This book emphasizes and presents the latest information on eco-physiology and biochemistry of cyanobacteria with special emphasis on their biodiversity, molecular mechanisms of some important biological processes and survival mechanisms under myriad of environmental conditions as well as bioremediation. Cyanobacteria are the most dominant prokaryotic floras on the Earth’s surface, and are of great importance in terms of ecological, economical and evolutionary perspectives. They are oldest groups of photosynthetic autotrophs, which create oxygenic atmosphere for the development and sustainability of ecosystems with different life forms. The book presents an integrative approach to their possible biotechnological application in the field of bio-energy and various aspects of biochemistry, biophysics and structural biology of photosynthesis. The various chapters describe the different applications of cyanobacteria as bio-energy sources and in phycoremediation. The contents incorporated in this book can be used as a textbook by undergraduate and post-graduate students, teachers, and researchers in the most interesting fields of physicochemical ecology and biochemistry of cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria make a major contribution to world photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation, but are also notorious for causing nuisances such as dense and often toxic `blooms' in lakes and the ocean. The Ecology of Cyanobacteria: Their Diversity in Time and Space is the first book to focus solely on ecological aspects of these organisms. Its twenty-two chapters are written by some thirty authors, who are leading experts in their particular subject. The book begins with an overview of the cyanobacteria - or blue-green algae, for those who are not specialists - then looks at their diversity in the geological record and goes on to describe their ecology in present environments where they play important roles. Why is one of the key groups of organisms in the Precambrian still one of the most important groups of phototrophs today? The importance of ecological information for rational management and exploitation of these organisms for commercial and other practical purposes is also assessed. Accounts are provided of nuisances as well as the ecology of the commercially successful Spirulina and the role of cyanobacteria in ecosystem recovery from oil pollution. Many chapters include aspects of physiology, biochemistry, geochemistry and molecular biology where these help general understanding of the subject. In addition there are three chapters dealing specifically with molecular ecology. Thirty-two pages of colour photos incorporate about seventy views and light micrographs. These features make the book valuable to a wide readership, including biologists, microbiologists, geologists, water managers and environmental consultants. The book complements the highly successful The Molecular Biology of Cyanobacteria already published by Kluwer.

Cyanobacteria have existed for 3.5 billion years, yet they are still the most important photosynthetic organisms on the planet for cycling carbon and nitrogen. The ecosystems where they have key roles range from the warmer oceans to many Antarctic sites. They also include dense nuisance growths in nutrient-rich lakes and nitrogen-fixers which aid the fertility of rice-fields and many soils, especially the biological soil crusts of arid regions. Molecular biology has in recent years provided major advances in our understanding of cyanobacterial ecology. Perhaps for more than any other group of organisms, it is possible to see how the ecology, physiology, biochemistry, ultrastructure and molecular biology interact. This all helps to deal with practical problems such as the control of nuisance blooms and the use of cyanobacterial inocula to manage semi-desert soils. Large-scale culture of several organisms, especially "Spirulina" (Arthrospira), for health food and specialist products is increasingly being expanded for a much wider range of uses. In view of their probable contribution to past oil deposits, much attention is currently focused on their potential as a source of biofuel. Please visit http://extras.springer.com/ to view Extra Materials belonging to this volume. This book complements the highly successful Ecology of Cyanobacteria and integrates the discoveries of the past twelve years with the older literature.

Cyanobacteria, the ancient photoautotrophs on the Earth have always been regarded as the most important organism to sustain life in the planet. They are among the first pioneering communities on various harsh habitat, hydrarch or xerarch, which finally facilitate the emergence of vast communities including higher plants. Being the progenitor of chloroplast, the cyanobacterial metabolisms has always fascinated microbiologist. Additionally, the ability of these prokaryotes to produce valuable and prolific sources of natural products signified their role in array of industrial sectors. Further, the attempts to engineer the cyanobacterial metabolisms in way to enhance production of these metabolites are gradually increasing. Therefore, in this book, we proposed to accumulate the knowledge of cyanobacterial metabolisms and molecules as an asset for students, researchers, and biotechnologists. Cyanobacteria: Metabolisms to Molecules will cover diversity, fundamental metabolisms, crucial metabolities and their synthesis, and bioinformatics. Casts light on cyanobacterial assistance and their potential role in sustainable developments Provides significant insights into the fundamentals of cyanobacterial metabolism as well as lesser known topics Determines the role of cyanobacteria in public health

