Atomic Force Microscopy for Nanoscale Biophysics: From Single Molecules to Living Cells summarizes the applications of atomic force microscopy for the investigation of biomolecules and cells. The book discusses the methodology of AFM-based biomedical detection, diverse biological systems, and the combination of AFM with other complementary techniques. These state-of-the-art chapters empower researchers to address biological issues through the application of atomic force microscopy. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a unique, multifunctional tool for investigating the structures and properties of living biological systems under aqueous conditions with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution.

Cancer Therapy and Diagnosis, Part B, Volume 44 in The Enzymes series highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on Mesoporous silica nanoparticle synthesis, Periodic mesoporous organosilica, Nanovalves and other nanomachine-equipped nanoparticles and controlled release, Two-photon light control and photodynamic therapy, Biodegradable PMO nanoparticles, Cationic mesoporous silica and protein delivery, Drug loading, stimuli-responsive delivery and cancer treatment, Animal models and cancer therapy, siRNA delivery and TWIST shutdown for ovarian cancer treatment, and TBC (mesoporous silica nanoparticles and cancer therapy or biodistribution of MSN).

The Nutritional Biochemistry of Chromium(III), Second Edition, reviews the fields of chromium biochemistry and nutrition and how they have dramatically changed in the last decade. Editor John Vincent has lead much of the research that has resulted in new discoveries and reversals of previously held beliefs, such as health concerns surrounding the toxicity of chromium(III). New sections include a review of new evidence showing why chromium may not be an essential element, why national recommendations may need updating, and new data on the use of chromium supplementation in animal feeds. Discussions on the controversial topic of the role of chromium(III) at the molecular level in insulin signaling and information on cell cultures and in vitro assays of chromium toxicity are also covered.

Microbial processes are involved in food, chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, energy, and new-material industries. Over the past 2 decades, new or more efficient industrial processes involving microorganisms have been launched, yielding purer, less expensive products or substances not available using classical chemical methods. Microbial Bioprocesses aims to give an overview of established and successful processes and discusses the trends and perspectives in industrial microbiology which, along with tremendous progress in genetic and metabolic engineering in recent years, are once again becoming an area of innovation and emerging technologies. Microbial Bioprocesses covers the unique areas like microbial volatiles (MVOCs), microbial bioinoculant development, bacterial nanocelluloses production, and processes for remediation by fungi and actinobacteria.

Extracellular Matrix and Egg Coats, Volume 130, the latest release in the Current Topics in Developmental Biology series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on The Human Egg's Zona Pellucida, the Structure of Zona Pellucida Module Proteins, The Fish Egg's Zona Pellucidam The Chicken Egg's Zona Pellucidam The Marsupial Egg's Zona Pellucida, the Evolution of Zona Pellucida Proteins, The Mouse Egg's Zona Pellucida, Aspects of ECM, ECM and Morphogenesis, Collagen fibril assembly and function, The Ear's Tectorial Membrane, ECM and Cell Fate, and the Aspects of ECM.

Plant Transcription Factors: Contribution in Development, Metabolism, and Environmental Stress provides comprehensive coverage of plant TFs and their various functions, evaluating their crucial role in growth and development, signaling, stress management and other key plant processes. Sections cover the significance of plant TFs in functional genomics, the influence of phyto-hormones on the modulation of plant TFs, plant development and metabolism, including shoot development, flowering development and alkaloid biosynthesis. The book's final section reviews the role of TFs in various plant stresses, including temperature, water and heavy metal stress. Written by leading experts around the globe, this book is an essential read to researchers interested in plant signaling and plant genomics.

