The development of sustainable and renewable biofuels is attracting growing interest. It is vital to develop robust microbial strains for biocatalysts that are able to function under multiple stress conditions. This Microbiology Monograph provides an overview of methods for studying microbial stress tolerance for biofuels applications using a systems biology approach. Topics covered range from mechanisms to methodology for yeast and bacteria, including the genomics of yeast tolerance and detoxification; genetics and regulation of glycogen and trehalose metabolism; programmed cell death; high gravity fermentations; ethanol tolerance; improving biomass sugar utilization by engineered Saccharomyces; the genomics on tolerance of Zymomonas mobilis; microbial solvent tolerance; control of stress tolerance in bacterial host organisms; metabolomics for ethanologenic yeast; automated proteomics work cell systems for strain improvement; and unification of gene expression data for comparable analyses under stress conditions.

This book presents the first comprehensive text on construction biomaterials and bioprocesses. It details aspects of construction biotechnology, a new interdisciplinary area involving applications of environmental and industrial microbiology and biotechnology in geotechnical and civil engineering. It also critically reviews all existing and potential construction biotechnology processes. It discusses a number of topics including the biotechnological production of new construction materials such as self-healing concrete, construction biocomposites, construction bioplastics, and biotechnological admixtures to cement. It also addresses construction-related processes like biocementation, bioclogging, soil surface fixation and biosealing, microbial cements and grouts, the biocoating of construction material surfaces, the microbiology and biosafety of the construction environment, the prevention of biocorrosion as well as biodeterioration and biofouling in civil engineering. Biomediated precipitation of calcium, magnesium, and iron compounds as carbonates, phosphates, sulphides, and silicate minerals in soil for its clogging and strengthening are considered from geotechnical, chemical, and microbiological points of view. It offers an overview of the basic microbiology that will enable civil engineers to perform the construction biogeochemical processes. Design principles and considerations for different field implementations are discussed from a practical point of view. The book can be used as a textbook for graduate and senior undergraduate students in biotechnology, civil engineering and environmental engineering as well as a reference book for researchers and practitioners working in this new interdisciplinary area.

This book presents an overview of the ways in which the latest experimental and theoretical nanotechnologies are serving the fields of biotechnology, medicine, and biomaterials. They not only enhance the efficiency of common therapeutics and lower their risks, but thanks to their specific properties, they also provide new capabilities. Nano-scale measurement techniques, such as nano-indentation and nano-scratch methods, could potentially be used to characterize the physical and mechanical properties of both natural tissues and synthetic biomaterials in terms of strength and durability.

The efficiency of delivering DNA into mammalian cells has increased t- mendously since DEAE dextran was first shown to be capable of enhancing transfer of RNA into mammalian cells in culture. Not only have other chemical methods been developed and refined, but also very efficient physical and viral delivery methods have been established. The technique of introducing DNA into cells has developed from transfecting tissue culture cells to delivering DNA to specific cell types and organs in vivo. Moreover, two important areas of biology-assessment of gene function and gene therapy-require succe- ful DNA delivery to cells, driving the practical need to increase the efficiency and efficacy of gene transfer both in vitro and in vivo. TM These two volumes of the Methods in Molecular Biology series, Gene Del- ery to Mammalian Cells, are designed as a compendium of those techniques that have proven most useful in the expanding field of gene transfer in mammalian cells. It is intended that these volumes will provide a thorough background on chemical, physical, and viral methods of gene delivery, a synopsis of the myriad techniques currently available to introduce genes into mammalian cells, as well as a practical guide on how to accomplish this. It is my expectation that it will be useful to the novice in the field as well as to the scientist with expertise in gene delivery.

The coupling of biological and electronic systems has in the past few years emerged as a field of increasing importance. Achievements like the cardiac pacemaker have paved the way for more sophisticated approaches, such as the lab-on-a-chip and DNA computers. This book presents reviews on some of the most promising projects in this interdisciplinary research field, covering topics from bioinformatics to biosensor technology.

