The introduction of synthetic organic chemicals into the environment during the last few decades has given rise to major concern about the ecotoxicological effects and ultimate fate of these compounds. The pollutants that are considered to be most hazardous because of their intrinsic toxicity, high exposure level, or recalcitrant behavior in the environment have been placed on blacklists and other policy priority lists. The fate of synthetic compounds that enter the environment is mainly determined by their rate of biodegradation, which therefore also has a major effect on the degree of bioaccumulation and the risk of ecotoxicological effects. The degree and rate of biodegradation is also of critical importance for the feasibility of biological techniques to clean up contaminated sites and waste streams. The biodegradation of xenobiotics has thus been the subject of numerous studies, which resulted in thousands of publications in scientific journals, books, and conference proceedings. These studies led to a deeper understanding of the diversity of biodegradation processes. As a result, it has become possible to enhance the rate of degradation of recalcitrant pollutants during biological treatment and to design completely new treatment processes. At present, much work is being done to expand the range of pollutants to which biodegradation can be applied, and to make treatment techniques less expensive and better applicable for waste streams which are difficult to handle.

Achieving environmental sustainability with rapid industrialization is currently a major global challenge. Industries are the key economic drivers, but are also the main polluters as untreated/partially treated effluents from industry are usually discharged into the aquatic environment or dumped. Industrial effluents often contain highly toxic and hazardous pollutants, which cause ecological damage and present and health hazards to living beings. As such, there is a pressing need to find ecofriendly solutions to deal with industrial waste, and to develop sustainable methods for treating/detoxifying waste before it's released into the environment. As a low cost and eco-friendly clean technology, bioremediation can offer a sustainable alternative to conventional remediation technologies for the treatment and management of industrial wastes. This book (Volume II) describes the role of biological agents in the degradation and detoxification of organic and inorganic pollutants in industrial wastes, and presents recent bioremediation approaches for waste treatment and management, such as constructed wetlands, electro- bioremediation and nano-bioremediation, as well as microbial fuel cells. It appeals to students, researchers, scientists, industry professionals and experts in the field of microbiology, biotechnology, environmental sciences, eco-toxicology, environmental remediation and waste management and other relevant areas who are interested in biodegradation and bioremediation of industrial wastes for environmental safety.

Neutrophils, the most abundant white cells in humans, serve as the primary cellular defense against infection. Neutrophil Methods and Protocols, Second Edition provides a concise set of protocols written by leading researchers in the field for assessing basic neutrophil functions, investigating specialized areas in neutrophil research, and completing step diagnostic assays of common neutrophil disorders. Topics covered include an overview of neutrophils and their role in host defense and inflammation; methods most commonly used for isolating neutrophils from humans and other animal species; procedures for subcellular fractionation of human neutrophils, analysis of in vivo transmigrated neutrophils, generation of mature neutrophils from induced pluripotent stem cells and analysis of neutrophil gene expression; methods for investigating priming, oxidant production, phagocytosis, bactericidal activity and extracellular trap formation and protocols for investigating neutrophil adhesion, chemotaxis and outside-in signaling via integrins. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Neutrophil Methods and Protocols, Second Edition is a comprehensive source for detailed explanations and applications of the most modern methodological advances in neutrophil biology. Both basic scientists and clinicians will find a collection of this caliber to be an invaluable aid in their work with neutrophils.

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.

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is often regarded as the one of the most common causes of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. The goal of this volume is to highlight key protocols for working with C. jejuni. In particular, chapters aim to highlight recent developments with regards to in vivo models for C. jejuni pathogenesis, different approaches to isolate Campylobacter, and a systems biology approach for studying the effect of all potential Campylobacter gene mutants.Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biologyseries 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, Campylobacter jejuni: Methods and Protocols encourages existing Campylobacter researchers to employ novel methods to further their own research and also encourages new researchers to include Campylobacter in their future research initiatives.

Cyanobacterial symbioses are no longer regarded as mere oddities but as important components of the biosphere, occurring both in terrestrial and aquatic habitats worldwide. It is becoming apparent that they can enter into symbiosis with a wider variety of organisms than hitherto known, and there are many more still to be discovered, particularly in marine environments. The chapters cover cyanobacterial symbioses with plants (algae, bryophytes, Azolla, cycads, Gunnera), cyanobacterial symbioses in marine environments, lichens, Nostoc-Geosiphon (a fungus closely related to arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi) symbiosis, and artificial associations of cyanobacteria with economically important plants. In addition, cyanobiont diversity, sensing-signalling, and evolutionary aspects of the symbiosis are dealt with. Renowned experts actively involved in research on cyanobacterial symbioses deal with ecological, physiological, biochemical, molecular, and applied aspects of all known cyanobacterial symbioses.
This volume on cyanobacteria in symbiosis complements the two earlier volumes on cyanobacteria published by Kluwer (Molecular Biology of Cyanobacteria, edited by D.A. Bryant and Ecology of Cyanobacteria, edited by B.A. Whitton and M. Potts). Together, the three volumes provide the most comprehensive treatment of cyanobacterial literature as a whole. The book will serve as a valuable reference work and text for teaching and research in the field of plant-microbe interactions and nitrogen fixation.

