This review of recent developments in our understanding of the role of microbes in sustainable agriculture and biotechnology covers a research area with enormous untapped potential. Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other agricultural inputs derived from fossil fuels have increased agricultural production, yet growing awareness and concern over their adverse effects on soil productivity and environmental quality cannot be ignored. The high cost of these products, the difficulties of meeting demand for them, and their harmful environmental legacy have encouraged scientists to develop alternative strategies to raise productivity, with microbes playing a central role in these efforts. One application is the use of soil microbes as bioinoculants for supplying nutrients and/or stimulating plant growth. Some rhizospheric microbes are known to synthesize plant growth-promoters, siderophores and antibiotics, as well as aiding phosphorous uptake.

The last 40 years have seen rapid strides made in our appreciation of the diversity of environmental microbes and their possible benefits to sustainable agriculture and production. The advent of powerful new methodologies in microbial genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology has only quickened the pace of developments. The vital part played by microbes in sustaining our planet's ecosystems only adds urgency to this enquiry. Culture-dependent microbes already contribute much to human life, yet the latent potential of vast numbers of uncultured-and thus untouched-microbes, is enormous. Culture-independent metagenomic approaches employed in a variety of natural habitats have alerted us to the sheer diversity of these microbes, and resulted in the characterization of novel genes and gene products. Several new antibiotics and biocatalysts have been discovered among environmental genomes and some products have already been commercialized. Meanwhile, dozens of industrial products currently formulated in large quantities from petrochemicals, such as ethanol, butanol, organic acids, and amino acids, are equally obtainable through microbial fermentation. Edited by a trio of recognized authorities on the subject, this survey of a fast-moving field-with so many benefits within reach-will be required reading for all those investigating ways to harness the power of microorganisms in making both agriculture and biotechnology more sustainable."

This volume contains material first presented at an international workshop on the 'Use of Microorganisms to Combat Pollution', held in Israel, May 10--18, 1992. The workshop was sponsored by the Bat-Sheva de Rothschild Foundation for the Advancement of Science and included microbiologists, biochemists and geneticists from universities, environmental agencies and the military. Each of the contributors to this volume is an ack nowledged expert on the treatment of one or more types of pollution using microorganisms or their enzymes. This book differs from most published symposia proceedings in the breadth of coverage of each subject. Most of the chapters are divided into three parts: (a) A general presentation of the source and toxicity of the pollutant, (b) a review of the current state-of-the-science on the biodegradation of that pollutant and (c) the authors' unique research experiences on the problem. In several examples, the authors have presented data from both laboratory studies and field trials. Thus, the book contains not only the theoretical background on the biodegradation of pollutants, but also practical experiences in applying this knowledge to solving significant pollution problems."

Natural gums are polysaccharides consisting of multiple sugar units linked together via glycosidic linkages. Most natural gums reveal appropriate safety for oral consumption in the form of food additives or drug carriers. Challenges related to the utilization of natural polysaccharides, however, include uncontrolled rates of hydration, pH dependent solubility, viscosity reduction during storage, and weak interfacial properties. Modification provides an efficient route for not only removing such drawbacks but also improving physicochemical properties, such as solubility, viscosity and swelling index, and introducing new properties for varied applications.This book provides a comprehensive review of the various modifications on gums to make them suitable for food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The book is divided in four parts: an introduction to natural gums followed by in-depth coverage of chemical modification, physical modification, and enzymatic modification of gums. Each chapter includes reaction mechanisms, physicochemical properties, rheological properties, interfacial properties, applications and future perspectives. Presenting a succinct account on gum modification from a practical point of view, this book is a helpful reference for academic and industrial scientists and engineers in food technology, materials chemistry, pharmaceuticals, chemical, industrial, and applied engineering, biochemistry, and biopolymers.

