Originally published in 1954, this book contains a series of thirteen articles, forming the basis of lectures delivered at the Fourth Symposium of the Society for General Microbiology during that year. The articles investigate the nature of autotrophic micro-organisms and their importance for processes such as maintaining soil fertility. Discussion of micro-organisms which possess a mixture of autotrophic and heterotrophic characteristics is also provided. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in microbiology, biochemistry and the history of science.

Fungi produce many chemically diverse secondary metabolites whose biological roles largely remain elusive. Within the increasing number of sequenced fungal genomes several important genes involved in secondary metabolite formation have been identified. Most of these genes are clustered and their coordinated transcription is controlled in a complex way by both narrow pathway-specific regulators as well as broad global transcription factors responsive to environmental cues. In recent years it was discovered many of the newly identified gene clusters are silent under laboratory conditions suggesting that the biosynthetic potential of fungi is far from being exploited. Besides identifying novel bioactive metabolites from still unexplored sources, the activation of these gene clusters by several approaches may result in the discovery of new substances with antibiotic and pharmaceutical benefits. This book covers recent advances in the field of fungal secondary metabolisms ranging from methodologies to biological aspects and will include the latest knowledge on fungal molecular biology, genomics, and metabolomics. With the related volume by Professor Juan-Francisco Martin, where the most relevant and well-studied fungal secondary metabolites are compiled, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art of research on fungal secondary metabolites.

This book contains a collection of critical reviews on the expression of biologically functional proteins in Leishmania and Trypanosoma, which was written by renowned researchers on this field. Species belonging to these trypanosomatids’ genera are etiological agents of leishmaniasis, Chagas’ disease and sleeping sickness that are extremely debilitating human infection diseases, which remain a major health problem especially in countries from Latin America, Africa and Middle East. Substantiating the problem, the currently accepted drugs for these diseases are quiet unsatisfying due to their low efficacy and high toxicity. In order to solve these real problems, several research groups around the world have become involved in the study and identification of novel potential targets in the trypanosomatid cell. Since proteins are key macromolecules involved in crucial metabolic processes of all living cells, studies have focused on the expression of specific proteins produced by Leishmania and Trypanosoma by means of different biochemical, molecular and proteomic approaches in order to explore them as targets for understanding the parasite life cycle and developing new strategies against trypanosomiasis. With these proposals in mind, the book “Proteins and Proteomics of Leishmania and Trypanosoma� encompasses (i) an integrated view about the biochemistry of parasites belonging to the Leishmania and Trypanosoma genera; (ii) an updated review on the expression of biologically relevant proteins by human pathogenic trypanosomatids and their possible role in the interaction with host cells/molecules as well as a target for development of both alternative chemotherapies and vaccine; and (iii) several pictures, diagrams and tables that can be used to illustrate both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching as well as scientific lectures, being a useful resource for students and researchers.

Microbial physiology, biochemistry and genetics allowed the formulation of concepts that turned out to be important in the study of higher organisms. In the first section, the principles of bacterial growth are given, as well as the description of the different layers that enclose the bacterial cytoplasm, and their role in obtaining nutrients from the outside media through different permeability mechanism described in detail. A chapter is devoted to allostery and is indispensable for the comprehension of many regulatory mechanisms described throughout the book. Another section analyses the mechanisms by which cells obtain the energy necessary for their growth, glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, the tricarboxylic and the anaplerotic cycles. Two chapters are devoted to classes of microorganisms rarely dealt with in textbooks, namely the Archaea, mainly the methanogenic bacteria, and the methylotrophs. Eight chapters describe the principles of the regulations at the transcriptional level, with the necessary knowledge of the machineries of transcription and translation. The next fifteen chapters deal with the biosynthesis of the cell building blocks, amino acids, purine and pyrimidine nucleotides and deoxynucleotides, water-soluble vitamins and coenzymes, isoprene and tetrapyrrole derivatives and vitamin B12. The two last chapters are devoted to the study of protein-DNA interactions and to the evolution of biosynthetic pathways. The considerable advances made in the last thirty years in the field by the introduction of gene cloning and sequencing and by the exponential development of physical methods such as X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance have helped presenting metabolism under a multidisciplinary attractive angle.

