Cell Biology Of Bacteria

Often thought to lack signifucant internal organization by comparison with eukaryotic cells, prokaryotes have in face been shown to possess distinct intracellular compartments. The book covers all aspects of prokaryotic cell biology, including the bacterial cytoskeleton, membrance organization, chromosome dynamics, nucleic acid processing and dynamics, as well as various methods.

Bacillus subtilis is one of the best understood prokaryotes in terms of molecular biology and cell biology. Its superb genetic amenability and relatively large size have provided powerful tools to investigate a bacterium in all possible aspects. Recent improvements in technology have provided novel and amazing insights into the dynamic structure of this single cell organism. The organism is a model for differentiation, gene/protein regulation, and cell cycle events in bacteria. This book presents an overview of the most recent exciting new research fields and provides a picture of the major cytological aspects of a model bacterium. The authors present the most recent knowledge on topics, such as the replication and segregation of the chromosome, cell division, replication and growth, the cell cycle, transcription, translation, regulation, the actin cyctoskeleton, the cell membrane and cell wall, biofilm formation, and sporulation. Also covered are DNA repair, the regulation of transcription through RNA molecules, and the regulation of protein activity through proteolysis. The authors seamlessly merge the fields of bacterial cell biology and molecular biology to provide an integral view of the bacterial cell, providing an understanding of the way a bacterial cell functions as a whole entity and in 3D, i.e. how it is spatially organized, and even how bacterial cells communicate with each other, or give their life for the sake of the whole community. This is an essential book for anyone interested in Bacillus, cell biology, bacterial genetics, and molecular biology.

Studies of the bacterial cell wall emerged as a new field of research in the early 1950s, and has flourished in a multitude of directions. This excellent book provides an integrated collection of contributions forming a fundamental reference for researchers and of general use to teachers, advanced students in the life sciences, and all scientists in bacterial cell wall research. Chapters include topics such as: Peptidoglycan, an essential constituent of bacterial endospores; Teichoic and teichuronic acids, lipoteichoic acids, lipoglycans, neural complex polysaccharides and several specialized proteins are frequently unique wall-associated components of Gram-positive bacteria; Bacterial cells evolving signal transduction pathways; Underlying mechanisms of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

Cellular Microbiology is a new area of microbiology research, bridging the gap between the disciplines of microbiology and cell biology. It is the study of the interaction between cells and microbes, especially mammalian or plant cells and bacteria. Cellular Microbiology is an advanced textbook for students of microbiology and medical microbiology, presenting a comprehensive introduction to the current molecular and cellular biology of the interactions between bacteria and eukaryotic cells, and their relevance to human diseases. * Covers an exciting new area of research and is an ideal introduction for the subject * The only textbook to cover this rapidly-growing field of research * Authored by well-renowned experts in the field

Microbes as Tools for Cell Biology bridges the gap between cell biology and microbiology. This laboratory guide provides a microbial tool kit for biologists who wish to use microbes as probes for basic cellular functions. The volume is organized into three sections, covering essential information on culture and genetic manipulation of microbes, assays for pathogen-host recognition, and analysis of intracellular parasitism. Each chapter outlines practical procedures and describes the rationale behind their development. This volume should prove useful to anyone interested in the biology of infectious agents, or their exploitation as a new generation of cell biological reagents. Key Features * Introduction by renowned microbiologist Dr. Stanley Falkow * Covers manipulation of pathogens, especially generation and selection of non-virulent phenotypes * Guides researchers in the study of intracellular pathogenesis * Describes microbial adherence and phagocytosis assays * Focuses on protein trafficking in infected cells * Well-illustrated with color plates, halftones, and diagrams

The discipline of microbiology that deals with an amazingly diverse group of simple organisms, such as viruses, archaea, bacteria, algae, fungi, and protozoa, is an exciting field of Science. Starting as a purely descriptive field, it has transformed into a truly experimental and interdisciplinary science inspiring a number of investigators to generate th a wealth of information on the entire gamut of microbiology. The later part of 20 century has been a golden era with molecular information coming in to unravel interesting insights ofthe microbial world. Ever since they were brought to light through a pair of ground glasses by the Dutchman, Antony van Leeuwenhoek, in later half of 17th century, they have been studied most extensively throughout the next three centuries, and are still revealing new facets of life and its functions. The interest in them, therefore, continues even in the 21 st century. Though they are simple, they provide a wealth of information on cell biology, physiology, biochemistry, ecology, and genetics and biotechnology. They, thus, constitute a model system to study a whole variety of subjects. All this provided the necessary impetus to write several valuable books on the subject of microbiology. While teaching a course of Microbial Genetics for the last 35 years at Delhi University, we strongly felt the need for authentic compiled data that could give exhaustive background information on each of the member groups that constitute the microbial world.

This book should be of interest to microbiologists and professionals in the fields of evolution, cell biology, biochemistry and biophysics.