During the past twenty years, multitudes of exciting discoveries in the field of anaerobic bacteria have been made. Biochemistry and Physiology of Anaerobic Bacteria explores the full range of these microorganisms. Many anaerobes have been found to have the uniquely fascinating quality of being able to survive, indeed even thrive, in extreme environments. Anaerobic bacteria often do not require oxygen, can survive extremes in temperature, and can withstand the presence of toxins and heavy metals. In addition, these organisms have very different metabolic processes than "conventional" microorganisms. The wide diversity of metabolism in anaerobes is only part of the story. They have distinct energies, cytochromes, electron transport proteins, hydrogenases and dehydrogenases. Their molecular biology, physiology, and ability to use many types of electron receptors (CO2, sulfur, nitrogen and metal oxides) are also extraordinary. With practical applications ranging from wastewater treatment to food storage issues, clinical diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of medical conditions to decontamination of heavy metal exposures Biochemistry and Physiology of Anaerobic Bacteria will prove indispensable to researchers and students alike.
Author(s): Howard Gest (auth.), Lars G. Ljungdahl, Michael W. Adams, Larry L. Barton, James G. Ferry, Michael K. Johnson (eds.)
Edition: 1
Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York
Year: 2003
Language: English
Pages: 270
Tags: Microbiology; Bacteriology; Biochemistry, general; Cell Biology
Anaerobes in the Recycling of Elements in the Biosphere....Pages 1-10
The Diversity of Energy Sources of Microorganisms....Pages 11-19
Mechanism of Hydrogen Activation....Pages 20-34
Reductive Activation of Aerobically Purified Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hydrogenase: Mössbauer Characterization of the Catalytic H Cluster....Pages 35-45
Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biosynthesis....Pages 46-66
Genes and Proteins Involved in Nickel-Dependent Hydrogenase Expression....Pages 67-84
Genes and Genetic Manipulations of Desulfovibrio ....Pages 85-98
Function and Assembly of Electron-Transport Complexes in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough....Pages 99-112
Iron-Sulfur Proteins in Anaerobic Eukaryotes....Pages 113-127
Oxygen and Anaerobes....Pages 128-142
One-Carbon Metabolism in Methanogenic Anaerobes....Pages 143-156
Selenium-Dependent Enzymes from Clostridia ....Pages 157-170
How the Diverse Physiologic Potentials of Acetogens Determine Their In Situ Realities....Pages 171-190
Electron-Transport System in Acetogens....Pages 191-204
Microbial Inorganic Sulfur Oxidation: The APS Pathway....Pages 205-219
Reduction of Metals and Nonessential Elements by Anaerobes....Pages 220-234
Chemolithoautotrophic Thermophilic Iron(III)-Reducer....Pages 235-251
Electron Flow in Ferrous Biocorrosion....Pages 252-260
