Microbiology Books

from Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists: Microbiology news and views to help the busy scientist keep up-to-date on current research, forthcoming conferences, hot research topics, high impact publications, and much more.

Microbiology Books

Theoretical Ecology of Microbes

by Lesley A. Ogilvie and Penny R. Hirsch

The vast explosion of high-resolution molecular data in the past few years has provided an unprecedented glimpse into the microbial world - with tantalizing results. Thus, the time is right to delve deeper into the ever-increasing knowledge base on this unseen majority. Born out of a desire to provide further insight into this accumulating wealth of data, the book synthesizes current view points and knowledge on the topic of microbial ecological theory. We have assembled a collection of essays by a diverse group of well-respected scientists who merge the boundaries of ecology and microbiology, to explore some of the central tenets of macro-ecological theory with a microbial perspective. The contributors explore the mainstays of macro-ecology asking questions such as 'Are microbes everywhere?' and 'Does a microbial species concept exist?', as well as showing how high-resolution molecular data are informing and underpinning the evolution of microbial ecological theory. What becomes apparent is how the application of macro-ecological theory to the microbial world is not only enhancing our understanding of microbial ecology but also providing a reference point for the development of new theories.

Written for graduate students and academic researchers, the book aims to stir crossdisciplinary thinking and provide direction and perspective on the still fledgling field of microbial ecological theory.

Lesley A Ogilvie is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Brighton, UK. Her research is focused on microbial ecology, specifically the connection between gut microbial community structure and functioning and the onset and progression of disease. Penny R Hirsch leads a research group at Rothamsted Research, supported by BBSRC funding. Her interests include the microbial ecology of soils and plants, in particular those related to improving the sustainability of food production.

Lesley A. Ogilvie and Penny R. Hirsch

Available from Microbial Ecological Theory

Microbial Stress Response

Every living organism must cope with environmental changes that may represent stress situations, including elevated temperature, chemical stress or oxidative injury. Cells respond to stress stimuli through coordinated changes in gene expression, leading to the synthesis of specialized molecules that counteract the deleterious environmental insults. Bacteria and eukaryotic microorganisms are very useful for studying the stress response and its regulation as they have developed systems to constantly monitor the changing environment. One group of organisms that is subjected to dramatic environmental challenges throughout their life cycle, including large changes in temperature, availability of nutrients and exposure to host immune defenses, is the pathogenic microorganisms. For pathogenic bacteria and parasites that are transmitted from the environment (or by invertebrate vectors) to mammalian hosts, sudden changes in pH, osmotic pressure and temperature occur. Additionally, inside the body, invading microorganisms soon encounter the innate and adaptive defenses. The pathogens, as a group, have evolved a variety of mechanisms to circumvent the otherwise lethal effects of these defenses. On the other hand, pathogenic microorganisms have integrated the stress response into their life cycles, in which stress signalling pathways and the selfsame stress proteins play specific functions in the differentiation programme.

Stress Response in Microbiology comprises 17 excellent chapters, each one dedicated to a particular microorganism or group of microorganisms; most of the selected organisms represent important health threats for humans. With its coverage of a broad range of model organisms, the book gives a complete overview of the stress response in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms, providing detailed information for researchers, as well as for teachers and students in the fields of microbiology and parasitology. The chapter authors, among the best in their respective fields, have done an excellent job of synthesizing data from numerous studies and making the book a well-referenced work. Thus, we hope that this work will serve as an informative resource for researchers and students at all levels.

The first chapter provides a complete description of the cell envelope stress responses and the stress-sensing regulatory systems, mainly in Gram-negative bacteria. Chapter 2 gives an overview on the stress responses in several pathogenic species of the genus Streptococcus; acid, oxidative and nutritional stresses are presented here in depth. Chapter 3 is devoted to oxidative and nitrosative defenses in pathogenic Neisseria species. In addition, the authors have included detailed information about biologically relevant oxidants and the chemical reactions involving oxidants in biological systems that are of considerable basic scientific interest. The relationship between stress response and virulence in the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is the main focus of Chapter 4. Chapter 5 focuses on current knowledge and research activity about low-temperature adaptation of the spore former and human pathogen Bacillus cereus. Chapter 6 gives a complete overview of the main stress response mechanisms employed by Salmonella for survival in nutrient-limited conditions and during osmotic and acid stress exposure. In the next chapter, devoted to Yersinia, the authors review the responses of this pathogen to heat and cold shocks, encounter with macrophages and macrophage-like conditions. Also, the extracytoplasmic stress responses are covered in detail in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 describes how the stress response systems are vitally important for the vibrios to successfully establish in the host. Chapter 9 describes the function of the major stress proteins within mycobacteria, paying special attention to the interaction between the bacterial heat shock proteins and the host's cellmediated immune response. Chapter 10 focuses on the types of stresses that mycoplasmas encounter in vivo, such as heat shock, oxidative stress, osmolarity shifts, hormone exposure, iron deprivation and biofilm formation. In Chapter 11, the authors describe the different mechanisms used by model yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, as well as the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans, to sense and transduce stress signals to stressactivated protein kinases pathways in response to osmotic, heat and oxidative stresses. Among eukaryotic microorganisms, one group that is subjected to dramatic environmental changes throughout their complex life cycle are the parasitic protozoa, which are the focus of the remaining chapters. Chapter 12 summarizes the current knowledge about the responses of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum to a variety of stresses: drug treatments, changes in temperature and elevation of oxidative stress. Chapter 13 summarizes the recent findings on the Toxoplasma gondii stress responses and the implication of these processes in the biology and pathogenesis of this parasite. The focus of Chapter 14 is the stress response in Leishmania, containing a comprehensive view on the implications of the stress response in parasite survival, in cytodifferentiation and in apoptotic processes. Chapter 15 reviews the components of the Trypanosoma cruzi stress response with emphasis on its relevance to the parasite biology and to Chagas' disease transmission, pathogenesis and treatment. In Chapter 16, the authors have compiled the most significant molecular and biological aspects related to the mechanisms and components of the stress response of T. brucei to adapt and survive in the bloodstream of mammals. The final chapter, devoted to Entamoeba histolytica, gives special emphasis to the oxidative and nitrosative stresses experienced by this protozoan parasite.

Jose M. Requena

This book is available now, please see Stress Response in Microbiology

Flaviviruses review

Excerpt from a book review of Molecular Virology and Control of Flaviviruses:
"a valuable reference for experienced researchers ... This well-designed book covers the important new scientific data on pathogenic flaviviruses and will serve as a valuable resource for investigators working on methods to prevent disease from these viruses." from Rebecca T. Horvat (University of Kansas, USA) writing in Doodys read more ...

Molecular Virology and Control of Flaviviruses

Edited by: Pei-Yong Shi
ISBN: 978-1-904455-92-9
Publisher: Caister Academic Press
Publication Date: January 2012
Cover: hardback

"a valuable resource" (Doodys)

Small DNA Tumour Viruses book available very soon

The new book on Small DNA Tumour Viruses edited by Kevin Gaston will be available for dispatch within the next 2 or 3 weeks read more ...

Small DNA Tumour Viruses

Edited by: Kevin Gaston
ISBN: 978-1-904455-99-8
Publisher: Caister Academic Press
Publication Date: March 2012
Cover: hardback