This comprehensive edited book on microbial prospective discusses the innovative approaches and investigation strategies, as well as provides a broad spectrum of the cutting-edge research on the processing, properties and technological developments of microbial products and their applications. Microbes finds very important applications in our lives including industries and food processing. They are widely used in the fermentation of beverages, processing of dairy products, production of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, enzymes, proteins and biomaterials; conversion of biomass into fuel, fuel cell technology, health and environmental sectors. Some of these products are produced commercially, while others are potentially valuable in biotechnology. Microorganisms are considered invaluable in research as model organisms. This is a useful compilation for students and researchers in microbiology, biotechnology and chemical industries.

Organism and Environment performs an examination into the way the contemporary life sciences are heralding a revolution of the most basic philosophical concepts of the Western world. Analyzing recent research in microbiology and evolution theory, the present book argues that these discourses are adding their voices to a growing chorus which is announcing a disruption, if not an end, to the understanding of the order of the world articulated in humanism. What does it mean to be a living substance? Are there such things as living individuals? How are living beings free? The discourses of microbiology, the medical sciences and evolution theory are revealing a living organism that escapes the limited frame that Enlightenment humanism has traditionally used to answer these (and other) ontological questions. Appealing to the theoretical lenses provided by Michel Foucault, Hans Georg Gadamer and Gilles Deleuze, Organism and Environment offers an interpretation of the way the contemporary life sciences are giving articulation to a posthuman ontological order.

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences.
The present volume includes reviews on genetics, cell biology, physiology, comparative morphology, ecology and vegetation science.

This book describes the accomplishments of a curious and imaginative scientist, and his endeavours to translate or even to extrapolate scientific insights into the world of art.The science section in this volume concerns studies on S-layers, a very important class of proteins found on the surface of numerous Bacteria and nearly all Archaea. S-layer proteins are one of the most abundant biopolymers on our planet, and assemble into the simplest type of biological membrane. Moreover, they are unique building blocks and patterning elements for the production of complex supramolecular structures and nanoscale devices in nanobiotechnology, molecular nanotechnology, synthetic biology, biomimetics and nanomedicine.In the second part of this book the author goes on to passionately describe how his scientific activities stimulated his art work, which in particular concerns the visualization of results and the potential of synthetic biology and evolutionary events induced by genetic manipulations. Most importantly, the engagement in art allowed him to leave the rather curtailed canon of science and reach a mental state of unlimited freedom of thoughts. Mask-like sculptures are used as examples to visualize the intersection between science and art, and in particular the unpredictability and mystery of scientific visions.

This collection of papers includes some of the presentation given at the International congress of Plant Pathology held in Beijing in 2013 in the session of Recent Development in Postharvest Pathology. Fruit production for human consumption is an important part of the market economy. Any waste during to spoilage and pest infestation, in the field and the postharvest phase, results in significant economic losses which are more pronounced as the losses occur closer to the time of produce sale. Careful handling of perishable produce is needed for the prevention of postharvest diseases at different stages during harvesting. Handling, transport and storage in order to preserve the high quality produce. The extent of postharvest losses varies markedly depending on the commodities and country estimated to range between 4 and 8% in countries where postharvest refrigeration facilities are well developed to 30% where facilities are minimal. Microbial decay is one of the main factors that determine losses compromising the quality of the fresh produce. For the development of an integrated approach for decay management, cultural, preharvest, harvest and postharvest practices should be regarded as essential components that influence the complex interactions between host, pathogen, and environmental conditions. Orchards practices including preharvest fungicide applications can also directly reduce the development of postharvest fruit decay. Among postharvest practices, postharvest fruit treatments with fungicide are the most effective means to reduce decay. Ideally, these fungicides protect the fruit from infections that occur before treatment, including pathogen causing quiescent infections, as well from infection that are initiated after treatment during postharvest handling, shipment and marketing. The implementation of these alternatives techniques often requires modifying currently used postharvest practices and development of new formulation for their applications.

The present chapters deal with the newest report related to postharvest pathology in the world.

