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.

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.

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.

The field of industrial microbiology involves a thorough knowledge of the microbial physiology behind the processes in the large-scale, profit-oriented production of microbe-related goods which are the subject of the field. In recent times a paradigm shift has occurred, and a molecular understanding of the various processes by which plants, animals and microorganisms are manipulated is now central to industrial microbiology. Thus the various applications of industrial microbiology are covered broadly, with emphasis on the physiological and genomic principles behind these applications. Relevance of the new elements such as bioinformatics, genomics, proteomics, site-directed mutation and metabolic engineering, which have necessitated the paradigm shift in industrial microbiology are discussed.

This volume is based on the 10th International Nidovirus Symposium: Towards Control of SARS and other Nidovirus Diseases. The volume includes articles by all of the major contributors to this burgeoning area of research which summarize the work presented at the meeting.

This represents the only comprehensive book to cover this field in the last five years.

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 book provides a timely and thorough snapshot into the emerging and fast evolving area of applied genomics of foodborne pathogens. Driven by the drastic advance of whole genome shot gun sequencing (WGS) technologies, genomics applications are becoming increasingly valuable and even essential in studying, surveying and controlling foodborne microbial pathogens. The vast opportunities brought by this trend are often at odds with the lack of bioinformatics know-how among food safety and public health professionals, since such expertise is not part of a typical food microbiology curriculum and skill set. Further complicating the challenge is the large and ever evolving body of bioinformatics tools that can obfuscate newcomers to this area. Although reviews, tutorials and books are not in short supply in the fields of bioinformatics and genomics, until now there has not been a comprehensive and customized source of information designed for and accessible to microbiologists interested in applying cutting-edge genomics in food safety and public health research. This book fills this void with a well-selected collection of topics, case studies, and bioinformatics tools contributed by experts at the forefront of foodborne pathogen genomics research.

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 describes the various applications of microorganisms in improving plant growth, health and the efficiency of phytochemical production. The chapters trace topics such as the role of PGPRs in improving salt stress and heavy metal tolerance in plants; the prevention and control of plant diseases; boosting soil fertility and agriculture productivity; the induction of secondary metabolite biosynthesis in medicinal and aromatic plants; the enhancement of phytochemical levels, and the action mechanisms, diversity and characterization of PGPRs. The reviews will be of interest for scientists in the fields of agriculture, microbiology, soil biology, plant breeding and herbal medicinal products.

Increasing agro productivity to feed a growing global population under the present climate scenario requires optimizing the use of resources and adopting sustainable agricultural production. This can be achieved by using plant beneficial bacteria, i.e., those bacteria that enhance plant growth under abiotic stress conditions, and more specifically, microorganisms such as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), which are the most promising candidates in this regard. Attaining sustainable agricultural production while preserving environmental quality, agro-ecosystem functions and biodiversity represents a major challenge for current agricultural practices; further, the traditional use of chemical inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, nutrients etc.) poses serious threats to crop productivity, soil fertility and the nutritional value of farm produce. Given these risks, managing pests and diseases, maintaining agro-ecosystem health, and avoiding health issues for humans and animals have now become key priorities. The use of PGPR as biofertilizers, plant growth promoters, biopesticides, and soil and plant health managers has attracted considerable attention among researchers, agriculturists, farmers, policymakers and consumers alike. Using PGPR can help meet the expected demand for global agricultural productivity to feed the world's booming population, which is predicted to reach roughly 9 billion by 2050. However, to do so, PGPR strains must be safe for the environment, offer considerable plant growth promotion and biocontrol potential, be compatible with useful soil rhizobacteria, and be able to withstand various biotic and abiotic stresses. Accordingly, the book also highlights the need for better strains of PGPR to complement increasing agro-productivity.

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.

Franklin M. Harold's On Life reveals what science can tell us about the living world. All creatures, from bacteria and redwoods to garden snails and humans, belong to a single biochemical family. We all operate by the same principles and are all made up of cells, either one or many. We flaunt capacities that far exceed those of inanimate matter, yet we stand squarely within the material world. So what is life, anyway? How do living things function, and how did they come into existence? Questions like these have baffled philosophers and scientists since antiquity, but over the past half-century answers have begun to emerge. Offering an inside look, Franklin M. Harold makes life accessible to readers interested in the biological big picture. The book traces how living things operate, focusing on the interplay of biology with physics and chemistry. He asserts that biology stands apart from the physical sciences because life revolves around organization- that is, purposeful order. On Life aims to make life intelligible by giving readers an understanding of the biological landscape; it sketches the principles as biologists presently understand them and highlights major unresolved issues. What emerges is a biology bracketed by two stubborn mysteries: the nature of the mind and the origin of life. This portrait of biology is comprehensible but inescapably complex, internally consistent, and buttressed by a wealth of factual knowledge.