Yeast Protocols, Third Edition presents up-to-date advances in research using yeasts as models. Chapters cover topics such as basic protocols in yeast culture and genomic manipulation, protocols that study certain organelles such as mitochondria and peroxisomes and their functions in autophagy and assays commonly used in yeast-based studies that can be adapted to other organisms. As the first sequenced living organism, budding yeast S. cerevisiae and other model yeasts have helped greatly in life science research. The easy switch between the haploid and diploid state makes yeast a paradigm of genetic manipulation. Written in the 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 protocols and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Yeast Protocols, Third Edition seeks to serve both professionals and novices with newly-developed protocols to study this essential model organism.

This volume presents the issues and challenges of crop pathogens and plant protection. Composed of the latest knowledge in plant pathology, the book covers topics such as fungal diseases of the groundnut, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, plant pathogenic fungi in the genomics era, the increased virulence of wheat rusts and oat fungal diseases. Written by experienced and internationally recognized scientists in the field, Future Challenges in Crop Protection Against Fungal Pathogens is a concise yet comprehensive resource valuable for both novice as well as experienced plant scientists and researchers.

The earth’s biodiversity is a degree of ecosystem health which is vital to ecology and environmental sustainability. The microbial world is the largest unexplored reservoir. The agro-ecosystem enriched with rhizosphere implicit abundant and species-rich component of microbial diversity. Its global exploration designs a worldwide framework for agricultural sustainability adjoining benefits in its conservation. Agricultural sustainability requires a major share from ecosystem management which is better paid by microbial diversity and conservation. Diversity of bacteria influences plant productivity providing nutrient convenience from soil instead altering per se community and diversity in the rhizosphere where they may influence mechanistic competent and antagonistic micro-flora. The potential species among the diversity are therefore, essential subjective to their maintenance for use around the globe. Microbial population in agro-ecosystem is influenced by stresses, reduce functionality as a component. It is therefore, important to explore secrets of planned strategy so as to unravel the microbial diversity and conservation in agricultural development. Microorganisms are minute, pervasive in nature and alleged as disease host instead tiny recognize as employee of agro-ecosystem, indulge in agricultural development and potential contributor in world of ecological and economical wealth creation. This step pertinently would help to launch scientific motivation needed to support the refrain of microbial diversity and conservation.

This book provides a detailed description and analysis of the reduction and metabolism of metals and metalloids by sulfate reducing bacteria. The molecular mechanisms of bacterial resistance to copper are examined as well as extracellular electron transfer and bacterial metal oxide respiration. Furthermore, in this book enrichment, isolation, and physiology of magnetotactic bacteria are discussed.  The interactions of bacteria with metals in natural environments and their role in metal cycling have been studied for decades. Advances in studies of bacteria-metal interactions identified numerous important aspects of these interactions, such as bioremediation of metal-contaminated environments, the role of metals in redox reactions and other cellular functions, as well as the role of metals in toxicity and infection. Microbiologists, environmental scientists, and students interested in microbe interactions with metals and their effect on the environment and their application in biotechnology will be interested in the topics discussed in the book.

An up-to-date view of molecular mechanisms for investigating microbial communities and their biological activities, this new volume of Environmental Microbiology: Methods and Protocols looks at recent advances that are having a big impact on the field such as metagenomics and other "omics" technologies, NanoSIMS, as well as stable isotope probing and more. Conveniently divided into four parts, the first section looks at methods involved in sampling environmental microorganisms, the second profiles different methods for investigating the diversity and composition of microbial communities, the third focuses on techniques for analyzing biological activities in situ, and the final section examines high throughput "omics" approaches for the characterization of environmental microbial communities. This book was written as part of the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, and, as such, chapters contain 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. Fully updated and authoritative, Environmental Microbiology: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition aims to provide an unprecedented glimpse into the structure, composition, and activity of microbial communities across diverse environments and illuminate their impact on global ecological processes.