This book discusses different approaches for successful pest-management through biotechnological interventions. Pest management is directly associated with the agricultural productivity. The book introduces the reader to various kinds of biopesticides that have been developed and are being developed for field application. Chemical pesticides have been widely used to control pests, and these induce pesticide resistance as well as other environmental problems. This book discusses the necessity to develop alternate pest control strategies, especially environment-friendly and target-specific biopesticides against destructive pests. The book describes important aspects such as microbial biopesticides, plant-based biopesticides, natural products that act against pests and the various other biotechnological advances and limitations of these biopesticides. It provides an in-depth knowledge of the latest research and development in the area of biopesticides. This informative book is meant for students and researchers in the fields of biotechnology, agriculture and applied microbiology.

This book covers the basics of animal manure, or animal dung, and highlights its applications in agriculture and biotechnology. The reader is given a comprehensive overview of the different types of animal manure. Although animal manure can cause environmental problems, e.g., when slurry pollutes rivers or burnt dung pollutes air, the book emphasizes the fact that animal dung is by no means a waste product. Animal manure is a valuable organic fertilizer that has a positive impact on soil conditions and helps save on chemical fertilizers. It is also a source of energy and can be either be used as fuel or converted into biogas through methanization. Old-age practices such as the use of dried dung as insulating material, or burnt dung as mosquito repellent are also taken up. With the increasing focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this book offers ideas and solutions related to SDG 2 Zero Hunger and SDG 15 Life on Land. The book will not only be an interesting read for students and researchers in the field of agriculture, but will also appeal to scientists working on waste management, organic manure production or in the paper industry.

This second fully updated and extended edition of Biotechnology and Conservation of Cultural Heritage provides in-depth insights into the role of different microorganisms and microbial compounds in biodeterioration, conservation and restoration of artworks and artifacts. Latest methods to detect, remove and prevent microbial colonization on artwork surfaces and in air environments of libraries and museums are discussed and illustrated by engaging case studies. Furthermore, this edition covers new case studies on Archaeobiology, exploring ways to perform the molecular biology characterization, restoring and protecting museum taxidermal specimens, preserving and guaranteeing the future integrity. Finally, the use of halloysite-nanotubes is investigated to set up innovative protocols in consolidation and long-term protection of waterlogged and archaeological wood. This book addresses to Biologists, Microbiologists, Conservation Scientists and Conservators who are interested in understanding the role of microorganisms and bioactive molecules in conservation projects.

This book answers the question "What is it that viruses do?" by presenting three aspects of viral ecology. The first aspect explains how viruses affect the population diversity and energetics of their host communities. Perhaps the most notable example of this concept is our understanding that primary production within ecosystems often depends upon those viruses which serve as controllers of nutrient recycling, connecting the aquatic and terrestrial realms in ways that can be assessed locally and globally. The second aspect describes genetic partnerships which exist between hosts and their viruses. These include processes termed endogeny and lysogeny by which the host carries at least a partial genomic copy of the virus. Fluidity of these collective genomes is expressed on an evolutionary time scale and the mutual life cycles which they produce represent a forging of shared genomic fate that obligates partnership of the virus and its host. The viral sequences represent a source of potential benefit as well as potential peril for the host and can implement phenotypic changes in the host. Hosts often use those changes as tools. As humans, the most notable example would be that mammals rely upon temporary activation of their endogenous viral genes in order to successfully develop a placenta. The third aspect is defending the health of a host, which relies upon activity in two directions. Hosts often use their captured viral genes to identify and subsequently direct battle against invading viruses. This natural concept has been engineered for combating cancer, is useful for suppressing the detrimental consequences of genetic diseases, and has been developed to create targeted antiviral vaccines. But, the defense has to work in two directions and the host can use other symbiotic microorganisms as protection against its viruses. This book will appeal to a wide readership by providing a broad perspective of viral ecology, and all scientists will find it helpful for gaining a view of fields beyond their specialization.

The 12th meeting on Frankia and Actinorhizal Plants that took place in Carry-le-Rouet, France in June 2001 was the opportunity for scientists to communicate about latest developments on this symbiosis that concerns a wide range of dicotyledonous plants, initiates ecological successions and is used in a number of countries to protect crops from winds or improve soil status. Selected papers on plant ecology, Frankia's genetics or physiology, and host plants' genetics or physiology are published in this special Plant & Soil issue.

