Yeasts are the world’s premier industrial micro-organisms. In addition to their wide exploitation in the production of foods, beverages and pharmaceuticals, yeasts also play significant roles as model eukaryotic cells in furthering our knowledge in the biological and biomedical sciences. In order for modern biotechnology to fully exploit the activities of yeasts, it is essential to appreciate aspects of yeast cell physiology. In recent years, however, our knowledge of yeast physiological phenomena has lagged behind that of yeast genetics and molecular biology. Yeast Physiology and Biotechnology redresses the balance by linking key aspects of yeast physiology with yeast biotechnology. Individual chapters provide broad and timely coverage of yeast cytology, nutrition, growth and metabolism - important aspects of yeast cell physiology which are pertinent to the practical uses of yeasts in industry. The final chapter reviews traditional, modern and emerging biotechnologies in which roles of yeasts in the production of industrial commodities and their value in biomedical research are fully discussed. Relevant aspects of classical and modern yeast genetics and molecular biology are fully integrated into the appropriate chapters. This up-to-date and fully referenced book is aimed at advanced undergraduate and postgraduate bioscience students,but will also prove to be a valuable source of information for yeast researchers and technologists.

This volume is the first guide to identify mushroom species not commonly classified or illustrated elsewhere in current literature. The book, which will serve as a companion to other popular field guides, shows how to distinguish lesser-known mushrooms from other common fungi. Found in a variety of habitats in North America, each species has an accurate and up-to-date description, a color illustration, and detailed information on its distinctive species characteristics. The book is written for the amateur and professional mycologist alike. Anyone, however, who is interested in collecting mushrooms will find it a valuable contribution to the field.

A practical field guide to the common lichens found in the northeastern megalopolis, including New York City, Toronto, Boston/New Haven, Philadelphia, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., and as far west as Chicago "A must-read for all who seek the wonders and diversity of nature in the city. Accessible, clear, and packed with invitations to curiosity."-David George Haskell, author and winner of The John Burroughs Medal forThe Songs of Trees Lichens are dynamic, symbiotic organisms formed by close cooperation between fungi and algae. There are over 20,000 identified species performing essential ecosystem services worldwide. Extremely sensitive to air pollution, they have returned to cities from which they were absent for decades until the air became cleaner. This guide is the first to introduce urban naturalists to over 60 of the common lichens now found in cities and urban areas throughout northeastern North America--in parks and schoolyards, on streets, and in open spaces. Divided into three sections -- lichen basics, including their biology, chemistry, morphology, and role in human history; species accounts and descriptions; and an illustrated glossary, index, and references for further reading -- the book aims to connect city dwellers and visitors with the natural world around them. The descriptions, exquisite photographs, and line drawings will enable users to enter the hidden world of lichens.

Australia is world-renowned for its often extraordinary and unique natural environment - including many of its plants and animals. This beautiful little book highlights an often overlooked, but just as remarkable, aspect of our natural world: Australia's fungi. Many are brightly colored, some fluorescent; some are elegant, others squat; some are fragrant, more still are highly toxic. This field guide showcases many of these species in all their splendor.

Mushrooms in the wild present an enticing challenge: some are delicious, others deadly, still others take on almost unbelievable forms. This field guide introduces 650 mushrooms found in the Carolinas-more than 50 of them appearing in a field guide for the first time-using clear language and color photographs to reveal their unique features. What's included: Hundreds of full color photographs of Carolina mushrooms Information on mushroom edibility and toxicity Microscopic information An overview of the Carolinas' role in the history of American mycology Perfect for those interested in learning more about mushrooms, the unusually large number of described species makes this book a must-have for experienced mushroom hunters as well as beginners. Here, at last, is the field guide for North and South Carolina mushrooms, from the mountains to the coast, presented in a single, portable volume.

