About this book
Clostridia is one of the largest bacterial genera with an enormous potential for biotechnical and medical applications. Despite growing scientific, medical, and industrial interest, information on basic methods, biochemical fundamentals, clinical practice, industrial applications, and novel developments remains scattered in a variety of research articles, reviews, and book chapters.
Responding to this gap in the literature, Handbook on Clostridia combines all of these topics into a single volume. The editor takes a global approach by presenting information on both Clostridia of biotechnological importance and Clostridia of medical importance. Experts in the field summarize methods, physiology, medical significance, regulation, ecosystems, genomics, and current and potential applications.
Providing a comprehensive resource on the complete field of Clostridium, this book also serves as a compilation of critical reviews on the advantages of using Clostridia for new medical and biotechnological applications. It is a valuable reference for every specialist, researcher, and student involved in this promising field.
Contents
I. MethodsSpecies and strain identification methods; Jones and KeisQuantitative proteome analysis of clostridia; Schaffer, Thormann, Hujer, and DurreGene cloning in clostridia; Davis, Carter, Young, and MintonGene analysis of clostridia; Tummala, Tomas, and PapoutsakisAnoxic testing and purification of enzymes; Thorsten SelmerII. Metabolic Pathways and Transport SystemsDegradation of polymers: cellulose, xylan, pectin, starch; LeschineGenetic organisation and regulation of hexose and pentose utilization in the clostridia; ReidCarbohydrate uptake by the phosphotransferase system and other mechanisms; Mitchell and TangneySpecial clostridial enzymes and fermentation pathways; BuckelDegradation of heterocyclic compounds; AndreesenNitrogen assimilation in the clostridia; Reid and StutzNitrogen fixation; ChenClostridial potassium transport systems; Treuner-Lange and DurreTransport of phosphate; Fischer and BahlIII. Cellular Components and Medical AspectsMembranes lipids of clostridia; Goldfine and JohnstonAdhesins; Mastrantonio and CollignonClostridial toxins versus other bacterial toxins; Popoff and StilesClostridial enterotoxins; McClaneClostridial cytotoxins; Barth and AktoriesMembrane active toxins; Titball and TwetenClostridial neurotoxins; JohnsonClostridial diseases of domestic animals; SongerIV. Regulatory MechanismsTwo-component signal transduction systems in the clostridia; Cheung, McGowan, and RoodComparative genomic analysis of signal transduction proteins in clostridia; Dob, Groger, Knauber, Whitworth, and Treuner-LangeRegulation of catabolic gene systems; Tangney and MitchellRNA polymerase and alternative s factors; Sonenshein, Haraldsen, and DupuyTransposable genetic elements of the clostridia; Lyras and RoodV. Complex Regulatory NetworksSporulation (morphology) of the clostridia; LabbeSporulation in clostridia (genetics); DurreFormation of solvents in clostridia; DurreVI. Special Groups and EcosystemsBacteriophages of Clostridium; JonesAcetogenic clostridia; Drake and KuselHalophilic clostridia; OrenSyntrophism among clostridiales; Plugge and StamsEcology and activity of clostridia in the intestine of mammals; Konstantinov, Smidt, and AkkermansVII. Novel Developments and ApplicationsIndustrially relevant fermentations; Ezeji, Qureshi, Cotta, and BlaschekMetabolic engineering of solventogenic clostridia; Tomas, Tummala, and PapoutsakisBiodegradation of hazardous materials by clostridia; Ahmad, Hughes, and BennettClostridial collagenase in wound repair; BrettClostridia as production systems for prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteins of therapeutic value in tumor treatment; Van Mellaert, Theys, Pennington, Barbe, Nuyts, Landuyt, Lambin, Minton, and Anne
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