In a sense, propionic acid bacteria are domesticated bacteria. They might have been used for cheese making as early as 9000 years Be. In the last 40 years their pmctical uses have expanded to include vitamin B12 and propionic acid production, bread baking, starters for ensilage and some pharmaceutical prepamtions. New prospects for their future uses are also emerging, based on the useful properties recently discovered. This monograph is the result of many years of investigating propioni bacteria by the faculty, staff and postgraduate students in the Department of Microbiology at the Moscow State University, as well as a number of scientists in other countries. The encouragement and various contributions of my colleagues has made this book possible, which might as well be entitled "My life with propionic acid bacteria," since these bacteria were the subject of our investigations for more than 40 years. I hope that this book will be of interest not only to scientists of biological specialties, but also to those associated with industrial firms and medical institutions. L.l. Vorobjeva IX Acknowledgements Writing a monograph is impossible without the cooperation of many people I am very grateful to all my postgraduate students - thirty of them - who work at present not only in Russia, but also in various other countries, including Canada, Cuba, Egypt, India, Iran and Vietnam. Many thanks are due to my colleagues who shared my scientific interests and enthusiasm in experimental research. Special thanks are to N. Baranova, E. lordan, N."

"Advanced Techniques in Soil Microbiology" presents a wide range of biotechnological methods for application in soil microbiology analysis. These include all essential methods involving molecular biology, immunology, microbiology, and structural biology, such as transcriptome analysis, RNAi technology, molecular matchmaking, RAPD, T-RFLP and FT/MS.

The techniques and procedures have been selected with the aim of offering practical guides for immediate use in the laboratory. The systems investigated range from individual molecules and cells to entire eukaryotic organisms, with a focus on bacteria, fungi, mycorrhiza, and higher plants. This volume of state-of-the-art, practice oriented methods will be of great use both to the first-timer and to the experienced scientist.

One hundred years ago, when Martinus W. Beijerinck in Delft and Friedrich Loeffler on Riems Island discovered a new class of infectious agents in plants and animals, a new discipline was born. This book, a compilation of papers written by well-recognized scientists, gives an impression of the early days, the pioneer period and the current state of virology. Recent developments and future perspectives of this discipline are sketched against a historic background. With contributions by A. Alcami, D. Baulcombe, F. Brown, L. W. Enquist, H. Feldmann, A. Garcia-Sastre, D. Griffiths, M. C. Horzinek, A. van Kammen, H.-D. Klenk, F. A. Murphy, T. Muster, R. O'Neill, P. Palese, C. Patience, R. Rott, H.- P. Schmiedebach, S. Schneider-Schaulies, G. L. Smith, J. A. Symons, Y. Takeuchi, V. ter Meulen, P. J. W. Venables, V. E. Volchkov, V. A. Volchkova, R. A. Weiss, W. Wittmann, H. Zheng

This book compiles the latest research in the area of Trichoderma Rhizosphere Biology. It covers topics such as microbial interaction, crosstalk between plants and microbes, interactions with abiotic and biotic factors, and advances in biocontrol agents, biofertilizers and biostimulants. The respective chapters describe innovative ways of adapting fungal communities to improve their survival in highly dynamic environments and agroecosystems. In closing, the book discusses the use of Trichoderma as a bio-growth enhancer and biostimulant for organic agriculture.

The need for the development of techniques based on the characteristics of the viral proteins and genomic nucleic acids was realized in order to detect, identify, differentiate and quantify viruses in the infected plants/planting materials with or without symptoms of infection. Immunoassays have been successfully applied for the detection of viruses in crop and weed host plant species as well as in the vectors. Nucleic acid-based techniques have been demonstrated to be the most reliable and sensitive tests for detection, identification and differentiation of viruses and viroids present in plants and planting materials.. Inclusion of numerous protocols in appropriate chapters as appendix is a unique feature of this volume.

Endophytic prokaryotes can invade the tissue of the host plant without triggering defense reactions or disease symptoms. Instead, they promote the growth of the host plant due to their ability to fix atmospheric dinitrogen and/or to produce plant growth-promoting substances.

This Microbiology Monographs volume presents up-to-date findings on the interactions between plants and beneficial prokaryotes, including the use of genomics for the analysis of plant-prokaryote symbioses and their evolution. Rhizobia-legume, actinorhizal and cyanobacterial symbioses are presented.