The weather patterns and topography of America's Gulf Coast create favorable growing conditions for thousands of species of mushrooms, but the complete region has generally gone uncharted when it comes to mycology. Mushrooms of the Gulf Coast States at last delivers an in-depth, high-quality, user-friendly field guide, featuring more than 1,000 common and lesser-known species-some of which are being illustrated in color for the first time. Using easily identifiable characteristics and a color key, the authors enable anyone, whether amateur mushroom hunter or professional mycologist, to discern and learn about the numerous species of mushrooms encountered in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Wild-food enthusiasts will appreciate the information on edibility or toxicity that accompanies each description, and they will also find the book's detailed instructions for collecting, cleaning, testing, preserving, and cooking wild mushrooms to be of great interest. Providing encyclopedic knowledge in a handy format that fits in a backpack, Mushrooms of the Gulf Coast States is a must-have for any mushroom lover.

The rhythm of life on Earth includes several strong themes contributed by Kingdom Fungi. So why are fungi ignored when theorists ponder the origin of life? Casting aside common theories that life originated in an oceanic primeval soup, in a deep, hot place, or even a warm little pond, this is a mycological perspective on the emergence of life on Earth. The author traces the crucial role played by the first biofilms - products of aerosols, storms, volcanic plumes and rainout from a turbulent atmosphere - which formed in volcanic caves 4 billion years ago. Moore describes how these biofilms contributed to the formation of the first prokaryotic cells, and later, unicellular stem eukaryotes, highlighting the role of the fungal grade of organisation in the evolution of higher organisms. Based on the latest research, this is a unique account of the origin of life and its evolutionary diversity to the present day.

Endophytic fungi are important biotechnological tools because they produce many secondary metabolites. However, to access this important source of bioactive molecules, it is essential to explore the diversity of endophytic fungi and catalog their species richness in different ecosystems. This book reviews the diversity, characterisation and biocontrol of endophytic fungi.

This book identifies all the species of slime molds one is likely to encounter, with extensive information on their structural features, distribution, and ecological associations. Superbly illustrated, including keys, it is an introduction to their biology as well as a field guide.

A detailed collection of the results obtained during the long history of the fungal protoplast work that has been published for different species. This overview is supplemented with research work into the improvement of biocontrol agents, carried out by the authors. Besides providing an overview of the literature, the book also acquaints one to practical conditions to carry out the work.

Thoroughly revised, this edition summarizes the field of fungal physiology from a dynamic, experimental perspective. Integrates molecular genetics with biochemistry and development of fungi. Reorganized into 14 chapters it describes the latest contemporary experimental approaches to fungal research as well as future developments.

The Pictorial Atlas of Soilborne Fungal Plant Pathogens and Diseases describes the soilborne fungal diseases caused by Oomycetes, Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, and Deuteromycetous (Anamorphic) fungi. Soilborne fungal diseases are significant as both environmental and agricultural problems, yet it is difficult to understand the ecology of pathogenic fungi and its effective control. This book provides very detailed information on many of the commonly and not so commonly encountered groups of soilborne fungi diseases. It will be a useful reference for those teaching and conducting research in mycology, plant pathology, soilborne plant diseases, and the ecology of fungal communities.

"...a number of chapters provide excellent summaries of the modern methods available for studying fungal ecology, along with those more traditional methods that are still extremely valuable...overall it is a hugely valuable compendium of fungal ecology research. It is a must for the library shelf." -Lynne Boddy, Cardiff University, UK, Mycological Research, 2006 "These 44 chapters are an excellent starting point for anyone interested in fungal communities, in the broadest sense of the term. It is a book for dipping into...may be the last comprehensive treatment of fungal communities before the molecular revolution." -Meriel Jones, University of Liverpool, UK, Microbiology Today "... the scope of the work is tremendous. ... Excellent chapters providing overviews of methods ... provide a snap shot of the current approaches used to understand fungal communities at several levels of organization. This book should probably be on the shelf of every student of mycology, and many ecologists too. For all students, this book should be a valuable resource and source of inspiration." -Daniel Henk, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London, in Inoculum, Vol. 59, No. 3, May 2008 "Thorough taxonomic and subject indices further aid the reader in navigating through multiple authors' treatments of subjects of interest." - Anthony Amend, Department of Botany, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Economic Botany, V. 61 In all subjects in science, new findings and the use of new technologies allow us to develop an ever-greater understanding of our world. Expanded and updated coverage in the fourth edition includes: Adds new sections on Integrating Genomics and Metagenomics into Community Analysis, Recent Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research, Fungi in the Built Environment, and Fungal Signaling and Communication Includes a broader treatment of fungal communities in natural ecosystems with in-depth coverage of fungal adaptations to stress and conservation Expands coverage of the influence of climate change on fungi and the role of fungi in organically polluted ecosystems Includes contributions from scientists from 20 nations to illustrate a true global approach for bridging gaps between ecological concepts and mycology