Volume 3 covers recent research with expanded coverage on this important area of remediation. Mycoremediation is the form of bioremediation in which fungi-based technology is used to decontaminate the environment. Fungi are among the primary saprotrophic organisms in an ecosystem, as they are efficient in the decomposition of organic matter. Wood-decay fungi, especially white rot, secretes extracellular enzymes and acids that break down lignin and cellulose. Fungi have been proven to be a very cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way for helping to remove a wide array of toxins from damaged environments or wastewater. These toxins include heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, textile dyes, leather tanning industry chemicals and wastewater, petroleum fuels, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, pesticides and herbicides, in land, fresh water and marine environments. Bioremediation of toxic organics by fungi is the most sustainable and green route for cleanup of contaminated sites and we discuss the multiple modes employed by fungi for detoxification of different toxic and recalcitrant compounds including prominent fungal enzymes viz., catalases, general lipase, laccases, peroxidases and sometimes intracellular enzymes, especially the cyrochrome P450 monooxygeneses. Fungi play an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of manganese and other redox-active metals, which is related to their ability to survive radiation and other oxidative challenges. This book covers recent research with more detail on the various types of fungi and associated fungal processes used to clean up wastes and wastewaters in contaminated environments, and discusses their potential for environmental applications.

This manual reflects practical approaches to handling bacteria in the labora- tory. It is designed to recall historical methods of bacterial genetics that have had recent developments and to present new techniques that allow full genome analysis. It has been written for microbiologists who need to group their protocols at the state of the art of a new millennium and also for scientists in other fields of life sciences who need to use bacteria for their research. Teachers, graduate students, and postdocs also will benefit from having these protocols to help them understand modern bacterial genetics. I learned so much from these contributions from my colleagues that I have no doubt about the daily usefulness of this book. April 2002 Michel Blot XII Abbreviations Acyl-HSL N-acyl homoserine lactone moi multiplicity of infection Amp or Ap ampicillin N amino C carboxy NMR nuclear magnetic resonance CIO-HSL N-decanoyl-L-homoserine lactone 3-0H-C14:1-HSL N-(3-hydroxy-7 -cis-tetra- C12-HSL N-dodecanoyl-L-homoserine lac- decanoyl)homo-serine lactone tone 3-0H-C4-HSL N-3-hydroxybutanoyl-L- C14-HSL N-tetradecanoyl-L-homoserine homoserine lactone lactone ONPG o-nitrophenyl ~-D-galactopyranoside C4-HSL N-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone ORF open reading frame C6-HSL N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone OTG I-S-octyl-~-D-thioglucoside C8-HSL N-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactone 3-oxo-CIO-HSL N-3-oxodecanoyl-L-homo- Cam or Cm chloramphenicol serine lactone CBD chitin binding domain 3-oxo-C12-HSL N-3-oxododecanoyl-L- CHEF contour clamped homogenous electric homoserine lactone field 3-oxo-C14-HSL N-3-oxotetradecanoyl-L- CI consistency index homoserine lactone CRIM conditional-replication, integration, 3-oxo-C4-HSL N-3-oxobutanoyl-L-homoser- and modular ine lactone dCTP deoxycytidine triphosphate 3-oxo-C6-HSL N-3 -oxohexanoyl-L-homoser- deg.

Membrane techniques are an excellent alternative to traditional methods of purification and separation. This book covers issues related to the most recent developments in the field of membrane techniques. The latest scientific research and their potential applications in industrial solutions are described. In addition, currents trends in food & beverages technologies, and biomedicine are discussed. Moreover, the book emphasizes recent advancements in design of membrane systems, used either for separation or creation of mixtures, from the perspective of industry 4.0 and data management.

Springer Handbook of Enzymes provides data on enzymes sufficiently well characterized. It offers concise and complete descriptions of some 5,000 enzymes and their application areas. Data sheets are arranged in their EC-Number sequence and the volumes themselves are arranged according to enzyme classes.

This new, second edition reflects considerable progress in enzymology: many enzymes are newly classified or reclassified. Each entry is correlated with references and one or more source organisms. New datafields are created: application and engineering (for the properties of enzymes where the sequence has been changed). The total amount of material contained in the Handbook has more than doubled so that the complete second edition consists of 39 volumes as well as a Synonym Index. In addition, starting in 2009, all newly classified enzymes are treated in Supplement Volumes.

Springer Handbook of Enzymes is an ideal source of information for researchers in biochemistry, biotechnology, organic and analytical chemistry, and food sciences, as well as for medicinal applications.

