The Prokaryotes

Springer's multi-volume set on the prokaryotes now extends its leading position as the authority on the subject in this fourth, updated edition. This second volume of the multi-authored, peer-reviewed work covers prokaryotic ecophysiology and biology.

The Prokaryotes is a comprehensive, multi-authored, peer reviewed reference work on Bacteria and Achaea. This fourth edition of The Prokaryotes is organized to cover all taxonomic diversity, using the family level to delineate chapters. Different from other resources, this new Springer product includes not only taxonomy, but also prokaryotic biology and technology of taxa in a broad context. Technological aspects highlight the usefulness of prokaryotes in processes and products, including biocontrol agents and as genetics tools. The content of the expanded fourth edition is divided into two parts: Part 1 contains review chapters dealing with the most important general concepts in molecular, applied and general prokaryote biology; Part 2 describes the known properties of specific taxonomic groups. Two completely new sections have been added to Part 1: bacterial communities and human bacteriology. The bacterial communities section reflects the growing realization that studies on pure cultures of bacteria have led to an incomplete picture of the microbial world for two fundamental reasons: the vast majority of bacteria in soil, water and associated with biological tissues are currently not culturable, and that an understanding of microbial ecology requires knowledge on how different bacterial species interact with each other in their natural environment. The new section on human microbiology deals with bacteria associated with healthy humans and bacterial pathogenesis. Each of the major human diseases caused by bacteria is reviewed, from identifying the pathogens by classical clinical and non-culturing techniques to the biochemical mechanisms of the disease process. The 4th edition of The Prokaryotes is the most complete resource on the biology of prokaryotes.

The most complete resource on the biology of prokaryotes Represents molecular, applied and general prokaryotic biology, bacterial communities, and human bacteriology Covers all taxonomic diversity using the family level to delineate chapters

Autorentext

Eugene Rosenberg, Professor of Microbiology at Tel Aviv University, Israel

Edward F. DeLong, Professor at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering & Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

Stephen Lory, Professor at Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

Erko Stackebrandt, German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany

Fabiano Thompson, Professor at Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Inhalt

Preface.- Foreword.-About the Editors.- List of Contributors.- (Section 1) Prokaryotic Communities.- The Structure and Function of Microbial Communities.- Overview: Quantitative and Theoretical Microbial Population Biology.- Structure and Function of Prokaryotic Communities in Soils of Polar and High-Elevation Deserts.- Plant Rhizosphere Microbial Communities.- Tropical Soil Bacterial Communities.- Freshwater Microbial Communities.- Pelagic Prokaryotic Communities Inhabiting Marine Oxygen Minimum Zones.- Marine Deep Sediment Microbial Communities.- Sea-Ice Microbiology.- Coral Reef Microbial Communities.- (Section 2) Ecophysiology: Planktonic Versus Sessile Life of Prokaryotes .- The Phototrophic Way of Life.- The Anaerobic Way of Life.- The Chemolithotrophic Prokaryotes.- Bacterial Swimming Behavior.- Prokaryotic Life Cycles.- Life at High Temperatures.- Life at Low Temperatures.- Life at High Salt Concentrations.- Prokaryotic Alkaliphiles.- Syntrophism Among Prokaryotes.- Quorum Sensing.- Cell-Cell Interactions in Swarming and in Fruiting Body Development.