Enzyme Technology is one the most promising disciplines in modern biotechnology. In this book, the applications of a wide variety of enzymes are highlighted. Current studies in enzyme technology are focused towards the discovery of novel enzymes (termed "bio-discovery" or "bio-prospecting") and the identification and elucidation of novel pathways of these novel enzymes with emphasis on their industrial relevance. With the development of molecular techniques and other bioinformatics tools, the time to integrate this subject with other fields in the life sciences has arrived. A rapid expansion of the knowledge base in the field of enzyme biotechnology has occurred over the past few years. Much of this expansion has been driven by the bio-discovery of many new enzymes from a wide range of environments, some extreme in nature, followed by subsequent protein (enzyme) engineering. These enzymes have found a wide range of applications, ranging from bioremediation, bio-monitoring, biosensor development, bioconversion to biofuels and other biotechnologically important value-added products. Hydrolases constitute a major component of the global annual revenue generated by industrial enzymes and the emphasis has therefore been placed on these enzymes and their applications. With the immense interest of researchers active in this area, this book will serve to provide information on current aspects in this field of study. In the current edition, the contributions of many diversified topics towards establishing new directions of research in the area of enzyme biotechnology are described. This book serves to provide a unique source of information to undergraduates, post graduates and doctoral courses in microbiology and biotechnology along with allied life sciences. The present edition of the book covers all important areas of enzyme biotechnology i.e. the wide variety of enzymes in the field of enzyme biotechnology and their industrial applications, new methods and state-of-the-art information on modern methods of enzyme discovery. This book will act as good resource on most of the current facets of enzyme technology for all students engaged in bioengineering and biotechnology.

Reflecting the development of powerful new tools and high-throughput methods to analyze adenoviral particles and their interactions with host cells, the third edition of Adenovirus Methods and Protocols calls upon experts in the field to convey advances in molecular biology, genomics and proteomics, imaging, and bioinformatics. Beginning with cryo-electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and mass spectrometry for a high resolution image and characterization of the virion, this detailed book then continues with capsid modifications and viral-like particles as promising alternatives to classical adenovirus vectors, and the study of adenovirus in host interactions in vitro at the cellular level as well as in vivo in animal models. Finally, the volume concludes with an extensive update of the most efficient protocols to generate, amplify, and/or purify, at small and large scale, standard human Ad5 as well as non-human, chimeric, and helper-dependent adenovirus vectors. Written in the greatly 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. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Adenovirus Methods and Protocols, Third Edition serves as an ideal guide for scientists continuing to research this highly valuable viral tool.

This comprehensive book details the most recent advances in the microalgae biological sciences and engineering technologies for biomass and biofuel production in order to meet the ongoing need for new and affordable sources of food, chemicals and energy for future generations. The chapters explore new microalgae cultivation techniques, including solid (biofilm) systems, and heterotrophic production methods, while also critically investigating topics such as combining wastewater as a source of nutrients, the effect of CO2 on growth, and converting biomass to methane through anaerobic digestion. The book highlights innovative bioproduct optimization and molecular genetic techniques, applications of genomics and metabolomics, and the genetic engineering of microalgae strains targeting biocrude production. The latest developments in microalgae harvesting and dewatering technologies, which combine biomass production with electricity generation, are presented, along with detailed techno-economic modeling. This extensive volume was written by respected experts in their fields and is intended for a wide audience of researchers and engineers.

This volume illustrates the complex root system, including the various essential roles of roots as well as their interaction with diverse microorganisms localized in or near the root system. Following initial chapters describing the anatomy and architecture as well as the growth and development of root systems, subsequent chapters focus on the various types of root symbiosis with bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere. A third section covers the physiological strategies of roots, such as nitrate assimilation, aquaporins, the role of roots in plant defense responses and in response to droughts and salinity changes. The book's final chapters discuss the prospects of applied engineering of roots, i.e., inventing new root structures or functions through genetic modification, but also with conventional breeding and manipulation of root symbionts. The budding field of root engineering is expected to promote a second green revolution.