Over the past five years, the immense financial pressure on the development and manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals has resulted in the increasing use and acce- ance of disposables, which are discarded after harvest and therefore intended only for single use. In fact, such disposables are implemented in all the main bioprocess production stages today and an even higher growth than those in the biopharmac- tical market is predicted (reaching double figures). Alongside disposable filter capsules, membrane chromatography units, tubing, connectors, flexible containers processing or containing fluids, freezer systems, mixers and pumps, and fully c- trolled disposable bioreactors of up to 2,000 L culture volume are already available on the market. Numerous studies highlight the advantages of disposable bioreactors and reveal their potential for simple, safe and fast seed inoculum production, process devel- ment and small as well as middle volume production (e.g. bioactive substances, viruses for vaccines and gene therapies etc.). They suggest that such disposable bioreactors (typically characterized by the cultivation chamber or bag from plastic materials) may be advantageous for plant, animal and microbial cells. Running industrial activities such as CFD-modelling, development of single-use process monitoring and control technology, and standardized film formulations are attempting to resolve the limitations of the current disposable bioreactors. These achievements, along with substantial improvements in product yield, will reduce the use of stainless steel in the biomanufacturing facilities of the future.

The advent of new biotechnologies implies significant changes in the world, both biologically and industrially. Biologically, these new technologies represent changes on a scale never before witnessed in the context of evolutionary systems. How these systems will respond to these changes is uncertain and potentially very significant. The first part of this volume addresses these issues in a series of chapters considering the manner in which societies might analyse and manage these systemic responses to biotechnological changes.

The second part of the volume addresses the industrial issues concerning biotechnologies. One of the primary motivations for these changes is to enhance the appropriability of the value of innovation occurring within the life sciences sectors. Changing to a property rights-based system of biotechnology has implications for the nature of research and development within these sectors, and the diffusion and distribution of its benefits across the globe. Another set of chapters in this volume sets out a framework for considering these important industrial issues.

The volume is the outcome of a two-year project on the economics of managing biotechnologies in agriculture. It is recommended to academics and policy makers interested in the issues concerning society's options in the management of this process of technological change.

The very first major reference text on this topic, this book provides a unique collection of articles reviewing the state of the art in the field. It gives particular emphasis to emerging technologies, from bioengineering and bio-tissues to nanotechnology. The integration of the different topics is presented via a combination of theoretical and applied methodology to provide a self-contained major reference that is appealing to both the scientist and the engineer.

In Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals: The Twenty-Eighth Symposium, leading US and international researchers from academia, industry, and government exchange cutting-edge technical information and update current trends in the development and application of biotechnology for sustainable production of fuels and chemicals. This symposium emphasizes advances in biotechnology to produce high-volume, low-price products from renewable resources, while improving the environment. The major areas of interest include advanced feedstock production and processing, enzymatic and microbial biocatalysis, bioprocess research and development, opportunities in biorefineries, and commercialization of biobased products. International and domestic progress on producing liquid biofuels, especially ethanol and biodiesel, is highlighted, and related topics, including bioseparations and optimal integration of biochemical and thermochemical conversion technologies, are featured. Forward-looking and authoritative, Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals: The Twenty-Eighth Symposium provides an illuminating overview of current research and development in the production of commodity fuels and chemicals from renewable biomass resources via biochemical and thermochemical routes.

It is an exciting time to follow the new developments in the field of biotechnology and its wider applications in the different areas. The whole genomes of over 1000 viruses and over 100 microbes can now be found in Entrez Genome. The genomes represent both completely sequenced organisms and those for which sequencing is still in progress. The three main domains of life - bacteria, archaea, and eukaryota - are represented, as well as many viruses and organelles.

The exponential increase of the sequence data lead to the development of the new "Bioinformatics" field in order to attempt making sense, at least biological sense, out of all the new and fast data.

It will take also other techniques such as "functional genomics" to link the gap between a specific phenotype or a treatment and a gene sequence. Functional genomics tools are therefore important for the accurate molecular diagnosis/prognosis, target discovery validation needed for drug development and novel targets for antibiotics development. Functional genomics are also important for the confirmation of therapy in pharmacogenomics studies.

Biotechnology is in many respects shaping our life and affecting our means of production and the creation of jobs. Progress in the applications of biotechnology depends on a wide base of basic as well as applied sciences. The output of biotechnology has already proved itself in many diverse fields from health to
biomining and from agriculture to enzyme "breeding." It is therefore difficult to follow all of the current as well as the potential applications of biotechnology.