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Microbial bioremediation and biodegradation in environmental monitoring offers an environmentally friendly approach for the monitoring and effective removal of contaminants. Various aspects of microbial-mediated bioremediation take advantage of the microorganisms' ability to transform noxious compounds into utilizable intermediates and value-added products. Different microbial metabolites such as enzymes, biosurfactants, emulsifiers, organic acids, and solvents play significant roles in the decontamination of radioactive and heavy metals, chemical pesticides, and organic contaminants such as dyes and hydrocarbons in environmentally safe manners. Recent advancements in biochemical engineering, OMICS and genetic modification, and synthetic-biology pave ways for identifying indicator microbial strains, mechanisms of remediation, and the development of tailor-made microbe-metabolites for future applications. Microbial biotechnology in environmental monitoring and bioremediation thus represent a new way to rehabilitate and reconstruct "damaged" ecosystems.This work summarizes the latest research in the field of environmental bioremediation and offers fascinating insights on the behaviours of these unique microorganisms. It also presents exciting, new perspectives for the application of microbes in environmental protection. It is suitable for students, scholars, researchers and organizations involved in environmental protection.

"Hydrogenosomes and Mitosomes: Mitochondria of Anaerobic Eukaryotes" provides a summary of the current knowledge of these organelles which occur in unicellular, often parasitic organisms, including human pathogens. These organelles exhibit a variety of structures and functions. This work describes properties such as protein import, structure, metabolism, adaptation, proteome and their role in drug activation and resistance. Further topics include organelle evolution and biogenesis.

Sebacinales have emerged as a fascinating order with mutualistic plant-fungal symbionts that consists of exclusively beneficial fungi.

This volume of Soil Biology presents an overview of the current results in Sebacinales research with a focus on the potential of these fungi in crop improvement and stress tolerance. The authors demonstrate that Sebacinales are not only extremely versatile in their associations with roots, but are also almost universally present as symptomless endophytes. With this extraordinary diversity, Sebacinales with the key fungus "Piriformospora indica" might possess remarkable significance in natural ecosystems. Their biotechnological applications are expected to improve the quality of crops while maintaining ecologically and economically sustainable production systems.

The book Methods in Silkworm Microbiology is the first ever publication that provides in-depth reviews on the latest progresses about silkworm -pathogen interactions, diseases and management practices for sustainable development of sericulture. Different molecular and immunodiagnostic methods for the detection of pathogens have been comprehensively addressed. Most recent advancements on the role of Micro RNAs in silkworm and pathogen interactions are provided with suitable illustrations. Recent technological advances and emerging trends in exploring silkworm gut microbial communities towards translation research, particularly to understand microbiome functions have been highlighted. Information on various immune mechanisms of silkworm against invading pathogens is summarized. The book further highlights the silkworm gut microbiota as a potential source for biotechnological applications.

Mycotoxins are increasingly attracting attention at thegovernmental, public and academic level worldwide, due to more frequent and serious contaminations of food and feedstuffs, which pose a serious threat to human health and animal production. This book reviews the latest research on mycotoxins that directly concern food safety, and especially focuses on detection technologies, risk assessment and control strategiescurrently being used in China. Gathering contributions from over 20 respected researchers, the book will benefit graduatestudents, researchers and management groups from various disciplines, including food science and technology, analytical chemistry, plant pathology, public health, etc.

Interest in the field of microbial toxins is ever growing and spreading across a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines." "In an effort to supplement the available reference texts on toxins, "Microbial Toxins: Methods and Protocols" includes protocols on mold fungus toxins, with some focus on aflatoxins. Intended to support a wide variety of researchers, "Microbial Toxins: Methods and Protocols "presents the reader with biological, chemical, physical, and medical approaches, as well as state-of-the-art research techniques. Divided into three convenient sections, this detailed volume covers bacterial protein toxins, endotoxins, and mold fungus toxins. Written in the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology " series format, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and accessible, "Microbial Toxins: Methods and Protocols "seeks to serve both professionals and novices with its well-honed methodologies in an effort to further our knowledge of this essential field.