The present volume by the author is based on the outcome of extensive explorations in the Himalayas for more than a decade. It incorporates the original research findings along with that based on literature survey. It is intended to provide a comprehensive account of an important group of fungi which has a direct bearing on wood industry and forest ecosystem besides commercial application in bioremediation and pollution control. It is the first step in providing the mycologists with consolidated, systematically up-to-date and illustrative monograph of wood-rotting fungi of Himalayas. Every year the students of the post graduate colleges and universities particularly Indian sub-continent go in for fungal forays to collect fungi which forms part of their course curriculum. This book will serve as a field manual for identification. The book has more than 240 color photographs and 123 plates of camera lucida drawings covering all the fungi which have been reported till-to-date from the study area.

This book addresses important questions on the legislation, regulations, sustainability, technology transfer, safety of biomaterials and mechanism of action of nonthermal processing on the molecular level of biomaterials and its impact on health. The chapters take an interdisciplinary approach that is of interest to specialists from engineering, physics, chemistry, agriculture, life sciences and beyond, with a focus on further development of existing and new applications of nonthermal processing and their combination with other methods in the processing of biomaterials, agriculture, biotechnology and the re-use of waste and by-products. Nonthermal Processing in Agri-Food-Bio Sciences: Sustainability and Future Goals aims to boost further developments and applications of nonthermal technologies to develop healthier products, to ensure consumer approval for these innovative technologies and to improve the sustainability of biomaterials production. The industrial application of nonthermal processing has led to an increase in innovative value products and the overall improvement of production capacity. Nonthermal processes use less energy and chemicals, reduce processing times, have less environmental impact, produce less waste, and have the potential for industrial scale-up and a return-on-investment in under 5 years. According to The United Nations and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 17 goals should be incorporated within development projects, and researchers are starting to use novel techniques to meet them. In covering the fundamental engineering theories underlying nonthermal processing, this book will aid in this mission. The book overviews the advantages and disadvantages of novel technologies, over to sustainability goals to correct steps for the scale-up and return on investment. The book includes the chemistry and physics of nonthermal processing technologies, dedicated to specialists and researchers from a wide range of subject areas. Interdisciplinary scientists and engineers, sustainability experts can use this text to aid in their work in green technologies.

The Third International Conference on Haemophilus, Actinobacillus, and Pasteurella (HAP94) was held in July and August at the Edinburgh Conference Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton Campus, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Previous conferences in 1981, Copenhagen, and 1989, Guelph, had indicated widespread interest in this group of pathogenic bacteria and the timing of the Edinburgh conference was prompted by the major advances in our knowledge of the HAP group that had occurred in the five years since the Guelph meeting. These organisms are considered as a group because of their close relationship in an evolutionary sense and because of the similarities in the types of diseases that they preduce. The main objectives of the meeting were to review and discuss current knowledge and present experimental findings relating to the fundamental, applied, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of disease research involving the HAP group of organisms. HAP 94 was attended by 160 delegates from around the world and included many of the foremost researchers studying HAP organisms. The conference was structured around 16 talks from invited speakers who covered key areas of HAP research including taxonomy, mechanisms of pathogenesis, animal disease models, virulence factors, molecular biology, immunolgy, antigen analyses, and experimental and commercial vaccine development. The talks provided a review of the current state of research in each field and allowed each speaker to focus on his or her personal research interests.

Recent research has focused attention on the importance of intrinsic antiviral immunity, i.e. immunity mediated by factors that are constitutively expressed in many cells. In this volume, leading experts provide a comprehensive overview of this relatively new and rapidly evolving field. They cover intrinsic proteinaceous antiviral immune effectors, such as the APOBEC3 and TRIM protein families as well as Tetherin and SAMHD1, which were initially discovered by researchers studying HIV-1. Furthermore, the role of RNA interference in antiviral defense in plants and invertebrates, as well as the interplay between microRNAs and viruses in mammalian cells, are analysed. One chapter discusses how intrinsic immunity and viral countermeasures to intrinsic immune effectors drive both pathogen and host evolution, and finally the emerging evidence that DNA damage response proteins restrict infection by DNA viruses is highlighted.

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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.

We wish to place on record a heartfelt thanks to all the contributors of the present endeavor. We thank Mr. Vijay Kumar Sharma, research scholar of RN Kharwar, for his untiring support. Last but not the least, we owe a special thank to Springer for publishing this book."

This volume covers the latest experimental protocols used by researchers to study the recently emerged fungal pathogen of humans, Candida auris, and also explores the pathogen's antifungal resistance, virulence, and pathogenicity. The chapters in this book cover topics such as the identification of C. auris in clinic samples by PCR and mass spectrometry; molecular typing to identify clade affiliation; genetic manipulation; genome analysis by bioinformatics; and phenotypic characterization using various biochemical, mass spectrometry, microscopy, and flow cytometry approaches. 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 practical, Candida auris: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers interested in learning more about this developing field.

This volume reviews the increasing importance of glycosylation to the field of virology, as well as virus replication. The chapters provide an overview of glycosylation in relation to virus infection, and the generic techniques that are used to analyze and characterize glycoproteins.

Among the topics discussed in this volume are M.E. interaction between respiratory syncytial virus and glycosaminoglycans, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 3a protein, the C type lectins DC-SIGN and L-SIGN, N-linked glycans, and the use of two-dimensional SDS-PAGE to analyze the glycosylation heterogeneity of the respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein. Also covered in this volume are uses of monoclonal antibodies and lectins, the spike glycoprotein, secretion of respiratory syncytial vius F protein from insect cells, the expression and characterization of recombinant dengue virus E protein, and cloning, expression, and a functional analysis of patient-derived hepatitis C virus glycoproteins.

