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This book focuses on the regulation of transcription and translation in Archaea and arising insights into the evolution of RNA processing pathways. From synthesis to degradation and the implications of gene expression, it presents the current state of knowledge on archaeal RNA biology in 13 chapters. Topics covered include the modification and maturation of RNAs, the function of small non-coding RNAs and the CRISPR-Cas defense system. While Archaea have long been considered exotic microbial extremophiles, they are now increasingly being recognized as important model microorganisms for the study of molecular mechanisms conserved across the three domains of life, and with regard to the relevance of similarities and differences to eukaryotes and bacteria. This unique book offers a valuable resource for all readers interested in the regulation of gene expression in Archaea and RNA metabolism in general.

This book focusses on microbial physiology, biochemistry and genetics and provides the reader with detailed information on a number of microbial pathways. Insight into microbial biochemistry have allowed for the formulation of concepts that have 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 a description of the different layers that enclose the bacterial cytoplasm, and their role in obtaining nutrients from the outside media through different permeability mechanism, which are described in detail. A chapter is devoted to allostery, which is indispensable for the comprehension of many regulatory mechanisms described throughout the book. The second 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 regulation 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, nuclear magnetic resonance and cryo-electron microscopy have helped in presenting microbial metabolism as a highly multidisciplinary field of study.

One of the greatest public health achievements during the twentieth century was the dramatic reduction in the incidence of infectious diseases due to the development of improved hygiene, vaccines and antimicrobial agents. However, new infectious diseases are emerging and bacteria-induced illnesses, such as tuberculosis, whooping cough and typhoid fever, are still a major cause of global mortality. In recent decades the development of molecular biology and genetic tools has led to extensive studies on the molecular and cellular aspects of the virulence properties of pathogenic bacteria. In this book, a group of distinguished scientists from eight different countries and three continents, under the expert guidance of the editors Camille Locht and Michel Simonet, overview the molecular and cellular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis. The fifteen chapters are organized into five sections: approaches to the study of bacterial pathogenesis; bacterial adhesion to the cell surface and extracellular matrix of host tissues; poisoning the host by toxins; cellular invasion by bacterial pathogens; and bacterial evasion of host defences. The authors comprehensively describe the most relevant and up-to-date information on pathogenic features across the bacterial world. Aimed at the entire scientific community from students to senior scientists and physicians, the book is relevant to a broad range of people interested in the mechanisms of bacterial infectious diseases and is a recommended text for all microbiology laboratories.

Bacterial polysaccharides represent a diverse range of macromolecules that include peptidoglycan, lipopolysaccharides, capsules and exopolysaccharides; compounds whose functions range from structural cell-wall components (eg peptidoglycan), and important virulence factors (eg Poly-N-acetylglucosamine in S. aureus), to permitting the bacterium to survive in harsh environments (eg Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the human lung). Polysaccharide biosynthesis is a tightly regulated, energy intensive process and understanding the subtle interplay between the regulation and energy conservation, polymer modification and synthesis, and the external ecological functions is a huge area of research. The potential benefits are enormous and should enable for example the development of novel antibacterial strategies (eg new antibiotics and vaccines) and the commercial exploitation to develop novel applications. In this timely book a cohort of experienced and authoritative experts review the most important innovations in research on and biotechnological applications of bacterial polysaccharides. The book takes an interdisciplinary view that examines this fascinating subject area in detail from molecular biology, genome-, transcriptome- and proteome-wide perspectives, and looks at the ecological aspects and systems biology approaches. Hence the book provides a sound basis for future research directions including high efficiency applications of bacterial polysaccharides in medicine, the food industry, and renewable energy production. Topics include: peptidoglycan, lipopolysaccharide, arabinogalactan, capsule gene expression in Escherichia coli, immune response to polysaccharides, polysaccharides from periodontopathic bacteria, role in dental plaque, biofilms, levan, amylovoran and much more. Essential reading for everyone with an interest in bacterial polysaccharides, from the PhD student to the experienced scientist, as it provides a timely review of the current and most topical areas of research.

Microbes have evolved an impressive and diverse range of strategies to subvert the host immune system. Two major types of strategies exist. The first is the evasion of recognition by the host for example by using antigenic variation, masking of epitopes, the use of decoys, molecular mimicry, etc. The second is the modulation and/or suppression of the innate (e.g. complement, NK cells) and adaptive (e.g. antibodies) immune responses. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved is critical for the rational design of novel therapeutic agents and vaccines to treat and/or prevent infectious diseases. Another area of active research is the application of microbial immunomodulatory factors in the treatment of human immunological disorders (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease and asthma) and as sources of pharmacologically active agents. In this book internationally renowned scientists critically review the current cutting-edge research in this area. Topics covered include the subversion of complement, NK cell function, mucosal innate immune response, evasion/subversion mechanisms used by bacteria, helminths, viruses, and the measles model system. Containing over 1,700 references, this book is an essential resource book for researchers in the fields of microbiology, immunology, pharmacology and molecular medicine.

Microoganisms are distributed across every ecosystem, and microbial transformations are fundamental to the operation of the biosphere. Microbial ecology is the study of this interaction between microorganisms and their environment, and arguably represents one of the most important areas of biological research. Yet for many years our study of microbial flora was severely limited: the primary method of culturing microorganisms on media allowed us to study only between 0.1 and 10% of the total microbial flora in any given environment.Molecular Microbial Ecology gives a comprehensive guide to the recent revolution in the study of microorganisms in the environment. Details are given on molecular methods for isolating some of the previously uncultured and numerically dominant microbial groups. PCR-based approaches to studying prokaryotic systematics are described, including ribosomal RNA analysis and stable isotope probing. Later chapters cover DNA hybridisation techniques (including fluorescent in situ hybridisation), as well as genomic and metagenomic approaches to microbial ecology. Gathering together some of the world's leading experts, this book provides an invaluable introduction to the modern theory and molecular methods used in studying microbial ecology.

This highly researched yeast, which represents a system used by cell biologists, geneticists and molecular biologists, has been given only minimal coverage in the literature. Its properties make it an excellent organism for DNA and related biotechnology reseach. This book, which is the first attempt to collate existing information in one source, will be an invaluable aid to those initiating projects with this organism.