Dale, Jeremy (Jeremy W.)
Chichester, West Sussex, UK : Wiley-Blackwell, 2013.
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Notes:
- 1. The background : Meet the cast Food for microbes Basic molecular biology — 2. Microbes and health : Microbes in the body Defences against the infection — 3. Microbial Infections : Diseases of the past Diseases of the present Opportunist infections ‘New’ diseases Animal diseases — 4. Prevention and cure : Epidemics Antibiotics — 5. Microbes and food, friend and foe : Food spoilage Food preservation Fermented foods Food poisoning and food-borne diseases — 6. Microbes and the environment : Water Soil Plants Biodegradation Extreme environments — 7. Microbial evolution : Evolution and inheritance Horizontal gene transfer Variation in gene expression Gene cloning and sequencing — 8. Microbial development and communication : Cell division Motility Biofilms Quorum sensing Bacterial sporulation Multicellular behaviour Biological clocks — 9. Microbial biotechnology: practical uses of microbes : Amino acids Biofuels Microbes and metals Oil spills Sewage and water treatment Antibiotics and other medical products Vaccines Proteins — 10. Controversies and speculations : Evolution and the origins of life Is there life elsewhere in the universe? Creating a new life Is it safe? Assessment of risk, risk versus benefit Superbugs and killer viruses Microbes and climate change Microbes and non-infectious diseases — Appendixes. 1. Explanations : Monomers and polymers Enzymes and catalysts — 2. Abbreviations and terminology : Abbreviations and jargon Numbers Units — 3. Further reading.
- We can’t see them, but microbes are the dominant form of life on Earth. They make up half of the world’s biomass. They were here billions of years before we were, and they will be here after we are gone. Without their activity, life as we know it would be impossible. Even within our own bodies, there are ten times as many bacterial cells as human cells. Understanding Microbes provides a clear, accessible introduction to this world of microbes. As well as looking at a selection of infectious diseases, including how they are prevented and treated, the book explores the importance of microbes in the environment, in the production and preservation of food, and their applications in biotechnology. This lively and engaging book provides the basics of microbiology, in a contemporary context. It will be equally useful for students across the biological, environmental and health sciences, and for the curious reader wanting to learn more about this fascinating subject. A highly-readable, concise introduction to the basics of microbiology placed in the context of the very latest developments in molecular biology and their impact on the microbial world. Numerous real-world examples range from how cows digest grass to the role of microbes in cancer and the impact of climate change. Well-illustrated in full colour throughout. Written by an Author with a proven track record in teaching, writing and research. — Provided by publisher.
- The purpose of this book is to introduce you to this ‘small world’, a world which, although we don’t realize it, is dominated by microbes — Provided by publisher.
- Includes bibliographical references (page 215) and index.
Subjects:
- Microorganisms — Textbooks.
- Microbiology — Textbooks.
- Microbiological Phenomena.
- Biomass.
- Environmental Microbiology.
- Microbial Interactions.
Requested by Bloomberg, M