The Chlamydomonas Sourcebook, Third Edition, Volume Three: Cell Motility and Behavior has been fully revised and updated to include the wealth of new resources for the Chlamydomonas community. The book presents the latest advances in the area from an international array of expert authors, reflecting significant advancements in our understanding of the role of basal bodies and flagella in human diseases. In addition, employing quantitative proteomics/mass spectroscopy as well as cryo EM tomography and single particle cryo EM has revolutionized our knowledge of the axoneme in terms of the location of proteins and their interactions. Current insights on mitosis and cytokinesis, flagellar assembly and motility, intraflagellar transport, and more will ensure use of this reference as a guide for understanding human diseases of the cilium.

This book aims to cover the applications of nanotechnology against human infectious diseases. The chapters of the book discuss the role of nanotechnology in the efficient diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. It explicitly provides an overview of nanodiagnostics for infectious diseases from nanoparticles-based, nanodevice-based, and point-of-care platforms. The book also covers the state-of-the-art review of recent progress in biomimetic and bioengineered nanotherapies to treat infectious diseases. It also presents a nano carrier-based CRISPR/Cas9 delivery system for gene editing and its applications for developing interventional approaches against communicable diseases. Further, it reviews the recent developments in nanotechnology to engineer nanoparticles with desired physicochemical properties as a line of defense against multi-drug resistance micro-organisms. Cutting across the disciplines, this book serves as a guide for researchers in biotechnology, parasitology, and nanotechnology.

This edited book discusses the latest advancements in the area of biofuel development. It covers extensive information regarding different aspects and types of biofuels. The book provides a road map of the various kinds of biofuels available for consideration. It focuses on microbial based power generation, applications of nanotechnology in biofuel development, advancements in molecular techniques, economic and life cycle assessments. The book also highlights the commercialization prospects and economics of the various processes and an overview of the life cycle assessment of the various different kinds of biofuels. The contributors are experienced professors, academicians and scientists associated with renowned laboratories and institutes in India and abroad. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, biofuel scientists, capacity builders and policymakers. Also the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students. National and international scientists, policy makers will also find this to be a useful read.

In this Journey to Microbial Worlds we present the diversity of microorganisms, from the state of fossil microbes in Archaean age rocks to the possibilities of extraterrestrial life. This volume discusses the extremophiles living in harsh environments (from our anthropocentric point) and describes them in considerable detail. Some chapters also review topics such as symbiosis, bacterial luminescence, methanogens, and petroleum-grown cells. The final chapters of this book shed new light on astrobiology and speculate on extremophiles as candidates for extraterrestrial life. All chapters are updated to the latest research level.

Laboratory Practices in Microbiology provides updated insights on methods of isolation and cultivation, morphology of microorganisms, the determination of biochemical activities of microorganisms, and physical and chemical effects on microorganisms. Sections cover methods of preparation of media and their sterilization, microorganisms in environment, aseptic techniques, pure culture techniques, preservation of cultures, morphological characteristics of microorganisms, wet-mount and hanging-drop techniques, different staining techniques, cultural and biochemical characteristics of bacteria, antimicrobial effects of agents on microorganisms, hand scrubbing in the removal of microorganisms, characteristics of fungi, uses of bacteriophages in different applications, and more. Applications are designed to be common, complete with equipment, minimal expense and quick to the markets. Images are added to applications, helping readers better follow the expressions and make them more understandable. This is an essential book for students and researchers in microbiology, the health sciences, food engineering and technology, and medicine, as well as anyone working in a laboratory setting with microorganisms.

