This Microbiology Monographs volume covers the current and most recent advances in genomics and genetics, biochemistry, physiology, and molecular biology of C. reinhardtii. Expert international scientists contribute with reviews on the genome, post-genomic techniques, the genetic toolbox development as well as new insights in regulation of photosynthesis and acclimation strategies towards environmental stresses and other structural and genetic aspects, including applicable aspects in biotechnology and biomedicine. Powerful new strategies in functional genomic and genetics combined with biochemical and physiological analyses revealed new insights into Chlamydomonas biology.

This volume focuses on the transport of medically relevant bacterial protein toxins into mammalian cells, and on novel pharmacological strategies to inhibit toxin uptake. The first chapters review our current understanding of the cell-surface receptors and cellular transport processes of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins, Clostridium botulinum C3 toxin, Clostridium difficile toxins, binary clostridial enterotoxins, anthrax toxins and diphtheria toxin. In brief, specific binding/transport (B) subunits deliver the enzyme (A) subunits into the cytosol, where the latter modify their substrates, producing cytotoxic effects and the characteristic toxin-associated diseases. Key mechanisms for the transport of the A subunits from endosomes into the cytosol and the role of trans-membrane pores formed by the B subunits and host cell chaperones for this process are reviewed. The book's closing chapters focus on compounds which inhibit the transport of the A subunits from endosomes into the cytosol and therefore might lead to novel therapeutic strategies for toxin-associated diseases. These substances include pharmacological inhibitors of the host cell chaperones involved, as well as multivalent and heterocyclic molecules that specifically block the toxins' translocation channels. This volume offers an up-to-date resource for scientists.

This book provides the latest information about hairy root culture and its several applications, with special emphasis on potential of hairy roots for the production of bioactive compounds. Due to high growth rate as well as biochemical and genetic stability, it is possible to study the metabolic pathways related to production of bioactive compounds using hairy root culture. Chapters discuss the feasibility of hairy roots for plant derived natural compounds. Advantages and difficulties of hairy roots for up-scaling studies in bioreactors are included as well as successful examples of hairy root culture of plant species producing bioactive compounds used in food, flavors and pharmaceutical industry. This book is a valuable resource for researchers and students working on the area of plant natural products, phytochemistry, plant tissue culture, medicines, and drug discovery.

This text is an essential study guide for undergraduates studying microbiology modules on degree courses in pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences. Written by two pharmacists each with over 30 years experience of teaching, research and publishing in pharmaceutical microbiology, it distills the subject down into the essential elements that pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists need to know in order to practice their profession, and it covers all the microbiology components of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's indicative syllabus that is at the heart of every UK pharmacy degree.

Much of the applied microbiology that a pharmacist or pharmaceutical scientist needs to know is unique: topics like the manufacture of microbiologically sterile medicines and their subsequent protection against microbial contamination and spoilage, the detection of hazardous microorganisms in medicines and antibiotics' manufacture and assay are all covered here. Essential Microbiology for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science Students displays material in an easy to-digest format and concepts are explained using diagrams, tables and pictures wherever possible. The book contains an extensive self-assessment section that includes typical multiple choice, short answer and essay-style examination questions, and a companion website to further test your knowledge from a selection of questions along with further links to relevant sites.

Infections caused by fungi have recently attracted the attention of both clinicians and basic researchers given the heavy burden they represent for any health system. The mortality and morbidity rates associated to mycosis are progressively rising simply because some of these diseases are still neglected by health-care workers and due to the changing sensitivity to antifungal drugs displayed by these organisms. In this book, both researchers and clinicians working in the medical mycology field explore the most recent literature about specific mycosis; placing in one concise chapter thoroughly revisions of the current knowledge on virulence factors, recognition by immune cells, immunoevasion, epidemiology, new diagnosis trends and therapeutics. This book is recommended to researchers, physicians and students interested in medical mycology.

