This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Biofilms: Extracellular Bastions of Bacteria" that was published in IJMS

In the book Microbial Biofilms: Importance and applications, eminent scientists provide an up-to-date review of the present and future trends on biofilm-related research. This book is divided with four subdivisions as biofilm fundamentals, applications, health aspects, and their control. Moreover, this book also provides a comprehensive account on microbial interactions in biofilms, pyocyanin, and extracellular DNA in facilitating Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation, atomic force microscopic studies of biofilms, and biofilms in beverage industry. The book comprises a total of 21 chapters from valued contributions from world leading experts in Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Serbia, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, and Turkey. This book may be used as a text or reference for everyone interested in biofilms and their applications. It is also highly recommended for environmental microbiologists, soil scientists, medical microbiologists, bioremediation experts, and microbiologists working in biocorrosion, biofouling, biodegradation, water microbiology, quorum sensing, and many other related areas. Scientists in academia, research laboratories, and industry will also find it of interest.

Microbial Biomolecules: Emerging Approach in Agriculture, Pharmaceuticals and Environment Management explores and compiles new aspects of microbial-based biomolecules such as microbial enzymes, microbial metabolites, microbial surfactants, exopolysaccharides, and bioactive compounds and their potential applications in the field of health-related issues, sustainable agriculture and environment contamination management. Written for researchers, scientists, and graduate and PhD students in the areas of Microbiology, Biotechnology, Environmental Science and Pharmacology, this book covers the urgent need to explore eco-friendly and sustainable approaches to healthcare, agriculture and environmental contamination management. - Explores eco-friendly and sustainable approaches to healthcare, agriculture and environmental contamination management - Compiles new aspects of microbial-based biomolecules - Proves that the use of microbes or microbial products are suitable alternatives to manage the current challenges of healthcare issues, chemical pesticides and environmental contamination

Tackling the realities of the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) situation today is no longer uncommon. Many battles have been fought in the past since the discovery of antibiotics between man and microbes. In the tussle of new antibiotic modifications, the transmission of resistant genes, both vertically and horizontally unveils yet another resistant attribute for the microbe, for it only to be faced with a more powerful, wide spectrum antibiotic; the cycle continues-and the winner is yet to be known. This book aims to provide some insight into various molecular mechanisms, agricultural mitigation methods, and the One Health applications to maybe, just maybe, tip the scales towards us.

The central theme of the book is the flow of information from experimental approaches in biofilm research to simulation and modeling of complex wastewater systems. Probably the greatest challenge in wastewater research lies in using the methods and the results obtained in one scientific discipline to design intelligent experiments in other disciplines, and eventually to improve the knowledge base the practitioner needs to run wastewater treatment plants. The purpose of Biofilms in Wastewater Treatment is to provide engineers with the knowledge needed to apply the new insights gained by researchers. The authors provide an authoritative insight into the function of biofilms on a technical and on a lab-scale, cover some of the exciting new basic microbiological and wastewater engineering research involving molecular biology techniques and microscopy, and discuss recent attempts to predict the development of biofilms. This book is divided into 3 sections: Modeling and Simulation; Architecture, Population Structure and Function; and From Fundamentals to Practical Application, which all start with a scientific question. Individual chapters attempt to answer the question and present different angles of looking at problems. In addition there is an extensive glossary to familiarize the non-expert with unfamiliar terminology used by microbiologists and computational scientists. The colour plate section of this book can be downloaded by clicking here. (PDF Format 1 MB)

This second edition textbook offers an expanded conceptual synthesis of microbial ecology with plant and animal ecology. Drawing on examples from the biology of microorganisms and macroorganisms, this textbook provides a much-needed interdisciplinary approach to ecology. The focus is the individual organism and comparisons are made along six axes: genetic variation, nutritional mode, size, growth, life cycle, and influence of the environment. When it was published in 1991, the first edition of Comparative Ecology of Microorganisms and Macroorganisms was unique in its attempt to clearly compare fundamental ecology across the gamut of size. The explosion of molecular biology and the application of its techniques to microbiology and organismal biology have particularly demonstrated the need for interdisciplinary understanding. This updated and expanded edition remains unique. It treats the same topics at greater depth and includes an exhaustive compilation of both the most recent relevant literature in microbial ecology and plant/animal ecology, as well as the early research papers that shaped the concepts and theories discussed. Among the completely updated topics in the book are phylogenetic systematics, search algorithms and optimal foraging theory, comparative metabolism, the origins of life and evolution of multicellularity, and the evolution of life cycles. From Reviews of the First Edition: "John Andrews has succeeded admirably in building a bridge that is accessible to all ecologists." -Ecology "I recommend this book to all ecologists. It is a thoughtful attempt to integrate ideas from, and develop common themes for, two fields of ecology that should not have become fragmented." -American Scientist "Such a synthesis is long past due, and it is shameful that ecologists (both big and little) have been so parochial." -The Quarterly Review of Biology

Sulfate-reducing bacteria comprise a diverse and ecologically interactive group of anaerobic prokaryotes which share an extraordinary trait: growth by sulfate respiration with hydrogen sulfide as a major end-product. Sulfate-reducers are found in diverse environments ranging from estuaries to geological oil-bearing formations. They have attracted considerable scientific and commercial interest. These organisms have been actively investigated by researchers in microbial energetics, protein chemistry, ecology and more recently molecular biology. This interest has increased greatly over the past decade, and this volume presents the first book-length summary of our knowledge of sulfate-reducing bacteria in nearly 10 years. Featuring an introduction by the eminent microbiologist John Postgate and comprehensive reviews from recognized authorities, this book will be of interest to microbiologists with interests in physiology, evolution, and ecology.