The objective of the Biotechnology Annual Review series is to attempt to provide readers with the needed indepth knowledge, by reviewing specific topics in biotechnology in each issue. The philosophy behind this series is to encourage good reviews to make it easier for readers to keep in touch with progress and applications of biotechnology. Reviews on topics related to regulatory affairs, social impact of biotechnology, biodiversity, biosafety, public acceptance and patent issues are also encouraged.

The central theme of this book "Microbial BioEnergy: Hydrogen Production" is focused on the biological machinery that microorganisms use to produce hydrogen gas.The book summarizes the achievements over the past decade in the biochemistry, structural and molecular biology, genomics and applied aspects of microbial H2-production, including microbial fuel cells (MFC), by phototrophs such as purple sulfur and non-sulfur bacteria ("Thiocapsa" spp., "Rhodobacter "and "Rhodopseudomonas" spp.) microalgae ("Chlamydomonas")and cyanobacteria ("Anabaena spp.") along with anaerobes and thermophiles such as "Caldicellulosiruptor "and "Thermotoga." This is the first bookof this series entirely devoted to microbial bio-hydrogen production and is intended to be a precious source of information for PhD students, researchers and undergraduates from disciplines such as microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, photochemistry and chemical engineering, interested in basic and applied sciences."

Biomedical Materials provides a comprehensive discussion of contemporary biomaterials research and development. Highlighting important topics associated with Engineering, Medicine and Surgery, this volume reaches a wide scope of professionals, researchers and graduate students involved with biomaterials. A pedagogical writing style and structure provides readers with an understanding of the fundamental concepts necessary to pursue research and industrial work on biomaterials, including characteristics of biomaterials, biological processes, biocompatibility, and applications of biomaterials in implants and medical instruments.

Written by leading researchers in the field, this text book takes readers to the forefront of biomedical materials development, providing them with a taste of how the field is changing, while also serving as a useful reference to physicians and engineers.

This book reviews alternative and renewable energy resources in order to pave the way for a more sustainable production in the future. A multi-disciplinary team of authors provides a comprehensive overview of current technologies and future trends, including solar technologies, wind energy, hydropower, microbial electrochemical systems and various biomass sources for biofuel production. In addition, the book focuses on solutions for developing countries. Conventional energy sources are finite, and estimates suggest that they will be exhausted within a few decades. Finding a solution to this problem is a global challenge, and developing countries in particular are still highly dependent on fossil fuels due to their rapidly growing populations accompanied by a huge growth in primary energy consumption. Moreover, the most common conventional energy sources (coal and petroleum) are non-sustainable since their combustion exponentially increases greenhouse gas emissions. As such, there is a pressing need for clean energy based on alternative or renewable resources, not only to ensure energy supplies at an affordable price but also to protect the environment.

The Springer Handbook of Enzymes provides concise data on some 5,000 enzymes sufficiently well characterized - and here is the second, updated edition. Their application in analytical, synthetic and biotechnology processes as well as in food industry, and for medicinal treatments is added. Data sheets are arranged in their EC-Number sequence. The new edition reflects considerable progress in enzymology: the total material has more than doubled, and the complete 2nd edition consists of 39 volumes plus Synonym Index. Starting in 2009, all newly classified enzymes are treated in Supplement Volumes.

Of all things natural, light is the most sublime. From the very existential belief of the origins of the universe to its role in the evolution of life on earth, light has been inextricably woven into every aspect of our lives. I am grateful to Springer-Verlag and Thomas Scheper for this invitation to organize this volume that continues to expand the use of light to create next generation sensing applications. Indeed, the very act of expanding the frontiers of learning and knowledge are referred to in many languages and cultures as enlightenment. Early optical instruments relied largely on simple combinations of mirrors, prisms and lenses. With these simple devices, substantial progress was made in our understanding of the properties of light and of its interactions with matter. Things got more complicated with the evolution of optical instruments in labo- tory use. Early systems used bulky and expensive hardware to generate light, split it into the desired wavelengths and finally collect it for analysis. The discovery of the laser pushed the technology further, but did not do much to make its adoption more widespread as the lasers themselves were large and required substantial el- trical power to operate. The true revolution is just beginning. Advances in mic- electronics have resulted in the possibility of truly low-cost (using the consumer electronics industry as a parallel) devices that exploit optical measurement technology.