This publication is unique among a number of books on cyanobacteria because it focuses on the bioenergetics of these widespread organisms which are the evolutionary prerequisite for the development of all higher forms of life on our "blue" planet. The book primarily addresses questions of energy conversion by the fundamental bioenergetic processes: (oxygenic) photosynthesis, (aerobic) respiration, and (anaerobic) fermentation which uniquely occur together in these prokaryotic cells. Thermophilic cyanobacteria offer the most suitable material for high resolution structure analyses of Photosystem I and II and other electron transport complexes by X-ray crystallography (for example, at present the structure of Photosystem II at atomic resolution is only known for these organisms). These achievements during the last decade represent a milestone in our understanding of the complexes which are crucial for solar energy exploitation through photosynthetic water splitting. The present work represents an ambitious attempt to achieve the goal of a synoptic state-of-the-art picture by casting together the mosaics of detailed knowledge described by leading experts in the field. It contains 24 chapters written by 35 authors from Europe, USA, India and Japan. The book is aimed at reaching a broad audience ranging from students to experienced scientists. The editors wish all readers a pleasant and stimulating journey through the fascinating “world” of the bioenergetics of cyanobacteria and sincerely hope that this book will not only be of great value for the experts but also entice young people into this exciting research area with the aim to address successfully the challenging problems of high relevance that are still waiting for a satisfactory answer.

The Molecular Biology of Cyanobacteria summarizes more than a decade of progress in analyzing the taxonomy, biochemistry, physiology, cellular differentiation and developmental biology of cyanobacteria by modern molecular methods, especially molecular genetics. During this period cyanobacterial molecular biologists have been `studying those things that cyanobacteria do well', and they have made cyanobacteria the organisms of choice for detailed molecular analyses of oxygenic photosynthesis. Part 1 contains chapters describing the molecular evolution and taxonomy of the cyanobacteria, as well as chapters describing cyanelles and the origins of algal and higher plant chloroplasts. Also included are chapters describing the picoplanktonic, oceanic cyanobacteria and prochlorophytes, `the other cyanobacteria'. Part 2 is devoted to a detailed description of structural and functional aspects of the cyanobacterial photosynthetic apparatus. Included are chapters on thylakoid membrane organization, phycobiliproteins, and phycobilisomes, Photosystem I, Photosystem II, the cytochrome b6f complex, ATP synthase, and soluble electron carriers associated with photosynthetic electron transport. Structure, as it relates to biological function, is heavily emphasized in this portion of the book. Part 3 describes other important biochemical processes, including respiration, carbon metabolism, inorganic carbon uptake and concentration, nitrogen metabolism, tetrapyrrole biosynthesis, and carotenoid biosynthesis. Part 4 describes the cyanobacterial genetic systems and gene regulatory phenomena in these organisms. Emphasis is placed on responses to environmental stimuli, such as light intensity, light wavelength, temperature, and nutrient availability. Cellular differentiation and development phenomena, including the formation of heterocysts for nitrogen fixation and hormogonia for dispersal of organisms in the environment, are described. The book comprises 28 chapters written by leading experts from Europe, Israel, Japan, and the United States. The book is intended for graduate students and researchers in the fields of photosynthesis, microbiology, plant molecular biology, biochemistry, and biotechnology.

A significant component of many different ecosystems, cyanobacteria occupy almost every niche of the earth, including fresh and salt waters, rice fields, hot springs, arid deserts, and polar regions. Cyanobacteria, along with algae, produce nearly half the global oxygen, making assessment of their ecophysiologies important for understanding climate impacts and potential remediation. Stress Biology of Cyanobacteria: Molecular Mechanisms to Cellular Responses is a compilation of holistic responses of cyanobacteria, ranging from ecological and physiological to the modern aspects of their molecular biology, genomics, and biochemistry. Covering almost every aspect of cyanobacterial stress biology, this book is divided into two parts: Bioenergetics and Molecular Mechanisms of Stress Tolerance and Cellular Responses and Ecophysiology. The first few chapters focus on the molecular bioenergetics of photosynthesis and respiration in cyanobacteria, and provide a clear perspective on different stress tolerance mechanisms. Part I also covers the effect of specific stresses—including heavy metal, high and low temperature, salt, osmotic, and UV-B stress—on a wide range of vital physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes of cyanobacteria. Part II describes mechanisms of symbiosis, stress-induced bioproducts, and the role of environmental factors on nitrogen fixation, which along with photosynthesis is a major contributor to the current geochemical status of the planet. The text also covers mutation and cyanobacterial adaptation, and the most widely studied cyanotoxin, microcystin, which has effects on both human and animal health. With contributions from experts around the world, representing the global importance of cyanobacteria, this book provides a broad compilation of research that deals with cyanobacterial stress responses in both controlled laboratory conditions as well as in their natural environment.