Bacteria (eBook)

The Benign, the Bad, and the Beautiful

Trudy M. Wassenaar (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2011 | 1. Auflage
232 Seiten
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
978-1-118-14336-0 (ISBN)

Infos

A comprehensive, reader-friendly introduction to the world ofbacteria

When most people hear the word "bacteria" they think of foodpoisoning; infections; and acute, debilitating, or fatal diseases.Yet, while E. coli, strep, and other bacterial pathogenscertainly cause their share of misery in the world, they are only atiny portion of a vast universe of microorganisms--the mostbasic of life forms. Without them, nothing else could live or growon Planet Earth. Bacteria: The Benign, the Bad, and theBeautiful introduces you to this diverse, microscopic world andexplains the fundamental microbiological concepts you need toexplore the life and behavior of bacteria. Even if you have noprevious background in the subject, the book's clear, jargon-freelanguage tells you what you need to know about:
* The origins and evolution of bacteria
* Some of the fundamental ways in which bacteria have shaped theworld
* Bacteria commonly found in the healthy human body
* Antibiotics and the growing problem of resistance
* Marine microbiology, bacterial toxins, and enzymes
* Bacterial genetics and genomics
* Bacteria that survive in extreme environments, such as boilingwater
* And much more

This comprehensive guide features custom-drawn, black-and-whiteillustrations by artist Karoly Farkas, and it illuminates itspoints through real-world examples and engaging stories. Discrete,topic-by-topic structure, text-box summaries of background science,and a helpful glossary make for quick and easy reference. Whetheryou are a science professional in need of information on bacteriaoutside of your specialty, a student in search of a solidintroduction, or a curious reader looking for fascinating andreliable information, Bacteria: The Benign, the Bad, and theBeautiful is the resource you need.

Autor

Dr. Trudy Wassenaar, PhD, is director of Molecular Microbiology and Genomics Consultants, and author and curator of the popular Virtual Museum of Bacteria (www.bacteriamuseum.org). She is also an Associate Professor of comparative bacterial genomics at the Centre of Biological Sequences at the Danish Technical University in Lyngby, Denmark, and the author of numerous contributed book chapters as well as nearly 80 publications in peer-review journals, including Applied Environmental Microbiology, the Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infection and Immunity.

Inhalt

Preface vii

Note to the Reader ix

1. The Blue Planet 1

2. Tree of Life: Let Three Live 9

3. How Old Are They? 17

4. On the Move 23

5. Needles 29

6. Dead or Alive 35

7. Nobel Works 43

8. Bacteria and Insects 51

9. Bacterial Toxins 59

10. Enzymes 67

11. Genetics and Genomics 75

12. Antibiotics and Resistance 81

13. Marine Microbiology 87

14. Bacteria and Oil 95

15. Extreme Life 103

16. Record Holders 109

17. Bacteria and Art 117

18. Fixing the Air 125

19. Pest and Pestilence 131

20. Our Bacteria 141

21. Sensing Bacteria 149

22. Bacteria and Mankind 155

23. Big Questions on Small Subjects 163

24. Synthetic Biology 169

25. Bacteria, the Earth, and Beyond 177

Glossary 183

Bibliography 195

Index of Bacterial Genera and Species 205

Subject Index 209

Rezensionen

"This book should be on public and school library shelvesand in places where there is research in microbiology." (Reference Reviews, 1 December 2012)

"Useful for lay readers curious about bacteria andbacterial activities. Summing Up: Recommended. Generalaudiences, high school students, and lower-levelundergraduates." (Choice, 1 July 2012)

"Overall, I would confidently recommend this book toanyone with even a vague interest in bateria. (Phenotype, 28 May 2012)

"Bacteria are fascinating little creatures that are deserving ofthe stories contained within Bacteria: The Benign, the Bad, and theBeautiful. The reader's viewpoint may very well change afterhearing them." (New York Journal of Books, 13 December2011)

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 20.10.2011
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Mikrobiologie / Immunologie
• Themenwelt: Technik
• Schlagworte: Bacteriology & Prokaryotic Microbiology • Bakteriologie • Bakteriologie u. Mikrobiologie des Prokaryonten • Biowissenschaften • Food Science & Technology • Lebensmittelforschung u. -technologie • Life Sciences • Medical Science • Medizin • Microbiology • Microbiology, Food Safety & Security • Mikrobiologie • Mikrobiologie u. Nahrungsmittelsicherheit • Mikrobiologie u. Virologie
• ISBN-10: 1-118-14336-1 / 1118143361
• ISBN-13: 978-1-118-14336-0 / 9781118143360