Systematic biology has a far wider application than merely the provision of a reliable classification scheme for new strains. With the framework of the hierarchic system stabilizing, genomes, noncoding regions, and genes and their products can now be evaluated in an evolutionary context. This book summarizes recent developments in the molecular characterization of cultured and as-yet uncultured prokaryotes, emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses of individual approaches. The chapters of the book are compiled to stimulate students to enter the field of bacterial diversity, presenting a broad spectrum of fascinating multifaceted disciplines that illuminate the paths to ecosystem functioning, communication within communities, symbiosis, life in extreme environments, astrobiology, and more.

Systematic biology has a far wider application than merely the provision of a reliable classification scheme for new strains. With the framework of the hierarchic system stabilizing, genomes, noncoding regions, and genes and their products can now be evaluated in an evolutionary context. This book summarizes recent developments in the molecular characterization of cultured and as-yet uncultured prokaryotes, emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses of individual approaches. The chapters of the book are compiled to stimulate students to enter the field of bacterial diversity, presenting a broad spectrum of fascinating multifaceted disciplines that illuminate the paths to ecosystem functioning, communication within communities, symbiosis, life in extreme environments, astrobiology, and more.

This open access book offers the first comprehensive account of the pan-genome concept and its manifold implications. The realization that the genetic repertoire of a biological species always encompasses more than the genome of each individual is one of the earliest examples of big data in biology that opened biology to the unbounded. The study of genetic variation observed within a species challenges existing views and has profound consequences for our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underpinning bacterial biology and evolution. The underlying rationale extends well beyond the initial prokaryotic focus to all kingdoms of life and evolves into similar concepts for metagenomes, phenomes and epigenomes. The book’s respective chapters address a range of topics, from the serendipitous emergence of the pan-genome concept and its impacts on the fields of microbiology, vaccinology and antimicrobial resistance, to the study of microbial communities, bioinformatic applications and mathematical models that tie in with complex systems and economic theory. Given its scope, the book will appeal to a broad readership interested in population dynamics, evolutionary biology and genomics.

This book correlates the vast genetic diversity associated with environmental samples and still underexploited potential for the development of biotechnology products. The book points out the potential of different types of environmental samples. It presents the main characteristics of microbial diversity, the main approaches used for molecular characterization of the diversity, and practical examples of application of the exploration of the microbial diversity. It presents a not-yet-explored structure for discussing the main topics related to molecular biology of environmental prokaryotes and their biotechnological applications.

This book presents recent scientific investigations in microbial ecology and systematics. Advanced microbial science investigations employ the latest technologies for research in microbiology and microbial applications. The book has complete information on classical microbiology techniques for assessment of the composition of microbial diversity assessment, advancement in next-generation technology, advantages of microbial products in sustainable developments and their application for societal benefits. Current research on microorganisms is presented as a perfect book for studies on "Microbial Systematics". This book will serve as an important resource for practising research and review for the scientific community.

Taxonomy of Prokaryotes presents experimental approaches in the detail required for modern microbiological research. Focusing on the methods most useful for the microbiologist interested in this specialty, this volume may be of interest to researchers working in microbiology, immunology, virology, mycology and parasitology.

The Prokaryotes is a comprehensive, multi-authored, peer reviewed reference work on Bacteria and Achaea. This fourth edition of The Prokaryotes is organized to cover all taxonomic diversity, using the family level to delineate chapters. Different from other resources, this new Springer product includes not only taxonomy, but also prokaryotic biology and technology of taxa in a broad context. Technological aspects highlight the usefulness of prokaryotes in processes and products, including biocontrol agents and as genetics tools. The content of the expanded fourth edition is divided into two parts: Part 1 contains review chapters dealing with the most important general concepts in molecular, applied and general prokaryote biology; Part 2 describes the known properties of specific taxonomic groups. Two completely new sections have been added to Part 1: bacterial communities and human bacteriology. The bacterial communities section reflects the growing realization that studies on pure cultures of bacteria have led to an incomplete picture of the microbial world for two fundamental reasons: the vast majority of bacteria in soil, water and associated with biological tissues are currently not culturable, and that an understanding of microbial ecology requires knowledge on how different bacterial species interact with each other in their natural environment. The new section on human microbiology deals with bacteria associated with healthy humans and bacterial pathogenesis. Each of the major human diseases caused by bacteria is reviewed, from identifying the pathogens by classical clinical and non-culturing techniques to the biochemical mechanisms of the disease process. The 4th edition of The Prokaryotes is the most complete resource on the biology of prokaryotes. The following volumes are published consecutively within the 4th Edition: Prokaryotic Biology and Symbiotic Associations Prokaryotic Communities and Ecophysiology Prokaryotic Physiology and Biochemistry Applied Bacteriology and Biotechnology Human Microbiology Actinobacteria Firmicutes Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria Gammaproteobacteria Deltaproteobacteria and Epsilonproteobacteria Other Major Lineages of Bacteria and the Archaea