Host Cell Remodelling and Protein Trafficking from Silvia Haase, Hayley E. Bullen, Sarah C. Charnaud, Brendan S. Crabb, Paul R. Gilson and Tania F. de Koning Ward writing in Malaria Parasites: Comparative Genomics, Evolution and Molecular Biology : Inside their respective vertebrate hosts, Plasmodium spp spend most of their life residing within hepatocytes and erythrocytes, with large-scale infection of the latter responsible for the clinical symptoms associated with malaria. These parasites extensively remodel these host cells for a variety read more ...

Helicobacter pylori Transcriptional Network from Alberto Danielli and Vincenzo Scarlato writing in Bacterial Gene Regulation and Transcriptional Networks : The human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori appears to enroll only 17 transcriptional regulators to transduce environmental signals into coordinated output expression of the genome. We show that the low number of transcriptional regulators, together with the large body of molecular tools, set H. pylori as appealing model organism to characterize transcriptional network structures read more ...

Genomic Approaches to Reconstructing Transcriptional Networks from Stephen J. W. Busby and Stephen D. Minchin writing in Bacterial Gene Regulation and Transcriptional Networks : The traditional methods for discovering transcriptional regulatory networks in bacteria, based on genetics and biochemistry, are now being replaced by high throughput pan-genome methods. Experimental approaches include methods involving RNA or methods based on the direct observation of transcription factors. This review places the new methods in context and discusses read more ...

Genome-based and Functional Differentiation: Hallmarks of Microbial Adaptation, Divergence and Speciation? from Paul Wilmes writing in Microbial Ecological Theory: Current Perspectives : The recent application of high-throughput molecular biology methods to natural microbial communities is profoundly changing our view on the microbial world. In particular, our understanding of microbial population-level differentiation involved in ecological adaptation that leads to microbial divergence and speciation has been profoundly altered. Numerous read more ...

Excerpt from a book review of Essentials of Veterinary Parasitology : "a nice instructional resource for both veterinary students and veterinary technology students. Although it may be viewed as a little more involved than is necessary for students studying veterinary technology it is quite informative and educational for those wanting to go the extra mile in their education ... Throughout this book, excellent pictures and diagrams are shown of various parasites from the microscopic perspective as well as gross examination of an animal. read more ...

Thomas Proft presents a new book on Bacterial Toxins: Genetics, Cellular Biology and Practical Applications This timely volume serves as an update on the most important recent advances in the genetics, cellular biology and practical applications of the most important bacterial toxins. Written by internationally respected scientists from eight different countries, topics reviewed include: the molecular basis and risk factors for verotoxin pathogenesis; molecular mechanisms of Helicobacter pylori CagA translocation and function; structure and read more ...

Daren W. Brown and Robert H. Proctor present a new book on Fusarium : Genomics, Molecular and Cellular Biology In this book, an international group of researchers critically reviews the most important current research on the genomics and molecular and cellular biology of Fusarium . The opening chapter provides a fascinating introduction to the organism. Subsequent chapters deal with: sex and fruiting; genome structural dynamics; molecular genetics and genomic approaches to study pathogenesis in wheat; proteomic analysis of the fungus-host read more ...

Genome Diversity and Applications in Genetic Studies of the Human Malaria Parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax from Sittiporn Pattaradilokrat, Jianbing Mu, Philip Awadalla, and Xin-zhuan Su writing in Malaria Parasites: Comparative Genomics, Evolution and Molecular Biology : The publication of the genomes of the human malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax has provided the foundation for developing high-throughput methods for systematic investigation into genomic variability in parasite populations. read more ...

Genetic Recombination in Neurospora crassa from David E. A. Catcheside, Frederick J. Bowring and P. Jane Yeadon writing in Neurospora : Genomics and Molecular Biology : Beadle and Tatum's selection of Neurospora to test the hypothesis that genes encode proteins was strongly influenced by the life cycle of this filamentous fungus, which is particularly amenable to genetic experiments. Pertinent features for the student of recombination include two mating types and a mitotic division following meiosis prior to spore formation, yielding an read more ...

Gene Survival in Emergent Genomes from M. Pilar Francino writing in Horizontal Gene Transfer in Microorganisms : As genome sequences have accumulated for closely related bacteria, our view of bacterial genomes has radically changed. Genome comparisons have demonstrated that little 16S sequence divergence can be accompanied by large differences in total gene repertoire, and even populations of a single 16S rRNA species are made up of vast numbers of genomic varieties. Much of the observed variation among closely related genomes is read more ...