This book is focused on the current status of industrial pollution, its source, characteristics, and management through various advanced treatment technologies. The book covers the recycle, reuse and recovery of waste for the production of value-added products. The book explores industrial wastewater pollution and its treatment through various advanced technologies and also the source and characteristics of solid waste and its management for environmental safety. It discusses new methods and technologies to combat the waste-related pollution and focuses on the use of recycled products. This book is of value to upcoming students, researchers, scientists, industry persons and professionals in the field of environmental science and engineering, microbiology, biotechnology, toxicology, further it is useful for global and local authorities and policy makers responsible for the management of liquid and solid wastes.

Mycorrhiza will be the focus of research and study for the coming decade. Successful survival and maintenance of plant cover is mostly dependent on mycorrhization. During the last decade about ten books have appeared on various aspects of mycorrhiza, including two on methodology. The present book has been compiled to give a complete and comprehensive description of the topic to the students and researchers in botany, applied mycology, biotechnology, forestry and agriculture. The book will also be useful to planners dealing with biofertilizers and forestation. Besides topics of academic interest, the volume includes several aspects which are unique and are written about for the first time, e.g.: Arbuscular Mycorrhizal symbiosis - recognition and specificity; Mycorrhizal Integration and cellular compatibility between Endomycorrhizal symbionts; Cost - economics of existing methodology for inoculum production of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; Mycorrhiza: Ecological Implications of Plant interactions; Outplanting performance of mycorrhizal inoculated seedlings; Fluorescence microscopy in mycorrhiza studies and Ectomycorrhizal fungi as experimental organism. Other aspects not mentioned above include most recent reviews concerning vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza and ectomycorrhizae. The different review chapters have been written by world authorities in their respective specialisations giving more up to date information than is provided anywhere else. This book deals with all major aspects of mycorrhiza, giving structure, ultrastructure, ecology and applications in agriculture and forestry.

This volume details protocols that cover the broad arsenal of techniques used to study a secretion system from A to Z. Chapters focus on identifying and localizing the different subunits, defining interactions within subunits, monitoring conformational changes, purifying and imaging of large complexes, defining the assembly pathway by fluorescence microscopy and the role of energy during assembly and/or secretion, identifying secreted effectors as well as reporters to follow effector transport. 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 cutting-edge, Bacterial Protein Secretion Systems: Methods and Protocol aims to provide techniques that are not restricted to the study of secretion systems but are also of specific interest for any researcher interested on multi-protein complexes of the bacterial cell envelope.

This book highlights the latest research on waste processing technologies, particularly for domestic, agricultural, and petroleum based pollutants, intended to achieve waste valorisation. In addition, it discusses the important role of plastic recycling, as well as advanced waste processing techniques.

The fascinating machinery that life uses to harness energy is the focus of this volume of the Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration series. Experts in the field communicate their insights into the mechanisms that govern biological energy conversion from the atomic scale to the physiological integration within organisms. By leveraging the power of current structural techniques the authors reveal the inner workings of life.

This volume gives an insight into what a group of contemporary plankton biologists think about the utility, virtues, strengths and theoretical and practical weaknesses of J.H. Connell's Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis within the context of phytoplankton ecology. The sequence of papers in this volume moves from particular case studies to more general and finally theoretical approaches.

The aim of Plant Virology Protocols is to provide a source of infor- tion to guide the reader through the wide range of methods involved in gen- ating transgenic plants that are resistant to plant viruses. To this end, we have commissioned a wide-ranging list of chapters that will cover the methods required for: plant virus isolation; RNA extraction; cloning coat p- tein genes; introduction of the coat protein gene into the plant genome; and testing transgenic plants for resistance. The book then moves on to treatments of the mechanisms of resistance, the problems encountered with field testing, and key ethical issues surrounding transgenic technology. Although Plant Virology Protocols deals with the cloning and expression of the coat protein gene, the techniques described can be equally applied to other viral genes and nucleotide sequences, many of which have also been shown to afford protection when introduced into plants. The coat protein has, however, been the most widely applied, and as such has been selected to illustrate the techniques involved. Plant Virology Protocols has been divided into six major sections, c- taining 55 chapters in total.

Since penicillin and salvarsan were discovered, a number of new drugs to combat infectious diseases have been developed, but at the same time, the number of multi-resistant microorganism strains is increasing. Thus, the design of new and effective antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents will be a major challenge in the next years. This book reviews the current state-of-the-art in antimicrobial research and discusses new strategies for the design and discovery of novel therapies. Topics covered include the use of genetic engineering, genome mining, manipulation of gene clusters, X-ray and neutron scattering as well as the antimicrobial effects of essential oils, antimicrobial agents of plant origin, beta-lactam antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, and cell-wall-affecting antifungal antibiotics.