With high-quality genome sequences for the important and ubiquitous Aspergilli now available, increased opportunities arise for the further understanding of its gene function, interaction, expression, and evolution. The Aspergilli: Genomics, Medical Aspects, Biotechnology, and Research Methods provides a comprehensive analysis of the research that reveals the main biological attributes of these species. The co-editors are a particularly proficient and prolific pair with long track records of scientific productivity.

The book sets the stage with a discussion of basic biology, examining the data on the structure of genomes and comparing the genetic map and annotation methodology. It includes a comparison of metabolic abilities among different "Aspergillus spp." and other species, then covers areas such as comparative biology, pathogenic properties, and metabolic capabilities of the Aspergilli. The book reviews established techniques and new methodologies for the post-genomic erain "Aspergillus spp," It comes with a CD containing color illustrations to supplement the text.

Filling the need for centralized information on a genus that has important economic impacts on agriculture, human health, industry, and pharmacology, the book presents a wide range of data, collected and arranged into one convenient resource. Written by a team of international experts, this is the first in-depth and exhaustive analysis of the genomics of the Aspergilli.

The book begins with a chapter on Molecular Evolution and Phylogeny of mycorrhizas. Lucid discussions on cellular physiology, molecular genetics, and molecular regulation of nutrient exchange phenomenon in mycorrhizas form the core of this book. A comparative analysis of the molecular aspects of symbiosis and pathogenesis has been presented in detail. It also includes certain agriculturally useful aspects of disease control via mycorrhizas. Discussions on recent developments in molecular ecology of mycorrhizas, including most recently enunciated concepts such as ?nurse functions?, ?mycoheterotrophy? are provided in the book. Transformation, transgenics and genetic engineering of mycorrhizas is a unique and futuristic chapter. Applications of genetic engineering of mycorrhizas, as well as recently developed techniques of genetic transformation production of viable transgenic mycorrhizal fungi have been delineated. It will be useful to researchers/students involved in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Plant Bio

The final volume in a series for mycologists, microbiologists, biotechnologists, and others scientists, from advanced undergraduate to professional, who are concerned with fungal infection in medicine, agriculture, food, and industrial processes. Summarizes the current knowledge on the causal intera

Anemones and fish, ants and acacia trees, fungus and trees, buffaloes and oxpeckers--each of these unlikely duos is an inimitable partnership in which the species' coexistence is mutually beneficial. More specifically, they represent examples of defensive mutualism, when one species receives protection against predators or parasites in exchange for offering shelter or food to its partner species. Explores the Diverse Range of Defensive Mutualisms Involving Microbial Symbionts The past 20 years, since this phenomenon first began receiving attention, have been marked by a deluge of research in a variety of organism kingdoms and much has been discovered about this intriguing behavior. Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis includes basic ecological and biological information on defensive mutualisms, explores how they function, and evaluates how they have evolved. It also looks at the implications of symbiosis defensive compounds as a new frontier in bioexploration for drug and natural product discovery--the first book to explore this possibility. Chapters Written by Field Authorities The book expands the concept of defensive mutualisms to evaluate defense against environmental abiotic and biotic stresses. Addressing the topic of defensive mutualisms in microbial symbiosis across this wide spectrum, it includes chapters on defensive mutualistic associations involving multiple kingdoms of organisms in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems--plant, animal, fungi, bacteria, and protozoans. Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis unifies scattered findings into a single compendium, providing a valuable reference for field researchers and those in academia to assimilate and acquire a knowledgeable perspective on defensive mutualism, particularly those involving microbial partners.