-Morphology of Filamentous Fungi: Linking Cellular Biology to Process Engineering Using Aspergillus niger, By Rainer Krull, Christiana Cordes, Harald Horn, Ingo Kampen, Arno Kwade, Thomas R. Neu, and Bernd Noertemann; -Multi-Scale Spatio-Temporal Modeling: Lifelines of Microorganisms in Bioreactors and Tracking Molecules in Cells, By Alexei Lapin, Michael Klann, and Matthias Reuss; -Impact of Profiling Technologies in the Understanding of Recombinant Protein Production, By Chandran Vijayendran and Erwin Flaschel -Engineering the Escherichia coli Fermentative Metabolism, By M. Orencio-Trejo, J. Utrilla, M.T. Fernandez-Sandoval, G. Huerta-Beristain, G. Gosset, and A. Martinez; -Modeling Languages for Biochemical Network Simulation: Reaction vs Equation Based Approaches, By Wolfgang Wiechert, Stephan Noack, and Atya Elsheikh; -Impact of Thermodynamic Principles in Systems Biology, By J.J. Heijnen;

The International Symposia on Plant Lipids, the 15th of which was held in Okazaki, Japan, in May 12-17, 2002, is held every two years and is the only international meeting in this field. The contributions from the symposium collected in this book represent the most up-to-date research results on plant lipids,including their structure, analysis, biosynthesis, regulation, physiological function, environmental aspects, and biotechnology, obtained world-wide during 2000-2002.

Laser microdissection techniques have revolutionized the ability of researchers in general, and pathologists in particular, to carry out molecular analysis on specific types of normal and diseased cells and to fully utilize the power of current molecular technologies including PCR, microarrays, and proteomics. In second edition of Laser Capture Microdissection: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field provide the reader with practical advice on how to carry out tissue-based laser microdissection successfully in their own laboratory using the different laser microdissection systems that are available and to apply a wide range of molecular technologies. The individual chapters encompass detailed descriptions of the individual laser based micro-dissection systems. The downstream applications of the laser microdissected tissue described in the book include PCR in its many different forms as well as gene expression analysis including application to microarrays and proteomics. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) 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. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Laser Capture Microdissection: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition is an ideal resource for researchers striving to move forward our understanding of normal physiology and pathology.

Over the last decades, scientists have been intrigued by the fascinating organisms that inhabit extreme environments. These organisms, known as extremophiles, thrive in habitats which for other terrestrial life-forms are intolerably hostile or even lethal. Based on such technological advances, the study of extremophiles has provided, over the last few years, ground-breaking discoveries that challenge the paradigms of modern biology. In the new bioeconomy, fungi in general, play a very important role in addressing major global challenges, being instrumental for improved resource efficiency, making renewable substitutes for products from fossil resources, upgrading waste streams to valuable food and feed ingredients, counteracting life-style diseases and antibiotic resistance through strengthening the gut biota, making crop plants more robust to survive climate change conditions, and functioning as host organisms for production of new biological drugs. This range of new uses of fungi all stand on the shoulders of the efforts of mycologists over generations. The book is organized in five parts: (I) Biodiversity, Ecology, Genetics and Physiology of Extremophilic Fungi, (II) Biosynthesis of Novel Biomolecules and Extremozymes (III) Bioenergy and Biofuel synthesis, and (IV) Wastewater and biosolids treatment, and (V) Bioremediation.

The past 30 years have seen the emergence of a growing desire worldwide that positive actions be taken to restore and protect the environment from the degrading effects of all forms of pollution - air, water, soil, and noise. Since pollution is a direct or indirect consequence of waste production, the seemingly idealistic demand for "zero discharge" can be construed as an unrealistic demand for zero waste. However, as long as waste continues to exist, we can only attempt to abate the subsequent pollution by converting it to a less noxious form. Three major questions usually arise when a particular type of pollution has been identi ed: (1) How serious is the pollution? (2) Is the technology to abate it available? and (3) Do the costs of abatement justify the degree of abatement achieved? This book is one of the volumes of the Handbook of Environmental Engineering series. The principal intention of this series is to help readers formulate answers to the last two questions above. The traditional approach of applying tried-and-true solutions to speci c pollution problems has been a major contributing factor to the success of environmental engineering, and has accounted in large measure for the establishment of a "methodology of pollution control. " However, the realization of the ever-increasing complexity and interrelated nature of current environmental problems renders it imperative that intelligent planning of pollution abatement systems be undertaken.