This volume covers a wide array of topics that will aid researchers in the task of engineering complex biological systems. This book is divided into three parts: Part One discusses the discovery and identification of relevant biosynthetic pathways for engineering; Part Two looks at the development of genetic tools for manipulating enzymes, biosynthetic pathways, and whole genomes; and Part Three covers the characterization of engineered microbes using targeted and global systems biology tools, as well as in silico models. Chapters explore topics such as leveraging enzyme promiscuity to construct novel biosynthetic pathways; assembling combinatorial multigene pathways for rapid strain optimization; applying 'omics technologies for identifying bottlenecks; and engineering nontraditional host organisms like cyanobacterium and Yarrowia lipolytica. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting edge and authoritative, Microbial Metabolic Engineering: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers and scientists interested in engineering and optimizing microbes for a variety of biotechnological applications.

In the years since the first edition of "Arbuscular Mycorrhizas: Physiology and Function" was published, an exceptional proliferation of interest in mycorrhizal biology has developed. This has been associated with advances in different research disciplines such as genetics, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and physiology, advances which have generated better insight into topics of mycorrhizal biology, including the mechanisms of host-mycorrhiza interactions pre- and post-penetration, the influence of the symbiosis on the host and its surroundings, and the evolution and diversity of mycorrhization. It therefore became necessary to both update and expand the book's coverage in this, its second edition.

The Argentinean Patagonia offers a great diversity of scarcely explored environments suitable for the bioprospection of biotechnological relevant microorganisms. This book provides readers with a concise and clearly illustrated treatment of outstanding topics of Patagonian microbiology and biotechnology. It covers a wide range of areas interesting to several audiences such as researchers, graduate students and professionals working on the industry food. Among the main topics we will discuss examples of environmental applications, such as heavy metal and hydrocarbon bioremediation, bioprospection of valuable molecules from extremophilic bacteria and yeasts, the use of Patagonian yeasts and lactic acid bacteria in fermented foods and beverages, aquaculture probiotics and yeasts for food biopreservation.

This need-based unique book deals exclusively with water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) meat to provide much needed information to thousands of buffalo meat processors across the world. The information provided in this first-of-its-kind book on buffalo meat quality, nutritional characteristics, safety, and processing can be utilized by buffalo meat producers and meat processors for the advancement of the buffalo meat sector. It also provides valuable information to faculty members, students, researchers, and all other readers interested in this new source of meat. Owing to the limited research and scientific literature available on buffalo meat, the authors' own research findings and our experiences were included wherever required to give crisp, practical, and complete information. The information proposed in this book should be beneficial to the entire buffalo industry, from the farming and processing of buffaloes to the marketing of products. This serve as a handy guide to meat scientists, faculty members, and students willing to learn more about buffalo meat processing. Up-to-date relevant references were also included for the benefit of researchers and students to enable them to easily access further information. Above all, it provides valuable information to consumers who are interested to know this new and potential source of meat.

This new edition of Fungi in Ecosystem Processes continues the unique approach of examining the roles of fungi from the perspective of ecosystem functions. It explores how fungi have adapted to survive within particular constraints, how they help to maintain homeostasis in ecosystems, how they facilitate resistance to perturbations, and how they influence the communities of other organisms. Updated and revised, the second edition Expands the section on plant pathogens, invasive species, and insect-fungal interactions Provides more extensive coverage on insect-fungal interactions, including entomopathogens, the links between entomopathogens and endophytes, and symbiotic and mutualistic interactions Adds a new section on fungi in the built environment Presents new material on below-ground to above-ground interactions mediated through fungi, such as mycorrhizal signaling systems for herbivory defense The book also includes expanded coverage of the role of fungi in suppressive soils, aquatic and marine fungi, modern methods of following food chains in fungal-invertebrate trophic interactions, and the physiology of nutrient uptake by mycorrhizae. A necessary update and expansion to previous material, this book provides an essential reference on the current understanding of fungal roles in ecosystem processes. It also identifies directions for future study, including an emphasis on the need for further research on fungi in built environments.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the cell cycle regulation and development in Alphaproteobacteria. Cell cycle and cellular differentiation are fascinating biological phenomena that are highly regulated in all organisms. In the last decades, many laboratories around the world have been investigating these processes in Alphaproteobacteria. This bacterial class comprises important bacterial species, studied by fundamental and applied research. The complexity of cell cycle regulation and many examples of cellular differentiations in this bacterial group represent the main motives of this book. The book starts with discussing the regulation of cell cycle in alphaproteobacterial species from a system biology perspective. The following chapters specifically focus on the model species Caulobacter crescentus multiple layers of regulation, from transcriptional cascades to proteolysis and dynamic subcellular regulation of cell cycle regulators. In addition, the cell division process, chromosome segregation and growth of the cell envelope is described in detail. The last part of the book covers examples of non-Caulobacter alphaproteobacterial models, such as Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Brucella species and Sinorhizobium meliloti and also discusses possible applications. This book will be of interest to researchers in microbiology and cell biology labs working on cell cycle regulation and development.