This book describes emerging and established industrial processes of biomining technologies used for the recovery of metals of economic interest from, e.g. mineral ores, mining and electronic wastes using microbiological technologies. Multiple chapters focus on engineering design and operation of biomining systems. Several industrial case studies from China, Chile, Peru, Russia/Kazakhstan and Finland are included, which emphasises the practical approach of the book. The reader not only learns more about the biology, diversity and ecology of microorganisms involved in biomining processes, but also about microbial biomolecular and cultivation tools used in the biomining industry. Special emphasis is put on emerging biotechnologies enabling the use of biomining for recycling metals from e-wastes, waste streams and process waters. Finally, the future impacts and direction of biomining towards sustainability in a metal-demanding world are also highlighted. The book is aimed at an interdisciplinary audience involving operators and researchers working across disciplines including geology, chemical engineering, microbiology and molecular biology. This is reflected by the content of this book, as well as by its authors, who are all leading practitioners and authorities in their fields.

This Volume describes methods for simulating natural environments by using reproducible and controllable meso- and microcosm experiments to analyse hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms and to test hypotheses. It presents important aspects of the preparation of experimental set-ups, hydrocarbon application and sampling, and features protocols for experiments with different types of samples, such as biofilms, aquatic systems (e.g. groundwater, streams), and sediments, including oscillating oxic-anoxic mesocosms, as well as for in-situ experimentation in subtidal and deep sediments. Two chapters are dedicated to cultivation under high-pressure conditions, and several chapters include protocols for processing samples for downstream chemical, microbial or activity analyses. Several of the approaches presented are generic and will benefit anyone embarking on designing meso- and microcosm experiments. < Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology Protocols There are tens of thousands of structurally different hydrocarbons, hydrocarbon derivatives and lipids, and a wide array of these molecules are required for cells to function. The global hydrocarbon cycle, which is largely driven by microorganisms, has a major impact on our environment and climate. Microbes are responsible for cleaning up the environmental pollution caused by the exploitation of hydrocarbon reservoirs and will also be pivotal in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels by providing biofuels, plastics and industrial chemicals. Gaining an understanding of the relevant functions of the wide range of microbes that produce, consume and modify hydrocarbons and related compounds will be key to responding to these challenges. This comprehensive collection of current and emerging protocols will facilitate acquisition of this understanding and exploitation of useful activities of such microbes.

The edited book covers all potential products from microalgal-based biorefinery having the focus on contemporary technologies and future outlook. Along with the focus on microalgal biorefinery products, the book also focuses on biotechnological advances via the utilization of modern molecular biology, system biology, synthetic biology, or metabolic engineering approach in microalgal biorefinery. The development of any technologies has a direct effect on the human being and the environment, therefore, the socio-economic, techno-economic, and environmental impact of the microalgae-based biorefineries will also be included in the book. In microalgal biomass-based biorefinery different biofuel- biodiesel, bioethanol, bio-hydrogen, and value-added compounds such as carotenoids, fatty acids, and protein can be produced simultaneously. Understanding the technical advances to develop an integrated biorefinery approach with the motive of designing a consolidated self-sustainable microalga-based biorefinery. This book is equally beneficial for researchers and engineers in biomass-based biorefineries or the bachelors, master, or young budding graduate students as a textbook.

This edited book is a comprehensive compilation highlighting sources of biostimulants, their production, influence on plant growth and development, and regulatory status of plant biostimulants for better understanding and opening new vistas for future research. Biostimulants, the biological formulations are known to meliorate the plants growth and vigour, improve nutritional efficiency along with maintaining their well-being mainly via providing protection against a wide range of infections. Both horticultural as well as agricultural crops involve the utilization of the biostimulants. Fulvic and humic acids, nitrogen-containing compounds, protein hydrolysates, favourable bacteria and fungi, and extracts of seaweed are the chief active components of these. The major driving force for these materials is the organic farming industry and demand for sustainable crop production. This book will be of great interest to researchers, teachers, climate change scientists, capacity builders, and policy makers. Moreover, this book does the work of a supplementary reading for students in various fields such as agriculture, soil science, ecology, environmental science and forestry at undergraduate as well as graduate level. This will be a gainful read for national and international agricultural scientists and the policy makers. * Elaborates on biostimulants induced influence of plant growth and development * Covers all aspects of biostimulants sources and its role in plant life in detail * Discusses evidence based approach in biostimulants sources and its useful applications in plants