This book intends to provide information about detection and health effects due to bacteria, fungi and viruses in indoor environments. The book will cover also information about preventive and protective measures to avoid health-hazardous. Case studies will be also addressed to enrich the book with the expertise of each invited author. The book also intends to fill a gap regarding information about all biologic agents, since most of the books available are dedicated to only one type of microorganisms. For various different biologic agents and metabolites this book will compile information about indoors presence, detection methods, exposure assessment and health effects. Several problems regarding the exposure of biologic agents will be presented through case studies, and also the implementation of preventive and protective measures to avoid/minimize exposure. Besides, all the book will focus on occupational health and/or public health point of view.

This book on NeuroAIDS, a collection of chapters written by experts and specialists from around the world, provides a global perspective on HIV and NeuroAIDS in the field, clinic, and laboratory. The chapters address the comorbidity of HIV and other infectious agents, including Zika virus, Ebola, Chagas disease, TB and HCV. Also discussed are key topics, such as: * Molecular socioepidemiology * Global HIV and NeuroAIDS * Neuropathology * cART and blood-brain barrier penetration * HIV replicative oscillations * HIV and SIV evolution * Psychiatric comorbidities * Neurosyphilis * The examination of current and innovative models of translational research to translational effectiveness

This volume focuses on blocking disease transmission and the ecological perspective of pathogens and pathogenic processes. The chapters on blocking transmission cover the environmental safety of space flight, biocides and biocide resistance, as well as infection control in healthcare facilities. The book also offers insights into the ecological aspects of infectious disease, introducing the reader to the role of indigenous gut microbiota in maintaining human health and current discussions on environmentally encountered bacterial and fungal pathogens including species that variously cause the necrotizing skin disease Buruli ulcer and coccidioidomycosis. Further, it explores the influenza A virus as an example for understanding zoonosis. It is a valuable resource for microbiologists and biomedical scientists alike.

This volume focuses on virus-host cell interactions, cellular genes acquired or modulated by viruses, the pathological effects of these interactions, and therapeutic interventions. Several chapters specifically address the role of viruses and genes - such as oncogenes, proto-oncogenes, or tumor suppressor genes - in the etiology of human cancer. Oncogenic signaling by PI3 kinase, mTOR, Akt, or the major cancer drivers MYC and RAF, and the role of tumor suppressors like p53, are discussed in detail. The volume also explores the emerging role of noncoding RNAs such as microRNAs in tumorigenesis and cancer therapeutics, and offers new insights into the role of HIV-host interactions relevant to pathogenesis and treatment. Gathering contributions written by leading scientists in their respective fields, the volume offers a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians alike.

This book addresses the major neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) – based on their prevalence and the years of healthy life lost to disability – in Latin American and Caribbean countries. These include Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, hookworm infection, and other soil-transmitted helminth infections, followed by dengue, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, leprosy, cysticercosis, bartonellosis, Plasmodium vivax malaria, and onchocerciasis. Topics like disease burden, major manifestations and approaches to the control and elimination of NTDs in Latin America and the Caribbean are discussed in detail. As such, the book will be of general interest to basic researchers and clinicians engaged in infectious disease, tropical medicine, and parasitology, and a must-have for scientists specialized in the characteristics of this region of the world.​

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the sixth most prevalent cancer worldwide, remains a very difficult disease to treat and cure despite intensive investigation into molecular etiologies and tumor progression pathways. Due to public health efforts encouraging smoking cessation, the overall incidence of HNSCC has decreased in recent years in many countries. In contrast, the incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has increased significantly, and this subtype of HNSCC is commonly associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Moreover, individuals with HPV-positive OPSCC are generally younger and are frequently non-smokers, suggesting that HPV-associated OPSCC represents a distinct biologic entity. This volume summarizes the spectrum of current HPV-associated OPSCC research from the fundamental basic science to translational surgery and treatment approaches. Chapters are contributed by authoritative leaders in the fields of research and clinical care. Initial chapters address epidemiology, behavioral correlates of HPV infection, and racial disparities in oropharyngeal cancer. This is followed by chapters detailing HPV virology with focus on viral transformation, viral replication, and host response to viral infection. The molecular biology of HPV-associated OPSCC is investigated in chapters detailing alterations in signaling networks and unique mutational profiles of human tumors. Clinical presentation, surgical perspectives, and treatment paradigms specific to HPV-associated OPSCC conclude the volume. This comprehensive volume provides an up-to-date overview of both scientific discovery and clinical management of this emerging public health problem.

