Proceedings of the FEMS Symposium on Genes and Proteins Underlying Microbial Urinary Tract Virulence: Basic Aspects and Applications, held September 16-19, 1999, in Pécs, Hungary. Urinary tract infections are among the most frequent diseases caused by microbial pathogens. In this volume, researchers, clinical microbiologists and clinicians exchange the latest ideas covering four major aspects of this important topic: Genetic information, synthesis and assembly of virulence factors in urinary pathogens; Regulation of genes involved in the phenotypic appearance of virulence; Host-parasite interactions determining the process and outcome of the infection; Possible applications of the above aspects in diagnosis, therapy and prevention.

Generally, in accordance with anatomical characteristics, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and in particular recurrent UTIs occur in women; in contrast, UTIs normally occur in men with different predisposing factors. There are several types of UTIs, including asymptomatic and symptomatic, complicated and uncomplicated, acute and chronic with a diversity of microbial pathogens. In pathogens, virulence factors and genes determine the type and severity of the UTIs. Obviously, UTIs are a huge problem in global public healthcare systems with a wide range of predisposing factors, including gender, microbial agent, the host's immune deficiencies, genetic diseases, catheterization, etc. The recent items determine the microbiology of UTIs. Accurate diagnosis and definitive treatment are the key to UTI reduction.

Established almost 30 years ago, Methods in Microbiology is the most prestigious series devoted to techniques and methodology in the field. Now totally revamped, revitalized, with a new format and expanded scope, Methods in Microbiology will continue to provide you with tried and tested, cutting-edge protocols to directly benefit your research. Focuses on the methods most useful for the microbiologist interested in the way in which bacteria cause disease Includes section devoted to 'Approaches to characterising pathogenic mechanisms' by Stanley Falkow Covers safety aspects, detection, identification and speciation Includes techniques for the study of host interactions and reactions in animals and plants Describes biochemical and molecular genetic approaches Essential methods for gene expression and analysis Covers strategies and problems for disease control

Generally, in accordance with anatomical characteristics, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and in particular recurrent UTIs occur in women; in contrast, UTIs normally occur in men with different predisposing factors. There are several types of UTIs, including asymptomatic and symptomatic, complicated and uncomplicated, acute and chronic with a diversity of microbial pathogens. In pathogens, virulence factors and genes determine the type and severity of the UTIs. Obviously, UTIs are a huge problem in global public healthcare systems with a wide range of predisposing factors, including gender, microbial agent, the host's immune deficiencies, genetic diseases, catheterization, etc. The recent items determine the microbiology of UTIs. Accurate diagnosis and definitive treatment are the key to UTI reduction.

Presents an integrated view of the expression of bacterial genetic information, genome architecture and function, and bacterial physiology and pathogenesis This book blends information from the very latest research on bacterial chromosome and nucleoid architecture, whole-genome analysis, cell signaling, and gene expression control with well-known gene regulation paradigms from model organisms (including pathogens) to give readers a picture of how information flows from the environment to the gene, modulating its expression and influencing the competitive fitness of the microbe. Structure and Function of the Bacterial Genome explores the governance of the expression of the genes that make a bacterium what it is, and updates the basics of gene expression control with information about transcription promoter structure and function, the role of DNA as a regulatory factor (in addition to its role as a carrier of genetic information), small RNAs, RNAs that sense chemical signals, ribosomes and translation, posttranslational modification of proteins, and protein secretion. It looks at the forces driving the conservation and the evolution of the dynamic genome and offers chapters that cover DNA replication, DNA repair, plasmid biology, recombination, transposition, the roles of repetitive DNA sequences, horizontal gene transfer, the defense of the genome by CRISPR-Cas, restriction enzymes, Argonaute proteins and BREX systems. The book finishes with a chapter that gives an integrated overview of genome structure and function. Blends knowledge of gene regulatory mechanisms with a consideration of nucleoid structure and dynamics Offers a 'DNA-centric' approach to considering transcription control Views horizontal gene transfer from a gene regulation perspective Assesses the opportunities and limitations of designing synthetic microbes or rewiring existing ones Structure and Function of the Bacterial Genome is an ideal book for graduate and undergraduate students studying microbial cell biology, bacterial pathogenesis, gene regulation, and molecular microbiology. It will also appeal to principal investigators conducting research on these and related topics and researchers in synthetic biology and other arms of biotechnology.