Mechanisms of DNA Recombination and Genome Rearrangements: Intersection between Homologous Recombination, DNA Replication and DNA Repair, Volume 601, the latest release in the Methods in Enzymology series, continues the legacy of this premier serial with quality chapters authored by leaders in the field. Homologous genetic recombination remains the most enigmatic process in DNA metabolism. The molecular machines of recombination preserve the integrity of the genetic material in all organisms and generate genetic diversity in evolution. The same molecular machines that support genetic integrity by orchestrating accurate repair of the most deleterious DNA lesions, however, also promote survival of cancerous cells and emergence of radiation and chemotherapy resistance. This two-volume set offers a comprehensive set of cutting edge methods to study various aspects of homologous recombination and cellular processes that utilize the enzymatic machinery of recombination. The chapters are written by the leading researches and cover a broad range of topics from the basic molecular mechanisms of recombinational proteins and enzymes to emerging cellular techniques and drug discovery efforts.

Lipids are biomolecules that constitute a significant amount of biomass in the earth, and plant lipids are rapidly growing in interest due to their roles in improving food technology, medicine, nutrition, and biotechnology. With recent advances in protein chemistry, biochemistry, and enzymology promoting research on lipolytic enzymes, it is important for research to address the mechanisms of such enzymes and their diverse functions. Unique Sequence Signatures in Plant Lipolytic Enzymes: Emerging Research and Opportunities provides innovative insights into the biochemistry of plant lipases and phospholipases as well as their structures and catalytic mechanisms. The book explores the conserved domains and motifs of plant lipolytic enzymes by identifying the main residues involved in the catalysis in the enzymes and the phylogeny of important plant lipolytic enzymes, as well as calculating the evolutionary distance in those enzymes. Organized into six chapters, it is a vital reference source for researchers, chemists, biologists, academicians, practitioners, medical professionals, engineers, and graduate students.

Physicochemical Interactions of Engineered Nanoparticles and Plants: A Systemic Approach, Volume Four in the Nanomaterial-Plant Interactions series, presents foundational information on how ENMs interact with the surrounding environment. Key themes include source, fate and transport of ENMs in the environment, biophysicochemical transformations of ENMs, and chemical reactions and mechanisms of ENMs transport in plants. This book is an essential read for any scientist or researcher looking to understand the molecular interactions between ENMs and Plants. Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) reach plant ecosystems through intentional or unintentional pathways. In any case, after release, these materials may be transformed in the environment by physical, chemical and biochemical processes. Once in contact with plant systems, biotransformation may still occur, affecting or stimulating plant metabolism. Since plants are the producers to the food chain, it is of paramount importance to understand these mechanisms at the molecular level.

This two volume set introduces the up-to-date high-tech applications of Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) luminogens in biosensing, bioimaging, and biomedicine. The 2nd volume presents the applications of AIE materials in biomedicine, including the utilizations in biomedical polymers, organic nanoprobes, photosensitizer, photothermal agents, AIEgens-based delivery systems, etc. It is an essential reference for materials scientists, chemists, physicists and biological chemists.

Advances in Biomembranes and Lipid Self-Assembly, formerly titled Advances in Planar Lipid Bilayers and Liposomes, provides a global platform for a broad community of experimental and theoretical researchers studying cell membranes, lipid model membranes, and lipid self-assemblies from the micro- to the nanoscale. Planar lipid bilayers are widely studied due to their ubiquity in nature, also finding application in the formulation of biomimetic model membranes. Section topics in this release cover Ras Proteolipid nano-assemblies on the plasma membrane, gold nanomaterials, recent advances in cancer theranostics, and the interactions of flavonoids with lipidic mesophases, amongst other highly resourceful topics. Self-assembled lipid structures have enormous potential as dynamic materials, ranging from artificial lipid membranes, to cell membranes, from biosensing, to controlled drug delivery, and from pharmaceutical formulations, to novel food products, to name a few. This series represents both original research and comprehensive reviews written by world-leading experts and young researchers.

Molecular Characterization of Autophagic Responses, Part B presents a collection of methods for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of virtually all the morphological, biochemical, and functional manifestations of autophagy, in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo, in organisms as distant as yeast and man. Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for the lysosomal degradation of superfluous or dangerous cytoplasmic entities, and plays a critical role in the preservation of cellular and organismal homeostasis. Monitoring the biochemical processes that accompany autophagy is fundamental for understanding whether autophagic responses are efficient or dysfunctional.