The 'Advances in Plant Biopesticides' comprises 19 chapters on different important issues of developing biopesticides from promising botanicals and its phytomolecules based on the research reviews in the area concern. The book is written by reputed scientists and professors of both developed and developing countries namely Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, India, Kenya, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, and USA represented by almost 53 contributors. The book is organized and presented in such a form that the readers can acquire and enhance their knowledge in plant biopesticide bioresources, its application in different areas to manage pests and diseases of field crops, stored products with status of exploring in Africa, non-target effects on beneficial arthropods, control of arthropods of veterinary and vectors of communicable diseases, efficacy in controlling honeybee mite pests, prospect of applying new tools to enhance the efficacy of plant biopesticides through use of nanotechnology, most important plant derived active principle as source of biopesticides, possible mode of action of phytochemicals against arthropods, limitation, production status, consumption, formulation, registration and quality regulation of plant biopesticides and have been cited by important scientific references. Most importantly, the book also highlights a unique example for developing biopesticides based on the research on Annonaceae as potential source of plant biopesticide, exploiting phytochemicals for developing green technology for sustainable crop protection strategies to withstand climate change with example in Africa, and overview in developing insect resistance to plant biopesticides. Most of the chapter contributing authors are internationally reputed researchers and possess experiences of more than three to four decades in the area of plant biopesticides. The contributing and corresponding authors of the book - Advances in Plant Biopesticides proposed and identified by the editor (Dwijendra Singh) include distinguished professors and reputed scientists from different continents of the world namely MB Isman (Canada), Nadia Z Dimetry (Egypt), Zeaur R Khan (Kenya), John A Pickett (UK), Gadi VP Reddy (USA), S Gopalakrishnan (India), Anand Prakash (India), Chirantan Chattopadyay (India), Christos G Athanassiou (Greece), Philip C. Stevenson (UK), S Raguraman (India), S Ghosh (India), Mir S Mulla (USA), Apiwat Tawatsin (Thailand), Dwijendra Singh (India), K Sahayaraj (India), Suresh Walia (India), T Shivanandappa (India), Roman Pavela (Czeck Republic), Errol Hasan (Australia), Ayhan Gokce (Turkey), SK Raza (India), and their colleague co-contributors. This book would certainly provide the updated knowledge to global readers on plant biopesticides as one of the important reference source and would stimulate to present and future researchers, scientists, student, teachers, entrepreneurs, and government & non-government policy makers interested to develop new & novel environmentally safe plant biopesticides world over.

This volume describes the various applications of entomopathogenic soil microorganisms in the management and control of the devastating lepidopteran pest. An introduction describes the insecticidal properties of viruses, bacteria, fungi, nematodes and their metabolites, as well as their applications in the context of crop improvement. Subsequent chapters focus on topics such as insecticidal proteins; the role of nucleopolyhedroviruses; Bt toxins and their receptors; control of lepidopterans using entomopathogenic fungi; management of cotton defoliators; and sustainable use of entomopathogenic nematodes and their bacterial symbionts. An overview of culture collections of entomopathogenic microorganisms rounds out the volume.

Microbial Phenazines: Biosynthesis, Agriculture and Health focuses on phenazines, a group of upwards of a hundred nitrogen-containing redox-active heterocyclic compounds of bacterial origin that have long attracted scientific interest because of their colorful pigmentation. Our understanding of these fascinating natural products and their role in human health and the environment has advanced rapidly in recent years, but we are only now beginning to be able to exploit the potential of these compounds in such fields as agriculture and medicine. This volume includes information on the biochemistry and genetics of phenazine synthesis, the physiological effects of phenazines, and methods for the isolation and identification of phenazines with the aid of spectroscopic and electrophoretic techniques. Also included are chapters focused on the roots of phenazine research in the biological control of plant pathogens and recent knowledge of the diversity of phenazine-producing microorganisms and the environments in which they occur. A final chapter addresses the potential of phenazines in the treatment of cancer.

