Molecular Biology Of Membrane Bound Complexes In Phototrophic Bacteria

A selection of 56 papers from a symposium in Breisgan, Germany, in August 1989. Treats the structure and regulation of genes coding for pigment-binding membrane proteins and enzymes for bacteriochlorophyll, carotenoid, and cytochrome synthesis under the control of oxygen and light gradients. Discussions of the composition, structure, organization,

An Introduction that describes the origin of cytochrome notation also connects to the history of the field, focusing on research in England in the pre-World War II era. The start of the modern era of studies on structure-function of cytochromes and energy-transducing membrane proteins was marked by the 1988 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, given to J. Deisenhofer, H. Michel, and R. Huber for determination of the crystal structure of the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center. An ab initio logic of presentation in the book discusses the evolution of cytochromes and hemes, followed by theoretical perspectives on electron transfer in proteins and specifically in cytochromes. There is an extensive description of the molecular structures of cytochromes and cytochrome complexes from eukaryotic and prokaryotic sources, bacterial, plant and animal. The presentation of atomic structure information has a major role in these discussions, and makes an important contribution to the broad field of membrane protein structure-function.

This text attempts to introduce the molecular biology of cell membranes to students and professionals of diverse backgrounds. Although several membrane biology books are available, they do not integrate recent knowledge gained using modern molecular tools with more traditional membrane topics. Molecular techniques, such as cDNA cloning and x-ray diffraction, have provided fresh insights into cell membrane structure and function. The great excitement today, which I attempt to convey in this book, is that molecular details are beginning to merge with physiological responses. In other words, we are beginning to understand precisely how membranes work. This textbook is appropriate for upper-level undergraduate or beginning graduate students. Readers should have previous or concurrent coursework in biochemistry; prior studies in elementary physiology would be helpful. I have found that the presentation of topics in this book is appropriate for students of biology, biochemistry, biophysics and physiology, chemistry, and medicine. This book will be useful in courses focusing on membranes and as a supplementary text in biochemistry courses. Professionals will also find this to be a useful resource book for their personal libraries.

This well-organized, 'user friendly', and profusely illustrated work fills the need for an up-to-date textbook on the structure and function of biological membranes. In addition to the traditional topics covered in membrane biology courses, it discusses recent findings provided by cDNA cloning and X-ray diffraction to furnish the advanced undergraduate and graduate student with the most current, practical classroom resource available.

The book summarizes the achievements of the past decade in the biochemistry, bioenergetics, structural and molecular biology of respiratory processes in selected genera of the domain Bacteria along with an extensive coverage of the redox chains of extremophiles belonging to the Archaean domain. The volume is a unique piece of work since it contains a series of chapters dealing with metabolic features having important microbiological and ecological relevance such as the use of ammonium, iron, methane, sulfur and hydrogen as respiratory substrates or nitrous compounds in denitrification processes. Particular attention is also dedicated to peculiar groups of prokaryotes such as Gram positives, acetic acid bacteria, pathogens of the genera Helicobacter and Campylobacter, nitrogen fixing symbionts and free-living species, oxygenic phototrophs (Cyanobacteria) and anoxygenic (purple non-sulfur) phototrophs. The book is intended to be a long-term source of information for Ph.D. students, researchers and undergraduates from disciplines such as microbiology, biochemistry and ecology, studying basic and applied sciences, medicine and agriculture.

The Photosynthetic Apparatus: Molecular Biology and Operation: Cell Culture and Somatic Cell Genetics of Plants, Volume 7B is a collection of papers that discuss plastids – organelles found in plants that set them apart from other organisms. The book is divided into two parts. Coverage of Part I includes concepts such as photosynthesis and the photosynthetic apparatus - light energy and photosynthetic electronic transport, photosynthetic phosphorylation, and fractionation of the photosynthetic apparatus; photosystem II – its protein components, genetic aspects, and structure and function; the cytochrome b6/f complex; and the structure and function of coupling factor components. Coverage of Part II includes the biochemistry and molecular biology of chlorophyll; genes and enzymes for carotenoid biosynthesis; photoregulated development of chloroplasts; and the differentiation of amyloplasts and chromoplasts. The text is recommended for botanists, molecular biologists, and biochemists who are interested in the study of plant cells and photosynthesis.