This book entitled 'Application of Nanotechnology in Food Science, Processing and Packaging' presents up-to-date information on the emerging roles of nanotechnology in food industry, its fundamental concepts, techniques and applications. The application of nanotechnology in the food industry is an emerging area which has found tremendous use in improving food quality through the enhancement of food taste, texture, colour, and flavour. Also, its application has improved the bioavailability and target delivery of certain bioactive food ingredients through controlled release of nutrients, a feature that is impossible with the conventional methods of food processing. The application of nanotechnology in food packaging for the detection of contaminants, pathogens, biotoxins and pesticides through nanosensor safety evaluations has led to the increase in shelf-life of products and quality assurance through the detection and monitoring of toxins. This book taps from the experience of subject experts from key institutions around the world. The users of this book will benefit greatly as the chapters were simplified and arranged carefully to aid proper understanding, consistency and continuity.

This book offers an in-depth description of different groups of microbes (i.e. bacteria, protozoa, fungi and viruses) that exist in the rumen microbial community, and offers an overview of rumen microbiology, the rumen microbial ecosystem of domesticated ruminants, and rumen microbial diversity. It provides the latest concepts on rumen microbiology for scholars, researchers and teachers of animal and veterinary sciences. With this goal in mind, throughout the text we focus on specific areas related to the biology and complex interactions of the microbes in rumen, integrating significant key issues in each respective area. We also discuss rumen manipulation with plant secondary metabolites, microbial feed additives, utilization of organic acids, selective inhibition of harmful rumen microbes, and 'omics' approaches to manipulating rumen microbial functions. A section on the exploration and exploitation of rumen microbes addresses topics including the current state of knowledge on rumen metagenomics, rumen: an underutilized niche for industrially important enzymes and ruminal fermentations to produce fuels. We next turn our attention to commercial applications of rumen microbial enzymes and to the molecular characterization of euryarcheal communities within an anaerobic digester. A section on intestinal disorders and rumen microbes covers acidosis in cattle, urea/ ammonia metabolism in the rumen and nitrate/ nitrite toxicity in ruminant diets. Last, the future prospects of rumen microbiology are examined, based on the latest developments in this area. In summary, the book offers a highly systematic collection of essential content on rumen microbiology.