This volume presents a collection of reviews derived from work presented at the Aegean Conference: "5th Crossroads Between Innate and Adaptive Immunity". This meeting was the fifth in a series, and assembled a team of scientists working on mechanisms by which the innate immune system of the host senses pathogens, the cellular and signaling networks that orchestrate the innate response and antigen presentation and adaptive immunity. The importance of the crosstalk between innate immunity and the adaptive immune response has only recently started to be appreciated. Although it is well recognized that dendritic cells, NK cells, NK-T cells and T cells are all critical for the host response to pathogens, the respective fields that study the biology of these immune cells tend to exist in parallel worlds with minimum exchange of information and ideas. This fragmentation hinders the integration of these fields towards a unified theory of host response. The Aegean Conference "Crossroads between Innate and Adaptive Immunity" brought together leading international scientists and experts to address critical areas of Innate and Adaptive Immunity, a necessary step in the development of more efficient scientific exchange and crosspollination between these fields. This conference attracted scientists from all over the world to discuss their latest findings on the various aspects of Innate and Adaptive Immunity, and maximized scientific interchange through lecture presentations, poster sessions and informal discussions.

This volume thoroughly covers HIV-1 antiretrovirals currently in clinical use, together with their advantages and limitations. HIV-1 inhibitor resistance is discussed in detail, and critical assessments as to what will be required of future antiretrovirals in order to halt viral replication, reduce viral resistance, and alter the state of viral latency are presented. Experts at the forefront of HIV-1 research provide overviews of approaches from the fields of virology, chemical biology and structural biology for obtaining small molecule inhibitors that target viral regulatory and structural components at multiple points in the viral lifecycle. The individual chapters will appeal to scientists and clinicians alike.

This book is a compilation of some of the most remarkable contributions made by scientists currently working in Latin America to the understanding of virus biology, the pathogenesis of virus-related diseases, virus epidemiology, vaccine trials and antivirals development. In addition to recognizing the many fine virologists working in Latin America, Human Virology in Latin America also discusses both the state-of-the-art research and the current challenges that are being faced in the region, in hopes of inspiring young scientists worldwide to become eminent virologists.

In recent years there have been various discoveries connecting inflammation and lung cancer and clearly there is growing interest in this area of cancer research. The link between unresolved inflammation and cancer has been well established with estimates that 15% of cancer deaths are inflammation-related. Evidence for this link includes the following: a) some inflammatory diseases are associated with increased risk of cancer development; b) inflammatory mediators are present surrounding and within most tumors; c) overexpression of inflammatory cytokines increases cancer development and progression in murine studies; d) inhibition of inflammatory mediators decreases cancer development and progression; and e) the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has been found to decrease cancer incidence and delay progression. The volume will present aspects of the inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME), its many roles in tumor progression and metastasis, including creation of a hypoxic environment, increased angiogenesis and invasion, changes in expression of micro-RNAs (miRNAs) and an increase in a stem cell phenotype. The book will also cover the mechanisms of inflammatory mediators. Chronic overexpression of inflammatory mediators in the TME, as seen in smokers and patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), can also lead to increased tumor initiation, progression, invasion and metastasis. The volume will provide a comprehensive perspective of the latest findings and summaries of progress made regarding inflammation and its connection to lung cancer.

