dcw gene cluster appears as a phylogenetic trait that is mainly conserved in bacilli. Molecules in Time and Space reviews the data on the formation of subcellular patterns or structures in bacteria, presents observations and hypotheses on the establishment and the maintenance of cell shape, and on the organization of genetic information in the chromosome.

This book provides a comprehensive and detailed source of information on the genetic and regulatory aspects of biological nitrogen fixation in free-living (non-symbiotic) prokaryotes. Biological nitrogen fixation is represented in a diverse range of microorganisms, among which Klebsiella pneumoniae serves as a paradigm for the genetic analysis of diazotrophy, which is the ability to grow with N2 as sole nitrogen source. The volume uses two major complementary approaches to the subject matter. The initial chapters use an organismic-based approach by concentrating on the well-characterized diazotrophic proteobacteria, cyanobacteria, Gram-positive clostridia, and Archea. The later chapters use a comparative process-based approach and serve as overviews dealing with different regulatory aspects, electron transport to nitrogenase, and molybdenum metabolism, across the range of organisms. Whenever appropriate, historical aspects and agricultural and ecological impacts have been taken into consideration. Each chapter contains an extensive list of references. This book is the self-contained second volume of a comprehensive seven-volume series. No other available work provides the up-to-date and in-depth coverage of this series and this volume. This book is intended to serve as an indispensable reference work for all scientists working in this and closely related fields, to assist students to enter this challenging area of research, and to provide science administrators easy access to vital relevant information.

This collection of diverse articles by the pioneers of modern genomics takes stock of the current state of the field and elucidates the contribution that sequencing genomes has made to our understanding of microbial metabolism and evolution. Through twenty-eight thought-provoking chapters, the authors describe some of the most common computational methods and their applications to studying pathogenic microorganisms, show how genomics can be used to reconstruct the history and dynamism of the microbial world, and discuss issues as diverse as reconstruction of metabolic pathways, cell cycle processes, microbial evolution, metagenomics, and vaccine development. Additional chapters deal with microarrays and expression analysis and the role of genomic in drug discovery.

Bacteria occupy a unique position in the living world. They are amongst the first inhabitants of planet earth, and have survived until the present day. Adaptation, adjustment, and accommodation are the hallmarks of their strategy for survival. Their structural simplicity, and yet independent lifestyle, has provided a baseline model system on which every branch of modern biology have been founded. This includes the fields of molecular genetics and recombinant DNA technology. Bacteria have been at the heart of developments in the field of biotechnology where today many microbial and eukaryotic (including human) metabolites have found industrial applications. Amenable to all modern tools and techniques, bacteriology has developed an interface with all other branches of biology, often providing the major leads and clues. In the present era of genomics, now that many microbial genomes have been sequenced, bacteria are destined to provide new information that will further our understanding of life and biological processes.
This book contains exhaustive information on almost all aspects of bacteria. The book deals exclusively with bacteria and includes the entire gamut of bacteriology. It will be useful to graduate and post-graduate levels but also to established researchers. The book is organized in such a way that it will give the reader an overview of our current understanding of bacteria. It will explain the categories under which various types have been grouped and describe the versatile range of metabolic processes which can be found in these microbial organisms. Their metabolic regulation, capacity to change and keep evolving and their pivotal role in natural processes arehighlighted. Research on bacteria, especially genetic engineering, will have far reaching applications in the future.