Recently, magnetic nanostructures have gained a remarkable interest for basic research and applied studies. Because of their low cost and ease of manufacture and modification, they have great potential for agricultural and environmental applications. The use of magnetic nanostructures has been proven in a wide range of fields including catalysis, biotechnology, biomedicine, magnetic resonance imaging, agriculture, biosensors, and removal of environmental pollutants, among others. This book includes 16 chapters of collected knowledge, discoveries, and applications in agriculture, soil remediation, and water treatment. It describes the role of nano-agriculture with regard to food security and discusses environmental and agricultural protection concerns. It further offers potential applications of magnetic nanomaterials in the agriculture and food sectors, such as the development of sensors, environment monitoring for wastewater treatment and the remediation of contaminated soils. Increasing crop yield through the use of nanopesticides or nanofertilizers and biosecurity using sensors for detecting pathogens along the entire food chain are discussed as well. This book also brings together various sources of expertise on different aspects magnetic nanostructure application in the agri-food sector and environment remediation. Magnetic nanostructures also have great potential in biotechnological processes, as they can be utilized as a carrier for enzymes during different biocatalytic transformations. Novel magnetic nanomaterials can be used for detection and separation of pesticides from environmental and biological samples. The excellent adsorption capacity of the modified magnetic nanoadsorbents together with other advantages such as reusability, easy separation, environmentally friendly composition, and freedom of interferences of alkaline earth metal ions make them suitable adsorbents for removal of heavy metal ions from environmental and industrial wastes. One of the most important environmental applications of magnetic nanostructures has been in the treatment of water, whether in the remediation of groundwater or through the magnetic separation and/or sensing of contaminants present in various aqueous systems. The integrated combination of these 16 chapters, written by experts with considerable experience in their area of research, provides a comprehensive overview on the synthesis, characterization, application, environmental processing, and agriculture of engineered magnetic nanostructures. Its comprehensive coverage discusses how nanostructure materials interact in plants as well as their potential and useful applications.

The emergence of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics has become a serious threat to public health and is considered one of the greatest challenges for contemporary medicine. Phage therapy - the use of bacteriophages as anti-bacterial agents - may offer an alternative treatment for bacterial infections. Phages have many potential applications in human medicine, as well as in dentistry, veterinary science, agriculture, and food protection. Written by internationally recognized experts from leading centers involved in phage research and phage therapy, this book provides comprehensive coverage of the topic with a focus on current research and emerging applications. The book opens with chapters covering the general characteristics of bacteriophages and the basic concepts of phage therapy. Further topics include: the pharmacology of phage therapy * bacterial resistance * non-bactericidal effects of phages * main applications of bacteriophages in clinical medicine * plant pathosystems * animal production * food protection * biofilm control * regulatory and intellectual property aspects of phage therapy. Although the book focuses on applications of virulent bacteriophages, it also discusses genetically-engineered phages, phages as delivery vehicles for other antimicrobials, as well as phage lysins. It will be an essential reference for anyone interested in phage therapy, antibacterial resistance, antimicrobial development, bacteriophage research, biocontrol, and biodetection.

This volume provides a review of current research in the field of B cell development and differentiation with particular emphasis on signal transduction processes. The volume is divided into two parts that focus, respectively, on the basic biochemical pathways which regulate B cell biology and the role of signal transduction processes in regulating various aspects of B cell function, development and differentiation. In this second part the molecular processes involved in translating BCR engagement to specific biological outcomes are reviewed. Topics covered in this part include signal transduction via the pre-B cell antigen receptor complex, the control of immunoglobulin gene recombination and allelic exclusion, and molecular regulation of positive and negative selection. These latter chapters present information regarding processes which are critical for the B cell response to foreign antigen that leads to differentiation into antibody secreting plasma.

This book expands on the previous volumes with new chapters focusing on functional characterization of phage and their proteins, and on the development of phage therapy by outlining novel models. The chapters in this book cover molecular topics such as PhageFISH for monitoring phage infections at single cell level; the analysis of phage-host protein-protein interactions using Strep-tag (R) II purifications; and also application driven chapters including 'duckweed (Lemna minor) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) as bacterial infection model systems'. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Innovative and thorough, Bacteriophages: Methods and Protocols, Volume IV is a valuable resource for both established and novice phage scientists.

This book merges approaches in understanding the function of the light-gated ion channels known as channelrhodopsin together with methods addressing how channelrhodopsins can be used to address biomedical questions on a cellular or organismal level. Since the first molecular identification of channelrhodopsins, a broad range of tools have been created and new approaches developed to both better understand the molecular determinants of channelrhodopsin function as well as to use these and homologous proteins from a variety of species as tools to better understand physiological processes, which this volume addresses. Additionally, channelrhodopsins have become instrumental as a potential treatment for disease states. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, 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. Authoritative and practical, Channelrhodopsin: Methods and Protocols provides a resource for those interested in honing their current expertise in this vital area of study as well as potentially branching out into new directions.