This book provides a systematic introduction to the principles of microscopic imaging through tissue-like turbid media in terms of Monte-Carlo simulation. It describes various gating mechanisms based on the physical differences between the un scattered and scattered photons and method for microscopic image reconstruction, using the concept of the effective point spread function. Imaging an object embedded in a turbid medium is a challenging problem in physics as well as in bio photonics. A turbid medium surrounding an object under inspection causes multiple scattering, which degrades the contrast, resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Biological tissues are typically turbid media. Microscopic imaging through a tissue-like turbid medium can provide higher resolution than transillumination imaging in which no objective is used. This book serves as a valuable reference for engineers and scientists working on microscopy of tissue turbid media.

This Springer Protocols manual is a practical guide to the application of key molecular biology techniques in microbiological research. The focus is on experimental protocols, which are presented in an easy-to-follow way, as step-by-step procedures for direct use in the laboratory. Notes on how to successfully apply the procedures are included, as well as recommendations regarding materials and suppliers. In addition to the practical protocols, important background information and representative results of experiments using the described methods are presented. Researchers in all areas applying microbial systems, such as in molecular biology, genetics, pathology, and agricultural research will find this work of great value.

The roles of microbes in agriculture, industry and environment have been the point of interest since long time for their potential exploitation. Although only a fraction of microbial diversity was accessed by microbiologists earlier for harnessing them owing to limited techniques available. The molecular techniques have opened new vistas to access the wide field of the unexplored microbes and their exploitation for useful genes and novel metabolites. Sincere efforts have been made in biotechnology using microbes leading to improve our life with respect to agriculture and people health. This comprehensive volume covers different aspects of microbial biotechnology and its management in sustainable agriculture for food security and improved human health. The book comprises four sections: Endophytes and Mycorrhizae, Microbial Diversity and Plant Protection, Microbial Functions and Biotechnology, and Microbes and the Environment, which contain 53 chapters. The book examines the aspects on endophytes and mycorrhizae, bioactive compounds, growth promoting microorganisms, disease management with emphasis on biocontrol, genetics of disease resistance, microbial enzymes, advances in potential of microbes and their industrial as well as pharmaceutical applications. In addition, the use of botanicals, and the etiology and management of medicinal and aromatic plants in the post harvest management have been reviewed in greater depth for the benefit of teaching and research community.   The biotechnological developments using microbe potential have enabled us combat the environment and human health problems worldwide in ecofriendly manner. We are sure that this volume will be highly useful to all those concerned with fungi, bacteria, viruses and their biology, including environmental and public health officers and professionals in the field of interest. The volume is an exhaustive coverage of almost all the aspects of microbial biology and biotechnology.

Plant Virology Protocols: New Approaches to Detect Viruses and Host Responses addresses recent developments in genome analyses and cytological technologies being used today to learn more about plant virology. Opening with chapters covering techniques relevant to the detection of unknown viruses and disease diagnosis, this detailed volume continues with chapters on the utilization of meta-genome sequencing and global gene expression analyses for the search and identification of viruses, as well as the elucidation of host responses to viral infection, construction methods of infectious cDNAs, and methods relevant to plant virus control. 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. Authoritative and practical, Plant Virology Protocols: New Approaches to Detect Viruses and Host Responses will be an invaluable guide to researchers working in the field of plant sciences.

The aim of this book is to provide readers with a wide overview of the main healthcare-associated infections caused by bacteria and fungi able to grow as biofilm. The recently acquired knowledge on the pivotal role played by biofilm-growing microorganisms in healthcare-related infections has given a new dynamic to detection, prevention and treatment of these infections in patients admitted to both acute care hospitals and long-term care facilities. Clinicians, hygienists and microbiologists will be updated by leading scientists on the state-of-art of biofilm-based infections and on the most innovative strategies for prevention and treatment of these infections, often caused by emerging multidrug-resistant biofilm-growing microorganisms.

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.