The OHOLO conferences are sponsored by the Israel Institute for Biological Research and take their name from the site of the ?rst meeting on the shores of Lake Kinnereth. The purpose of these meetings is, as it was at their inception over 50 years ago, "to foster interdisciplinary communication between scientists in Israel, and to provide added stimulus by the participation of invited scientists from abroad". The core of the organizers of the OHOLO conferences are scientists from the Israel Institute for Biological Research. From time to time a particular OHOLO conference cooperates with an international scienti?c organization. The present 46th OHOLO Conference marks the resumption of the OHOLO tradition after 8 years of interruption caused by events beyond our control. It is my belief that our uncomp- mising commitment to excellence in research and development in the various areas of science in Israel is essential to our survival in this troubled region. The OHOLO conference tradition is a re?ection of this conviction. The present 46th OHOLO Conference entitled: The Challenge of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms - Mechanisms of Virulence and Novel Medical Countermeasures intends to address the unique virulence features and ho- pathogen interactions of microorganisms constituting emerging biothreat with emphasis on Y. pestis, B. anthracis, F. tularensis and Orthopox viruses. Accordingly we selected classical microbiological as well as genomic, proteomic & transcr- tomic approaches towards developments of novel prophylactic and post-exposure treatment, as well as updated strategies of diagnostics and bioforensics.

The books in this acclaimed series are the most detailed, up-to-date accounts of the field available. Volume 3 explores the oncogenic potential shared by retroviruses of different species, the widespread presence of retrovirues in nature, and the role of retroviruses in normal development and pathogenesis.

This Volume presents a comprehensive series of generic protocols for the genetic and genomic analysis of prokaryotic isolates. Genetic methods for functional analyses employ the latest cloning vectors, gene fusion methods and transposon mutagenesis systems, as well as systems for introducing protease-cleavage sequences into permissive sites in proteins under investigation. Genomic methods described include protocols for transcriptomics, shotgun proteomics, interactomics, metabolic profiling, and lipidomics. Bioinformatic tools for genome annotation, transcriptome display and the integration of transcriptomic data into genome-scale metabolic reconstructions are described. Protocols for 13C-based metabolic flux determinations and analysis of the hierarchical and metabolic regulation of fluxes through pathways are included. The Volume thus enables investigators to functionally analyse an isolate over the entire cellular range spanning the gene, the genome, the transcript repertoire, the proteome, the interactome, the metabolic network with its nodes and their regulatory hierarchies, and the metabolic fluxes and their physiological controls. Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology Protocols There are tens of thousands of structurally different hydrocarbons, hydrocarbon derivatives and lipids, and a wide array of these molecules are required for cells to function. The global hydrocarbon cycle, which is largely driven by microorganisms, has a major impact on our environment and climate. Microbes are responsible for cleaning up the environmental pollution caused by the exploitation of hydrocarbon reservoirs and will also be pivotal in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels by providing biofuels, plastics and industrial chemicals. Gaining an understanding of the relevant functions of the wide range of microbes that produce, consume and modify hydrocarbons and related compounds will be key to responding to these challenges. This comprehensive collection of current and emerging protocols will facilitate acquisition of this understanding and exploitation of useful activities of such microbes.

Epigenetic modification of cellular genomes is a fascinating means of regulating tissue- and cell type-specific gene expression in all developmental stages of the life of an organism. Carefully orchestrated processes, such as DNA methylation and a plenitude of specific histone modifications secure the faithful transmission of gene expression patterns to progeny cells. Upon chronic infection, the epigenetic cellular balance can become disrupted and, in the long run, through the epigenetic reprogramming of host cell genomes, contribute to the malignant conversion of formerly healthy cells, in many cases preceded by the establishment of an epigenetic field of cancerization. The present volume undertakes to highlight the interactions of infectious pathogens and their effector molecules with the epigenetic regulatory machinery of the cell. Clearly, the recent take-off of epigenetics research did not leave Research on Infectious Diseases and Infection-Associated Cancer untouched. This resulted in a great many of clinically relevant data on understanding the molecular mechanisms of chronic infectious disease. Infectious pathogen- and disease-specific epigenetic alterations are already being used for the early detection of malignant disease and for the prediction of chemotherapy resistance or response to treatment.

Microorganisms are capable of producing a wide variety of biopolymers. Homopolymer peptides, which are made up of only a single type of amino acid, are far less ubiquitous. The only two amino-acid homopolymers known to occur in nature are presented in this volume. Poly-epsilon-L-lysine is a polycationic peptide and exhibits antimicrobial activity against a wide spectrum of microorganisms. It is both safe and biodegradable and is therefore used as a food preservative in several countries. In addition, there has been great interest in medical and other applications of poly-lysine and its derivatives. In contrast, poly-gamma-glutamic acid is an unusual anionic polypeptide. It is also water soluble, biodegradable, edible, non-toxic and non-immunogenic and can be chemically modified to introduce various drugs. These features are very useful for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Poly-glutamic acid is also a highly attractive as a food ingredient.