This volume describes the more relevant secondary metabolites of different fungi with current information on their biosynthesis and molecular genetics. Bolstered with color illustrations and photographs, the book describes the possible application of molecular genetics to directed strain improvement in great detail. The needs for future developments in this field are also discussed at length Written by authorities in the field, Biosynthesis and Molecular Genetics of Fungal Secondary Metabolites provides a cutting-edge perspective on fungal secondary metabolism and underlying genetics and is a valuable resource for scientists, researchers, and educators in the field of fungal biology.

Plant innate immunity is a potential surveillance system of plants and is the first line of defense against invading pathogens. The immune system is a sleeping system in unstressed healthy plants and is activated on perception of the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP; the pathogen’s signature) of invading pathogens. The PAMP alarm/danger signals are perceived by plant pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). The plant immune system uses several second messengers to encode information generated by the PAMPs and deliver the information downstream of PRRs to proteins which decode/interpret signals and initiate defense gene expression. This book describes the most fascinating PAMP-PRR signaling complex and signal transduction systems. It also discusses the highly complex networks of signaling pathways involved in transmission of the signals to induce distinctly different defense-related genes to mount offence against pathogens.

Yeast is one of the most studied laboratory organisms and represents one of the most central models to understand how any eukaryote cell works. On the other hand, yeast fermentations have for millennia provided us with a variety of biotech products, like wine, beer, vitamins, and recently also with pharmaceutically active heterologous products and biofuels. A central biochemical activity in the yeast cell is the metabolism of carbon compounds, providing energy for the whole cell, and precursors for any of the final fermentation products. A complex set of genes and regulatory pathways controls the metabolism of carbon compounds, from nutrient sensing, signal transduction, transcription regulation and post-transcriptional events. Recent advances in comparative genomics and development of post-genomic tools have provided further insights into the network of genes and enzymes, and molecular mechanisms which are responsible for a balanced metabolism of carbon compounds in the yeast cell, and which could be manipulated in the laboratory to increase the yield and quality of yeast biotech products. This book provides a dozen of most comprehensive reviews on the recent developments and achievements in the field of yeast carbon metabolism, from academic studies on gene expression to biotechnology relevant topics.

The present work aims to cover the perspectives of biosurfactants, which can be of interest in food-related industries and biomedical applications. Biosurfactants are a structurally diverse group of surface-active molecules extensively produced by bacteria, yeast and fungi. Despite having significant potential associated with emulsion formation, anti-adhesive and antimicrobial activities, considerably few applications have been reported regarding applications of biosurfactants in food formulations and processing. The utilization of biosurfactants, which are highly functional in food and biomedical applications, has become more and more significant. Along with providing an overview of biosurfactant properties, the book suggests how these properties could be applicable in the food industry.

Researchers in the field of ecological genomics aim to determine how a genome or a population of genomes interacts with its environment across ecological and evolutionary timescales. Ecological genomics is trans-disciplinary by nature. Ecologists have turned to genomics to be able to elucidate the mechanistic bases of the biodiversity their research tries to understand. Genomicists have turned to ecology in order to better explain the functional cellular and molecular variation they observed in their model organisms. We provide an advanced-level book that covers this recent research and proposes future development for this field. A synthesis of the field of ecological genomics emerges from this volume. Ecological Genomics covers a wide array of organisms (microbes, plants and animals) in order to be able to identify central concepts that motivate and derive from recent investigations in different branches of the tree of life. Ecological Genomics covers 3 fields of research that have most benefited from the recent technological and conceptual developments in the field of ecological genomics: the study of life-history evolution and its impact of genome architectures; the study of the genomic bases of phenotypic plasticity and the study of the genomic bases of adaptation and speciation.