Functional Genomics of Plasmodium Parasites from Zbynek Bozdech and Peter R. Preiser writing in Malaria Parasites: Comparative Genomics, Evolution and Molecular Biology : Over the last decade, functional genomics of Plasmodium species uncovered many new insights into gene and protein expression that characterizes both the growth and multiplication of malaria parasites in their natural hosts. Genome- and proteome-wide technologies provided new insights into the physiology of all major developmental stages as well as many regulatory mechanisms read more ...

Function and Regulation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Efflux Pumps from Yaramah M. Zalucki, Alexandra D. Mercante, Jason M. Cloward, Elizabeth A. Ohneck, Justin L. Kandler, Maira Goytia, Paul J.T. Johnson and William M. Shafer writing in Microbial Efflux Pumps: Current Research : The export action of efflux pumps is a nearly universal mechanism used by bacteria to escape the action of toxic compounds in their environment. Antimicrobials faced by bacteria include various biocides (natural or synthetic) and classical antibiotics used in therapy of read more ...

Former Chlor-alkali Factory in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan: Mercury Pollution, Treatment Options, and Results of Post-demercurization Monitoring from Mikhail A. Ilyushchenko,, Vladimir Y. Panichkin, Paul Randall, and Rustam I. Kamberov writing in Bioremediation of Mercury: Current Research and Industrial Applications : In 1975, a mercury cell chlor-alkali facility in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan began operations. This facility is located at the Pavlodar Chemical Plant (PCP) and began operations when mercury cell technology was at its peak in the former read more ...

Extracellular Proteins and DNA in the Matrix of Oral Biofilms from Nicholas S. Jakubovics writing in Oral Microbial Ecology: Current Research and New Perspectives : A core component of microbial biofilms is the extracellular matrix, which binds together the assembled micro-organisms and regulates the passage of small molecules to and from cells. The scaffolding of the matrix is composed of biological macromolecules including carbohydrates, nucleic acids and proteins. The production and function of extracellular polysaccharides in oral read more ...

Exploitation of Host Cell Cycle Regulatory Pathways by HCMV from Deborah H. Spector writing in Cytomegaloviruses: From Molecular Pathogenesis to Intervention : Successful replication of HCMV requires the deployment of multiple approaches to commandeer the host cell machinery and create a cellular milieu that is optimal for viral gene expression, DNA replication, and formation of infectious progeny. The complex regulatory network that drives cell cycle progression provides a rich source of factors that can be co-opted and combined in read more ...

Experimental Evolution of Rhabdoviruses from Isabel S. Novella and John B. Presloid writing in Rhabdoviruses: Molecular Taxonomy, Evolution, Genomics, Ecology, Host-Vector Interactions, Cytopathology and Control : Rhabdoviruses have been preferred models for studies on the evolution of RNA viruses. Experiments in the laboratory can seldom, if ever, reproduce the complexity of natural environments, but because we can control and manipulate individual components, we can assess how each of these components affects (or not) viral evolution, read more ...

Evolution of Prokaryotic Pangenomes from Florent Lassalle and Vincent Daubin writing in Horizontal Gene Transfer in Microorganisms : Since the discovery of the two ancient "kingdoms" of Bacteria and Archaea, molecular biologists have been constantly revising their perception of the abundance and variety of microbial life, and the processes driving their evolution. In the last years, genome sequences from closely related species and strains of the same species have revealed a yet unforeseen diversity of gene repertoires, much larger than read more ...

Excerpt from a book review of Metagenomics: Theory, Methods and Applications : "This book edited by Diana Marco highlights the current state of the art of metagenomics and introduces the reader to recent advances in this field. More than twenty international experts have contributed chapters covering a very broad range of topics. The topics addressed extend from theoretical questions (such as the concepts of metagenomics, its integration with other approaches in life sciences or sequence data management) to metagenomic studies of various read more ...

Essential Two-component Systems of Gram-positive Bacteria from Hendrik Szurmant writing in Two-Component Systems in Bacteria : The YycF/YycG two-component signal transduction system has become an enigma since its initial discovery as the only signal transduction system essential for viability in Bacillus subtilis , Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae . Conserved across the low G+C Gram-positives, over a decade worth of dedicated molecular investigations have identified some of the factors that control the YycG kinase activity read more ...

Essential or Atypical Two-component Systems and Signaling Networks from writing in Two-Component Systems in Bacteria : Further reading: Two-Component Systems in read more ...

Epigenetic Regulation of Human Cytomegalovirus Gene Expression: Impact on Latency and Reactivation from Matthew Reeves and John Sinclair writing in Cytomegaloviruses: From Molecular Pathogenesis to Intervention : The myeloid lineage is now accepted to be an important site in vivo for the carriage of latent HCMV genomes, but the mechanisms underlying how the latent state is maintained and how latent virus reactivates are still far from clear. In this review, we discuss how analyses of promoter binding proteins and post-translational read more ...