The information presented in Glycovirology Protocols will provide insight as to how the techniques of glycobiology can be applied in virology and answer most questions that are of interest to the reader.

This is the first book on ranaviruses. Ranaviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses that cause hemorrhagic disease in amphibians, reptiles, and fish. They have caused mass die-offs of ectothermic vertebrates in wild and captive populations around the globe. There is evidence that this pathogen is emerging and responsible for population declines in certain locations. Considering that amphibians and freshwater turtles are suitable hosts and the most imperiled vertebrate taxa in the world, ranaviruses can have significant impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem function. Additionally, many fish that are raised in aquaculture facilities and traded internationally are suitable hosts; thus, the potential economic impact of ranaviruses is significant. Ranaviruses also serve as a model for replication and gene function of large double-stranded DNA viruses. There is an urgent need to assemble the contemporary information on ranaviruses and provide guidance on how to assess their threats in populations. Through the Global Ranavirus Consortium, 24 experts from six countries were organize to write this volume, the first book on ranaviruses. The book begins with a discussion on the global extent of ranaviruses, case histories of infection and disease in ectothermic vertebrates, and current phylogeny. Basic principles of ranavirus ecology and evolution are covered next, with a focus on host-pathogen interactions and how the virus emerges in its environment. There are two chapters that will discuss the molecular biology of ranaviruses, host response to infection, and the genes responsible for immune system evasion. One chapter establishes standards for testing for infection and diagnosing ranaviral disease. The book ends by providing guidance on how to design ranavirus surveillance studies and analyze data to determine risk, and discussing the role of the Global Ranavirus Consortium in organizing research and outreach activities.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat that needs immediate attention and action from the scientific community. This book compiles and presents the latest and most important aspects of AMR, including the biology involved, its persistence and spread, and novel approaches to tackle this threat. The book first describes the mechanisms and spread of AMR, and then discusses the various approaches and strategies for combating it. Important topics include, microbial pathogenesis, AMR traits and major mechanisms underlying drug-resistance and the emerging strategies and technologies for combating AMR. Emphasis has been given on current developments about natural products including potent phyto-molecules, antimicrobial peptides and endophytes effective against the drug-resistant microbes and target the main drug-resistance determinants (efflux pumps, biofilms, quorum sensing, plasmids, etc.) in these bacterial pathogens. Other exciting topics include applications of nanomaterials in tackling AMR and CRISPR-Cas based precise sequence-specific antimicrobials. This informative book is meant for students and researchers in basic and medical microbiology and biotechnology. It is also useful to public health professionals and industry experts involved in AMR research and related drug-designing.

This volume is a revision of Biological Control by R. van den Bosch and P. S. Messenger, originally published by Intext Publishers. In the revision, I have attempted to keep the original theme, and to update it with current research findings and new chapters or sections on insect pathology, microbial control of weeds and plant pathogens, population dynamics, integrated pest management, and economics. The book was written as an undergraduate text, and not as a complete review of the subject area. Various more comprehen sive volumes have been written to serve as handbooks for the experts. This book is designed to provide a concise overview of the complex and valuable field of biological control and to show the relationships to the developing concepts of integrated pest management. Population regulation of pests by natural enemies is the major theme of the book, but other biological methods of pest control are also discussed. The chapter on population dynamics assumes a precalculus-level knowledge of mathematics. Author names of species are listed only once in the text, but all are listed in the Appendix. Any errors or omissions in this volume are my sole responsibility. A. P. Gutierrez Professor of Entomology Division of Biological Control University of California, Berkeley vii Acknowledgments Very special thanks must be given to my colleagues, Professors C. B. Huffaker and L. E. Caltagirone, for the very thorough review they provided and for the many positive suggestions they gave. Dr."

The Handbook of Laboratory Animal Bacteriology, Second Edition provides comprehensive information on all bacterial phylae found in laboratory rodents and rabbits to assist managers, veterinary pathologists and laboratory animal veterinarians in the management of these organisms. The book starts by examining the general aspects of bacteriology and how to sample and identify bacteria in animals. It then describes the most relevant species within each phylum and discusses the impact they may have on research. Emphasizing those bacteria known to interfere with research protocols, the book offers methods for isolation and differentiation among related bacteria. It discusses where to purchase reagents for rodent bacteriology and outlines standards for safety in a bacteriological laboratory. Highlights of the second edition: Focuses on modern sequencing techniques based on molecular identification Reorganizes content according to modern systematics based on new identification methods Presents new chapters on mechanisms behind bacterial impact on animal models and on the systematic classification of bacteria Provides information on a range of bacteria interfering with animal models for human disease, not only for those bacteria which cause disease in laboratory animal colonies Includes new figures in color and with enhanced resolution The book is essential reading for those interested in the management of organisms known to interfere with the colony health of rabbits and rodents used in research protocols-including facility managers, clinical veterinarians, veterinary pathologists, and researchers.