This self contained book presents a comprehensive overview of the past, present and future of the galactose regulon of yeast, the classical model system of molecular biologists. The book starts with a brief historical overview on yeast research. This is followed by molecular genetics of the galactose regulon, isolation of genes and testing of the hypotheses. Contemporary topics including genomics, evolution, binary and graded responses, and stochasticity are all addressed.

Increase in consumer awareness of nutritional habits has placed automatic food analysis in the spotlight in recent years. However, food-logging is cumbersome and requires sufficient knowledge of the food item consumed. Additionally, keeping track of every meal can become a tedious task. Accurately documenting dietary caloric intake is crucial to manage weight loss, but also presents challenges because most of the current methods for dietary assessment must rely on memory to recall foods eaten. Food understanding from digital media has become a challenge with important applications in many different domains. Substantial research has demonstrated that digital imaging accurately estimates dietary intake in many environments and it has many advantages over other methods. However, how to derive the food information effectively and efficiently remains a challenging and open research problem. The provided recommendations could be based on calorie counting, healthy food and specific nutritional composition. In addition, if we also consider a system able to log the food consumed by every individual along time, it could provide health-related recommendations in the long-term. Computer Vision specialists have developed new methods for automatic food intake monitoring and food logging. Fourth Industrial Revolution [4.0 IR] technologies such as deep learning and computer vision robotics are key for sustainable food understanding. The need for AI based technologies that allow tracking of physical activities and nutrition habits are rapidly increasing and automatic analysis of food images plays an important role. Computer vision and image processing offers truly impressive advances to various applications like food analytics and healthcare analytics and can aid patients in keeping track of their calorie count easily by automating the calorie counting process. It can inform the user about the number of calories, proteins, carbohydrates, and other nutrients provided by each meal. The information is provided in real-time and thus proves to be an efficient method of nutrition tracking and can be shared with the dietician over the internet, reducing healthcare costs. This is possible by a system made up of, IoT sensors, Cloud-Fog based servers and mobile applications. These systems can generate data or images which can be analyzed using machine learning algorithms. Image Based Computing for Food and Health Analytics covers the current status of food image analysis and presents computer vision and image processing based solutions to enhance and improve the accuracy of current measurements of dietary intake. Many solutions are presented to improve the accuracy of assessment by analyzing health images, data and food industry based images captured by mobile devices. Key technique innovations based on Artificial Intelligence and deep learning-based food image recognition algorithms are also discussed. This book examines the usage of 4.0 industrial revolution technologies such as computer vision and artificial intelligence in the field of healthcare and food industry, providing a comprehensive understanding of computer vision and intelligence methodologies which tackles the main challenges of  food and health processing. Additionally, the text focuses on the employing sustainable 4 IR technologies through which consumers can attain the necessary diet and nutrients and can actively monitor their health. In focusing specifically on the food industry and healthcare analytics, it serves as a single source for multidisciplinary information involving AI and vision techniques in the food and health sector. Current advances such as Industry 4.0 and Fog-Cloud based solutions are covered in full, offering readers a fully rounded view of these rapidly advancing health and food analysis systems. 

This book provides an in-depth overview on the manifold functions of fungal extracellular vesicles (EV) which span from cell-to-cell communication, pathogenicity and stimulation of host's immunity to export of hundreds of biomolecules. The book summarizes the present knowledge on the impact of extracellular vesicles on fungal biology. Extracellular vesicles participate in fundamental biological processes in all living cells but only during the last 15 years the production and functions of EVs were identified and studied in fungal species too. Up to date more than 50 independent studies have shown that extracellular vesicles are produced by at least 20 fungal species. The book addresses researchers and advanced students in Microbiology, Mycology and Biotechnology.

