Bacillus Subtilis And Other Gram Positive Bacteria

This book describes the structures and functions of active protein filaments, found in bacteria and archaea, and now known to perform crucial roles in cell division and intra-cellular motility, as well as being essential for controlling cell shape and growth. These roles are possible because the cytoskeletal and cytomotive filaments provide long range order from small subunits. Studies of these filaments are therefore of central importance to understanding prokaryotic cell biology. The wide variation in subunit and polymer structure and its relationship with the range of functions also provide important insights into cell evolution, including the emergence of eukaryotic cells. Individual chapters, written by leading researchers, review the great advances made in the past 20-25 years, and still ongoing, to discover the architectures, dynamics and roles of filaments found in relevant model organisms. Others describe one of the families of dynamic filaments found in many species. The most common types of filament are deeply related to eukaryotic cytoskeletal proteins, notably actin and tubulin that polymerise and depolymerise under the control of nucleotide hydrolysis. Related systems are found to perform a variety of roles, depending on the organisms. Surprisingly, prokaryotes all lack the molecular motors associated with eukaryotic F-actin and microtubules. Archaea, but not bacteria, also have active filaments related to the eukaryotic ESCRT system. Non-dynamic fibres, including intermediate filament-like structures, are known to occur in some bacteria.. Details of known filament structures are discussed and related to what has been established about their molecular mechanisms, including current controversies. The final chapter covers the use of some of these dynamic filaments in Systems Biology research. The level of information in all chapters is suitable both for active researchers and for advanced students in courses involving bacterial or archaeal physiology, molecular microbiology, structural cell biology, molecular motility or evolution. Chapter 3 of this book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.

This book focuses on the envelope of Gram-positive bacteria including its composition, the latest discoveries in the mechanisms behind its assembly, and its role in pathogenesis. Furthermore, new applications in biotechnology and vaccine development involving these bacteria are discussed in detail. This concise volume consists of eleven chapters by prominent experts in the field, which review the latest findings and current state of knowledge on a range of diverse yet interlinked aspects. This book is written for all researchers, clinicians and technicians engaged in basic or applied science projects on Gram-positive bacteria.

The genus Bacillw; has a long history of importance, both from an economic point of view and as a source of experimental microorganisms. This volume critically reviews aspects of identification, molecular biology, and growth that are of impor tance for the current and anticipated future exploitation of members of this group. In addition, the volume includes a chapter on taxonomy, as the importance of good taxonomy is often not fully appreciated; on sporulation, since so many important products are produced concomitantly with this process and we are beginning to understand the mechanisms by which the process is controlled; and, finally, on the cell envelope, as we are only just beginning to appreciate the significance of dif ferences between the cell walls of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria for productivity and processing. The commercial importance of Bacillus lies mainly in the area of enzyme pro duction for the food, drink, and detergent markets. Increasingly, however, the ability of Bacillus to secrete proteins, coupled with its regulatory acceptability, has resulted in strenuous efforts to develop species of Bacillus as hosts for the produc tion of value-added heterologous proteins. Difficulties have often been encoun tered, indicating a need to divert more resources to improving our understanding of the molecular biology of members of this grou p. Experience with Escherichia coli, a far from ideal organism from a commercial point of view, suggests that an in creased investment in Bacillus is likely ultimately to be productive.

Focusing on issues of gene organization, regulation, and evolution in the context of the whole life of the cell, this new volume complements the editors' classic 1993 volume Bacillus subtilis and Other Gram-Positive Bacteria. Building upon the previous edition, Bacillus subtilis and Its Closest Relatives contains an updated annotation of the complete B. subtilis genome and includes a unique compilation of major pathways of metabolism and macromolecular synthesis, correlating genes and proteins and assigning new functions to many genes. It also provides clear explanations of the major regulatory mechanisms that are unique to gram-positive bacteria as well as an overview of their special properties. This essential reference offers detailed, current information and is valuable reading for microbiologists, biotechnologists, and students.

The Flagellar World is a unique publication. The product of years of research and data collection by the author, this book is a pictorial guide to flagella in a variety of organisms. Each EM image is accompanied by a short description of the system in each organism. These never-before-seen pictures represent a wide variety of flagella, including Legionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and many others. Researchers in microbiology, immunology, and parasitology will find this a fascinating and useful resource. A unique publication with many never before seen EM images of flagella A historical document of years of research on flagella Fills a specific niche that shows flagella in several varied organisms

The latest volume in the Advanced Biotechnology series provides an overview of the main production hosts and platform organisms used today as well as promising future cell factories in a two volume book. Alongside describing tools for genetic and metabolic engineering for strain improvement, the authors also impart topical information on computational tools, safety aspects and industrial-scale production. Following an introduction to general concepts, historical developments and future technologies, the text goes on to cover multi-purpose bacterial cell factories, including those organisms that exploit anaerobic biosynthetic power. Further chapters deal with microbes used for the production of high-value natural compounds and those obtained from alternative raw material sources, concluding with eukaryotic workhorses. Of interest to biotechnologists and microbiologists, as well as those working in the biotechnological, chemical, food and pharmaceutical industries.The latest volume in the Advanced Biotechnology series provides an overview of the main production hosts and platform organisms used today as well as promising future cell factories in a two volume book. Alongside describing tools for genetic and metabolic engineering for strain improvement, the authors also impart topical information on computational tools, safety aspects and industrial-scale production. Following an introduction to general concepts, historical developments and future technologies, the text goes on to cover multi-purpose bacterial cell factories, including those organisms that exploit anaerobic biosynthetic power. Further chapters deal with microbes used for the production of high-value natural compounds and those obtained from alternative raw material sources, concluding with eukaryotic workhorses. Of interest to biotechnologists and microbiologists, as well as those working in the biotechnological, chemical, food and pharmaceutical industries.

Concise chapters, written by experts in the field, cover a wide spectrum of topics on lipid and membrane formation in microbes (Archaea, Bacteria, eukaryotic microbes).All cells are delimited by a lipid membrane, which provides a crucial boundary in any known form of life. Readers will discover significant chapters on microbial lipid-carrying biomolecules and lipid/membrane-associated structures and processes.