Epidemiology, Virulence Genes, and Reservoirs of Enteropathogenic Yersinia species from Riikka Laukkanen-Ninios and Maria Fredriksson-Ahomaa writing in Foodborne and Waterborne Bacterial Pathogens: Epidemiology, Evolution and Molecular Biology : Enteropathogenic yersiniosis is caused due to foodborne infection with Yersinia enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis . Several virulence factors have been identified that are common to these two pathogens even though Y. pseudotuberculosis is genetically more related to Y. pestis , which is read more ...

Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Ecology and Genetics of Listeria monocytogenes from Sangmi Lee, Robin M. Siletzky and Sophia Kathariou writing in Foodborne and Waterborne Bacterial Pathogens: Epidemiology, Evolution and Molecular Biology : Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive foodborne pathogen that causes a severe, potentially fatal illness (listeriosis) in animals and humans. The only human pathogen within the genus Listeria , this bacterium is equipped with sophisticated mechanisms to invade mammalian cells and proliferate read more ...

The new book on Real-Time PCR in Food Science edited by David Rodríguez-Lázaro will be available for dispatch within the next 2 or 3 read more ...

Excerpt from a book review of Neurospora : Genomics and Molecular Biology : "This new wide-ranging work aims to distil the most important findings and provide snapshots of the current research landscape ... and does that by bringing together leading researchers on different aspects of the genetics of this fascinating fungus ... very much a state-of-the-art review of Neurospora genetics, the depth of understanding achieved and complexity revealed can only be marvelled at. This synthesis will undoubtedly also be of value to those working in read more ...

Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Genetics of Diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli Infections from T. Ramamurthy and M. John Albert writing in Foodborne and Waterborne Bacterial Pathogens: Epidemiology, Evolution and Molecular Biology : There are five categories of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) namely enterotoxigenic, enteropathogenic, enterohaemorrhagic, enteroinvasive and enteroaggregative. They have evolved from nonpathogenic commensal strains by acquisition of specific virulence genes through mobile genetic elements. Their pathogenesis read more ...

Epidemiology, Molecular Biology and Detection of Foodborne Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections from Marie Yeung and Kathryn J. Boor writing in Foodborne and Waterborne Bacterial Pathogens: Epidemiology, Evolution and Molecular Biology : As a natural inhabitant of the marine environment, Vibrio parahaemolyticus is frequently present in seafood, and particularly in oysters. V. parahaemolyticus can multiply rapidly under favorable conditions, but also may exist in a viable but non-culturable state under unfavorable conditions. A small subset of read more ...

Excerpt from a book review of Borrelia : Molecular Biology, Host Interaction and Pathogenesis : "an excellent resource for history, disease manifestations, basic biology ... a useful resource for information on general topics, such as symptoms of diseases, history, or basic bacterial physiology ... a helpful read" from Brian Stevenson (University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA) writing in Q. Rev. Biol. (2012) 87: read more ...

Excerpt from a book review of The Biology of Paramyxoviruses : "... the editor has compiled an encyclopedic reference that encompasses almost every known member of the Paramyxoviridae family ... this volume is not only timely, it is a testament to the remarkable progress we have made in studying this challenging family of viruses ... I recommend that The Biology of Paramyxoviruses be in all biomedical libraries; this volume will certainly find a welcome spot in my personal one." from Benhur Lee (University of California, Los Angeles, USA) read more ...

Epidemiology and Molecular Pathogenesis of Vibrio vulnificus from Iddya Karunasagar and Anusha Rohit writing in Foodborne and Waterborne Bacterial Pathogens: Epidemiology, Evolution and Molecular Biology : Vibrio vulnificus is a normal inhabitant of warm estuarine environments all over the world and may be associated with a wide variety of seafood. In susceptible individuals with underlying liver disease, diabetes or other immunocompromised condition and consuming raw seafood, the organism can cause primary septicaemia with a mortality rate read more ...

Epidemiology and Molecular Biology of Vibrio cholerae from Shah M. Faruque and John J. Mekalanos writing in Foodborne and Waterborne Bacterial Pathogens: Epidemiology, Evolution and Molecular Biology : Vibrio cholerae belonging to O1 and O139 seropgroups cause cholera, a life-threatening diarrhoeal disease, which spreads through consumption of water and food contaminated with the pathogen. Other serogroups of V. cholerae are also occasionally associated with mild to moderate enteric infections. Although V. cholerae is a human pathogen, the read more ...