Pseudomonas volume 7 collects some of the most relevant and emerging issues in the biology of these microorganisms, and a number of other important issues that were not collected in the previous volumes. The first six volumes of the Pseudomonas series covered the biology of pseudomonads in a wide range of contexts, including the niches they inhabit, the taxonomic relations among its members of this group, the molecular biology of gene expression in different niches and under different environmental conditions, the analysis of virulence in plants, animal and human pathogens, as well as the determinants that make some of these strains of interesting for biotechnological applications. This seventh volume covers the following topics: The history of the biology of Pseudomonas The use of Pseudomonas as biological agents New trends in the molecular biology of these microorganisms Pseudomonas and the immune system of insects and animals This book will be of use to researchers working on these bacteria, particularly those studying medical aspects of Pseudomonas, and their use as a means to control pathogens or to stimulate plant growth. This volume is also interesting for those studying the physiology, genetics, molecular biology of Pseudomonas and those using novel-omics approaches to understand bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas.

Plants are endowed with innate immune system, which acts as a surveillance system against possible attack by pathogens. Plant innate immune systems have high potential to fight against viral, bacterial, oomycete and fungal pathogens and protect the crop plants against wide range of diseases. However, the innate immune system is a sleeping system in unstressed healthy plants. Fast and strong activation of the plant immune responses aids the host plants to win the war against the pathogens. Plant hormone signaling systems including salicylate (SA), jasmonate (JA), ethylene (ET), abscisic acid (ABA), auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins and brassinosteroids signaling systems play a key role in activation of the sleeping immune systems. Suppression or induction of specific hormone signaling systems may result in disease development or disease resistance. Specific signaling pathway has to be activated to confer resistance against specific pathogen in a particular host. Two forms of induced resistance, systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and induced systemic resistance (ISR), have been recognized based on the induction of specific hormone signaling systems. Specific hormone signaling system determines the outcome of plant-pathogen interactions, culminating in disease development or disease resistance. Susceptibility or resistance against a particular pathogen is determined by the action of the signaling network. The disease outcome is often determined by complex network of interactions among multiple hormone signaling pathways. Manipulation of the complex hormone signaling systems and fine tuning the hormone signaling events would help in management of various crop diseases. The purpose of the book is to critically examine the potential methods to manipulate the multiple plant hormone signaling systems to aid the host plants to win the battle against pathogens.

This volume addresses the similarities and also the differences in the genomes of soil saprophytes, symbionts, and plant pathogens by using examples of fungal species to illustrate particular principles. It analyzes how the specific interactions with the hosts and the influence of the environment may have shaped genome evolution. The relevance of fungal genetic research and biotechnological applications is shown for areas such as plant pathogenesis, biomass degradation, litter decomposition, nitrogen assimilation, antibiotic production, mycoparasitism, energy, ecology, and also for soil fungi turning to human pathogens. In addition to the model organisms Neurospora and Aspergillus, the following species are covered providing a view of pathogens and mutualists: Trichoderma, Fusarium oxysporum, Cochliobolus heterostrophus, Penicillium chrysogenum, Rhizopus oryzae, Podospora anserina, and species belonging to Agaricomycetes, Archaeorhizomycetes and Magnaporthaceae. Ecology and potential applications have guided the choice of fungal genes to be studied and it will be fascinating to follow the trends of future sequencing projects.

This book discusses the commercialization of biofuels and the Brazilian government policies for the promotion of renewable energy program in Brazil, which could be a learning module for several countries for implementing biofuels policy to improve their socioeconomic status and make them energy independent. Researchers in academia and industries, policy makers, and economic analysts will be assisted by important source of information in their ongoing research and future perspectives. This book will benefit graduate and postgraduate students of chemical and biochemical engineering, forestry, microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, applied chemistry, environmental science, sustainable energy, and biotech business disciplines by signifying the applied aspects of bioenergy production from various natural sources and their implications. Graduate and postgraduate students as well as postdoctoral researchers will find clear concepts of feedstock analysis, feedstock degradation, microbial fermentation, genetic engineering, renewable energy generation and storage, climate changes, and techno-economic analysis of biofuels production technologies.