This two-volume work covers the molecular and cell biology, genetics and evolution of influenza viruses, the pathogenesis of infection, resultant host innate and adaptive immune response, prevention of infection through vaccination and approaches to the therapeutic control of infection.. Experts at the forefront of these areas provide critical assessments with regard to influenza virology, immunology, cell and molecular biology, and pathogenesis. Volume I provides overviews of the latest findings on molecular determinants of viral pathogenicity, virus entry and cell tropism, pandemic risk assessment, transmission and pathogenesis in animal species, viral evolution, ecology and antigenic variation, while Volume II focuses on the role of innate and adaptive immunity in pathogenesis, development of vaccines and antivirals. 

This book provides readers with information on the factors underlying the emergence of infectious diseases originating in animals and spreading to people. The One Health concept recognizes the important links between human, animal, and environmental health and provides an important strategy in epidemic mitigation and prevention. The essential premise of the One Health concept is to break down the silos among the different health professions and promote transdisciplinary collaborations. These concepts are illustrated with in-depth analyses of specific zoonotic agents and with examples of the successes and challenges associated with implementing One Health. The book also highlights some of the challenges societies face in confronting several specific zoonotic diseases. A chapter is included on comparative medicine to demonstrate the broad scope of the One Health concept. Edited by a team including the One Health Initiative pro bono members, the book is dedicated to those studying zoonotic diseases and comparative medicine in both human and veterinary medicine, to those involved in the prevention and control of zoonotic infections and to those in the general public interested in the visionary field of One Health.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of metabonomics and gut microbiota research from molecular analysis to population-based global health considerations. The topics include the discussion of the applications in relation to metabonomics and gut microbiota in nutritional research, in health and disease and a review of future therapeutical, nutraceutical and clinical applications. It also examines the translatability of systems biology approaches into applied clinical research and to patient health and nutrition. The rise in multifactorial disorders, the lack of understanding of the molecular processes at play and the needs for disease prediction in asymptomatic conditions are some of the many questions that system biology approaches are well suited to address. Achieving this goal lies in our ability to model and understand the complex web of interactions between genetics, metabolism, environmental factors and gut microbiota. Being the most densely populated microbial ecosystem on earth, gut microbiota co-evolved as a key component of human biology, essentially extending the physiological definition of humans. Major advances in microbiome research have shown that the contribution of the intestinal microbiota to the overall health status of the host has been so far underestimated. Human host gut microbial interaction is one of the most significant human health considerations of the present day with relevance for both prevention of disease via microbiota-oriented environmental protection as well as strategies for new therapeutic approaches using microbiota as targets and/or biomarkers. In many aspects, humans are not a complete and fully healthy organism without their appropriate microbiological components. Increasingly, scientific evidence identifies gut microbiota as a key biological interface between human genetics and environmental conditions encompassing nutrition. Microbiota dysbiosis or variation in metabolic activity has been associated with metabolic deregulation (e.g. obesity, inflammatory bowel disease), disease risk factor (e.g. coronary heart disease) and even the aetiology of various pathologies (e.g. autism, cancer), although causal role into impaired metabolism still needs to be established. Metabonomics and Gut Microbiota in Nutrition and Disease serves as a handbook for postgraduate students, researchers in life sciences or health sciences, scientists in academic and industrial environments working in application areas as diverse as health, disease, nutrition, microbial research and human clinical medicine.

With the significant medical role that human cytomegalovirus plays in human disease (from acute disease following primary infection, to chronic disease due to life-long viral persistence), the need to better understand human cytomegalovirus biology and pathogenesis is needed. Human Cytomegaloviruses: Methods and Protocols is designed to be an inclusive document covering all of the techniques and approaches necessary to understand and study the pathobiology of human cytomegalovirus. Topics covered include the history of human cytomegaloviruses, techniques to culture and grow the virus in model cell types, the use of primary cells for the study of human cytomegalovirus pathogenesis, modern molecular techniques for assessing the biological consequences of viral infection, animal models for study of cytomegalovirus replication and numerous other topics of current interest. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, each chapter includes an introduction, list of necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Human Cytomegaloviruses: Methods and Protocols serves as a tool for basic scientists as well as clinical scientists with an interest in the basic fundamental aspects of viral gene expression and specific aspects of viral pathogenesis.