You may have to Search all our reviewed books and magazines, click the sign up button below to create a free account.
Since penicillin and salvarsan were discovered, a number of new drugs to combat infectious diseases have been developed, but at the same time, the number of multi-resistant microorganism strains is increasing. Thus, the design of new and effective antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents will be a major challenge in the next years. This book reviews the current state-of-the-art in antimicrobial research and discusses new strategies for the design and discovery of novel therapies. Topics covered include the use of genetic engineering, genome mining, manipulation of gene clusters, X-ray and neutron scattering as well as the antimicrobial effects of essential oils, antimicrobial agents of plant origin, beta-lactam antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, and cell-wall-affecting antifungal antibiotics.
''Informative, well-constructed, and readable...The contributors are leaders in their fields and what they have to say is worthwhile.'' --- SGM Quarterly, August 1998
Microbial biofilm plays an important role in the life cycle of microorganisms surviving in diverse and harsh environments such as extremes of temperatures, pH, salinity, nutrient scarcity etc. Biofilm formation is a survival strategy adopted by microorganisms allowing colonization in new niches by dispersal of microbes from the microbial clusters embedded within an outer polymer layer produced by the microorganism itself. This layer comprises of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that helps the indwelling microbes to grow and divide in a protected environment against invaders like antimicrobial agents, surfactant, biocides and phagocytic cells of host organisms. Thus, EPS matrix preven...
None
The book focuses on the evolutionary impact of horizontal gene transfer processes on pathogenicity, environmental adaptation and biological speciation. Newly acquired genetic material has been considered as a driving force in evolution for prokaryotic genomes for many years, with recent technical developments advancing this field further. However, the extent and implications of gene transfer between prokaryotes and eukaryotes still raise controversies. This multi-authored volume introduces various means by which DNA can be exchanged, covers gene transfer between prokaryotes and their viruses as well as between bacteria and eukaryotes, such as fungi, plants and animals, and addresses the role of horizontal gene transfer in human diseases. Aspects discussed also include the relevance for virulence and drug resistance development on one hand, and for the occurrence of naturally derived antibiotics and other secondary metabolites on the other hand. This book offers new insights to anyone interested in genome evolution and the exchange of DNA between the different domains of life, the genetic toolkit for adaptation and the emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria.
Presents the latest research and applications for a new, promising approach to fighting infectious diseases Enzybiotics is a promising way of fighting bacterial or fungal infectious diseases by using viruses or viral-derived lysins. Drawing from the fields of medicinal chemistry, microbiology, genetics, and biochemistry, this book presents the state of the science in enzybiotics research, fully exploring its emerging therapeutic applications. The book begins with four chapters that review the potential applications, possible advantages, and phylogeny of enzybiotics. Next, the book explores: A new approach to controlling infections using Gram-negative bacteria Bacteriophage holins and their m...
None
The global food industry has the largest number of demanding and knowledgeable consumers: the world population of seven billion inhabitants, since every person eats! This population requires food products that fulfill the high quality standards established by the food industry organizations. Food shortages threaten human health and are aggravated by the disastrous, extreme climatic events such as floods, droughts, fires, storms connected to climate change, global warming and greenhouse gas emissions that modify the environment and, consequently, the production of foods in the agriculture and husbandry sectors. This collection of articles is a timely contribution to issues relating to the food industry. They were selected for use as a primer, an investigation guide and documentation based on modern, scientific and technical references. This volume is therefore appropriate for use by university researchers and practicing food developers and producers. The control of food processing and production is not only discussed in scientific terms; engineering, economic and financial aspects are also considered for the advantage of food industry managers.
None