'Developmental biology' is widely understood as processes, which mainly concern embryonic animal development and differentiation of cells and tissue. It is also often defined as the timeline for the evolutionary developmental biology of eukaryotic multicellular higher organisms, i.e., plants and animals. The development of prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes in contrary has been neglected for a long time, which was the motivation for publishing this book. This book highlights one of Darwin's most important findings: Evolution is a creative, but not a conscious process. It also illustrates that this concept does not only apply to multicellular higher organisms, but affects every form of life. The reader shall find complex biochemical and genetic pathways of bacteria, yeasts or protozoa, comparable to those exhibited by plants or animals. The molecular mechanisms of dramatic genome rearrangements, recombination and horizontal gene transfer that are responsible for evolutionary adaptations are discussed. Additionally, the book covers bacteria of the genera Myxobacteriales and Caulobacterales, which are able to develop tissue-like cellular organization. The morphogenesis of entomopathogenic fungi and the endosymbiont theory are also addressed. The book is a useful introduction to the field for junior scientists, interested in bacteriology, protistology and fungal development. It is also an interesting read for advanced scientists, giving them a broader view of the field beyond their area of specialization.

This book introduces the Chinese boletes, including the history, ecological and economic values, as well as the geographical distribution patterns with a highlight on the Tylopilus species. Species in Tylopilus s.l. are not only of important ecological values but also of scientific interests. They are very diverse in morphology, complex in structure and wide in ecological niches. China is one of the diverse hotspots of boletes, and many boletes were traditionally treated as members of Tylopilus based on hymenophore or spore-print colour. The studies revealed that the traditionally defined Tylopilus is polyphyletic. This book aims to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among the genera treated in Tylopilus s.l. previously; to delimit and recognize the taxa, and finally to reveal the diversity of the genera and species of Tylopilus s.l. in China. The book is intended to be a reference for biologists who conduct investigations of biological resources and biodiversity; university and college teachers and students carrying out studies in related fields; mycologists and amateur mycologists, or people who interested in mushrooms taxonomy and systematics; and workers in the development of non-timber forest products.

This volume guides researchers on how to characterize, image rare, and hitherto unknown taxa and their interactions, to identify new functions and biomolecules and to understand how environmental changes condition the activity and the response of the organisms living with us and in our environment. Chapters cover different organism types (i.e., archaea, bacteria, fungi, protest, microfauna and microeukaryotes) and propose detailed protocols to produce high quality DNA, to analyse active microbial communities directly involved in complex interactions or processes through stable isotope probing, to identify and characterize of new functional genes, to image in situ interactions and to apply bioinformatics analysis tools to complex metagenomic or RNAseq sequence data. 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 cutting-edge, Microbial Environmental Genomics (MEG): Methods and Protocols, Second Edition aims to serve as a primary research reference for researchers in microbiology working to in the expanding field of molecular ecology and environmental genomics.

This book compiles updated information about the role and health benefits of various bioactives in food. Different chapters are contributed by academicians, food scientists, technologists, and medical practitioners. The book addresses both theoretical and applied aspects of bioactive components and provides exhaustive knowledge about bioactive components. It comprises 27 chapters organized into 4 major sections covering topics in food science and technology, functional foods, and nutraceuticals. It provides perspectives for innovation, sources, applications, and sustainability in bioactive component research. The first section starts with introduction of bioactive components consisting of seven different chapters primarily focusing on the bioactive components and their sources with respective health benefits. The second section, comprising five different chapters, deals with different technological trends, regulations, and safety aspects of bioactive components. With eight chapters, the third section covers the role of bioactive components in human health and the role of functional foods in combating various health-related issues. The fourth section reviews functional foods through six chapters that cover the use of bioactive components in various food products. The book will prove useful to advanced food technology graduate and undergraduate students and research scholars, practicing food technologists in food and related industries, entrepreneurs, food-pharma researchers, and other scientists seeking information about smart and sustainable processes as well as information needed to design and develop these processes.