This book is devoted to alkaliphiles, their microbiology, biotechnological applications and adaptive mechanisms. Alkaliphiles are extremophilic organisms that are adapted to thrive in alkaline environments. Over the years, a wide variety of alkaliphiles belonging to domain Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya have been isolated and studied. These organisms use various adaptive mechanisms to thrive in ‘extreme’ alkaline environments, and some of these adaptive mechanisms are of immense importance to a range of biotechnological applications. In this book, readers will learn about the adaptive strategies of alkaliphiles in colonizing alkaline habitats, with a main focus on: (1) the production of enzymes that are active and stable in the high pH environment, and (2) the production of acids that decrease the pH of their immediate surrounding environment. Enzymes that are operationally stable at high pH (also known as alkaline active enzymes) are desirable in several applications such as detergent formulating and leather tanning processes, and they are among the major selling enzymes and the most important industrial enzymes. The growing demand in many existing and emerging biotechnological applications led to the discovery, characterization, engineering and evaluation of diverse types of alkaline active enzymes. In addition to the use of these fascinating enzymes in biotechnological applications, readers will discover the mechanisms of action and stability of these enzymes at extreme pH. Studies have shown that some alkaliphiles decrease the severity of the high pH of their media by producing substantial amount of organic acids, which could be of great interest in various applications presented in this book. In addition to enzymes and organic acids, other products of biotechnological importance such as carotenoids, bioactive substances, and chelators have also attracted researchers’ attention. Whole-cells of alkaliphiles have been used as food and feed, and are also useful in environmental applications such as in waste treatment and construction.

Aimed at research scientists and biotechnologists, this book is an essential reading for those working with extremophiles and their potential biotechnological application. Here, we provide a comprehensive and reliable source of information on the recent advances and challenges in different aspects of the theme. Written in an accessible language, the book is also a recommended as reference text for anyone interested in this thriving field of research. Over the last decades, the study of extremophiles has provided ground breaking discoveries that challenge our understanding of biochemistry and molecular biology. In the applied side, extremophiles and their enzymes have spawned a multibillion dollar biotechnology industry, with applications spanning biomedical, pharmaceutical, industrial, environmental, and agricultural sectors. Taq DNA polymerase (which was isolated from Thermus aquaticus from a geothermal spring in Yellowstone National Park) is the most well-known example of the potential biotechnological application of extremophiles and their biomolecules. Indeed, the application of extremophiles and their biologically active compounds has opened a new era in biotechnology. However, despite the latest advances, we are just in the beginning of exploring the biotechnological potentials of extremophiles.

Various groups of microorganisms - bacteria, archaea, algae and even fungi - have adapted to a life in a hypersaline environment. Halophilic Microorganisms explores the many-fold aspects of life under these extreme conditions. Several contributions analyze the microbial communities in different hypersaline environments such as salterns, soda lakes, and the Dead Sea or salt sediments. Reviews of their biodiversity, phylogeny, and genetics are given as well as of the diverse adaptation strategies of salt-tolerant or salt-requiring microorganisms. Microorganisms that have adapted to moderate salt concentrations or to habitats with drastic fluctuations are also treated in addition to the extreme halophiles. Their physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms developed in response to salinity and high osmotic pressure as well as current and future biotechnological applications are presented.

Physiological and Biotechnological Aspects of Extremophiles highlights the current and topical areas of research in this rapidly growing field. Expert authors from around the world provide the latest insights into the mechanisms of these fascinating organisms use to survive.The vast majority of extremophiles are microbes which include archaea, bacteria and some eukaryotes. These microbes live under chemical and physical extremes that are usually lethal to cellular molecules, yet they manage to survive and even thrive. Extremophiles have important practical uses. They are a valuable source of industrially important enzymes and recent research has revealed novel mechanisms and biomolecular structures with a broad range of potential applications in biotechnology, biomining, and bioremediation.Aimed at research scientists, students, microbiologists, and biotechnologists, this book is an essential reading for scientists working with extremophiles and a recommended reference text for anyone interested in the microbiology, bioprospecting, biomining, biofuels, and extremozymes of these organisms. - Shows the implications of the physiological adaptations of microbes from extreme habitats that are largely contributed by their biomolecules from basic to applied research - Provides in-depth knowledge of genomic plasticity and proteome of different extremophiles - Gives detailed and comprehensive insight about use of genetic engineering as well as genome editing for industrial applications

Environmental and Agricultural Microbiology Uniquely reveals the state-of-the-art microbial research/advances in the environment and agriculture fields Environmental and Agricultural Microbiology: Applications for Sustainability is divided into two parts which embody chapters on sustenance and life cycles of microorganisms in various environmental conditions, their dispersal, interactions with other inhabited communities, metabolite production, and reclamation. Though books pertaining to soil & agricultural microbiology/environmental biotechnology are available, there is a dearth of comprehensive literature on the behavior of microorganisms in the environmental and agricultural realm. Part 1 includes bioremediation of agrochemicals by microalgae, detoxification of chromium and other heavy metals by microbial biofilm, microbial biopolymer technology including polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and polyhydroxybutyrates (PHB), their production, degradability behaviors, and applications. Biosurfactants production and their commercial importance are also systematically represented in this part. Part 2 having 9 chapters, facilitates imperative ideas on approaches for sustainable agriculture through functional soil microbes, next-generation crop improvement strategies via rhizosphere microbiome, production and implementation of liquid biofertilizers, mitigation of methane from livestock, chitinases from microbes, extremozymes, an enzyme from extremophilic microorganism and their relevance in current biotechnology, lithobiontic communities, and their environmental importance, have all been comprehensively elaborated. In the era of sustainable energy production, biofuel and other bioenergy products play a key role, and their production from microbial sources are frontiers for researchers. The final chapter unveils the importance of microbes and their consortia for management of solid waste in amalgamation with biotechnology Audience The book will be read by environmental microbiologists, biotechnologists, chemical and agricultural engineers.

Bioactive compounds play a central role in high-value product development in the chemical industry. Bioactive compounds have been identified from diverse sources and their therapeutic benefits, nutritional value and protective effects in human and animal healthcare have underpinned their application as pharmaceuticals and functional food ingredients. The orderly study of biologically active products and the exploration of potential biological activities of these secondary metabolites, including their clinical applications, standardization, quality control, mode of action and potential biomolecular interactions, has emerged as one of the most exciting developments in modern natural medicine. Biotechnology of Bioactive Compounds describes the current stage of knowledge on the production of bioactive compounds from microbial, algal and vegetable sources. In addition, the molecular approach for screening bioactive compounds is also discussed, as well as examples of applications of these compounds on human health. The first half of the book comprises information on diverse sources of bioactive compounds, ranging from microorganisms and algae to plants and dietary foods. The second half of the book reviews synthetic approaches, as well as selected bioactivities and biotechnological and biomedical potential. The bioactive compounds profiled include compounds such as C-phycocyanins, glycosides, phytosterols and natural steroids. An overview of the usage of bioactive compounds as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, anti-allergic compounds and in stem cell research is also presented, along with an overview of the medicinal applications of plant-derived compounds. Biotechnology of Bioactive Compounds will be an informative text for undergraduate and graduate students of bio-medicinal chemistry who are keen to explore the potential of bioactive natural products. It also provides useful information for scientists working in various research fields where natural products have a primary role.