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.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) publishes research reports, commentaries, reviews, colloquium papers, and actions of the Academy. PNAS is a multidisciplinary journal that covers the biological, physical, and social sciences.

Molecular Cloning and Gene Regulation in Bacilli presents the proceedings of the 1981 Cetus Conference on Genetics held at Stanford University, Stanford, California. It summarizes both basic and applied aspects of bacilli genetics. It discusses significant advances made in understanding chromosome structure, gene arrangement, molecular cloning, cloned gene expression, DNA metabolism, transcription, and translation. Divided into five sessions, the book starts by discussing the DNA sequence from RNA intergenic spaces of Bacillus subtilis rRNA gene sets, the construction of a bifunctional cosmid vector of large DNA segments, and the mating system of bacilli. Molecular cloning session covers complementation system and dominance analyses in Bacillus, genetic fusion of Escherichia coli lac genes to a Bacillus subtilis promoter, and DNA cloning of B. subtilis. It also describes the construction of trimethoprim resistant B. subtilis plasmid and expression of E. coli trp genes cloned in B. subtilis. Session III encompasses chapters that discuss protein secretion by bacilli; regulation of alpha-amylase production in B. subtilis; entomocidal toxin translation of B. thuringiensis; and expression of crystal protein, heterologous, and eukaryotic genes in bacilli. Session IV focuses on various aspects of DNA metabolism of bacilli, such as the interaction of bacterial chromosome with cell membrane; plasmid DNA in competent cells and protoplasts of B. subtilis; analysis of peptides synthesized by B. subtilis mutants; and DNA repair, uptake, restriction, modification, and recombination. The final session examines species-specific translation, control of gene expression and replications in plasmids, development of expression-vector in B. subtilis, and regulatory modifications of RNA polymerase. Each chapter is presented in an experimental manner, consisting of a summary of the study, materials and methods, results, as well as references.