With the application of new analytical techniques, the field of food fermentation has grown in recent years. This book provides the latest information and relevant advances on the microbial ecology of fermented foods and the application of molecular methods. This book serves as a guide for students and researchers on the most advanced techniques to identify bacteria and helps in choosing the most appropriate tools to study fermented food from a microbiological point of view.
Innovative, constructive, and continually evolving technologies are propelling microbiology into an exciting new era. This new era will witness the harnessing and control of complex microbial communities in a huge variety of applications in the industrial, medical, and environmental spheres. State-of-the-art tools are being developed and utilized to analyze the molecules that microorganisms possess and generate, including DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, and cellular metabolites. This book, written by international experts in the field, presents emerging molecular methods that allow the diversity of a microbial community to be surveyed and its functions to be investigated. The first section provides examples of the application of molecular microbiological methods in various industrial applications. The second section deals with the identification of microorganisms in medical settings, while the third section presents case studies that use molecular methods to assess the structure and function of microbial communities in natural environments. The fourth part of the book describes in greater detail the methods and technologies featured in the preceding case studies, including metagenomics, stable isotope probing, fluorescence in situ hybridization, quantitative PCR, reverse transcription PCR, and single cell methods. These detailed descriptions will enable readers to evaluate the applicability of various tools for approaching questions and case studies of their own. This practical, authoritative, and up-to-date volume is a valuable resource for anyone applying or developing molecular methods in any area of microbiology and is a recommended acquisition for all microbiology laboratories.
Applied Microbiology and Molecular Biology in Oil Field Systems addresses the major problems microbes cause in oil fields, (e.g. biocorrosion and souring) and how beneficial microbial activities may be exploited (e.g. MEOR and biofuels). The book describes theoretical and practical approaches to specific Molecular Microbiological Methods (MMM), and is written by leading authorities in the field from both academia and industry. The book describes how MMM can be applied to faciliate better management of oil reservoirs and downstream processes. The book is innovative in that it utilises real industrial case studies which gives useful technical and scientific information to researchers, engineers and microbiologists working with oil, gas and petroleum systems.
The book Methods in Silkworm Microbiology is the first ever publication that provides in-depth reviews on the latest progresses about silkworm –pathogen interactions, diseases and management practices for sustainable development of sericulture. Different molecular and immunodiagnostic methods for the detection of pathogens have been comprehensively addressed. Most recent advancements on the role of Micro RNAs in silkworm and pathogen interactions are provided with suitable illustrations. Recent technological advances and emerging trends in exploring silkworm gut microbial communities towards translation research, particularly to understand microbiome functions have been highlighted. Information on various immune mechanisms of silkworm against invading pathogens is summarized. The book further highlights the silkworm gut microbiota as a potential source for biotechnological applications. - Provide comprehensive reviews and valuable methods from the selected experts on the topic "Methods in silkworm microbiology/pathology" - Provides latest information on application of genomics and transcriptomics to decipher silkworm gut microbial communities. Different molecular and immunodiagnostic methods for the detection of pathogens have been comprehensively addressed - Provides up to date information on silkworm-pathogen interactions, different silkworm diseases and immune mechanisms
This open access book offers a comprehensive overview of the role and potential of microorganisms in the degradation and preservation of cultural materials (e.g. stone, metals, graphic documents, textiles, paintings, glass, etc.). Microorganisms are a major cause of deterioration in cultural artefacts, both in the case of outdoor monuments and archaeological finds. This book covers the microorganisms involved in biodeterioration and control methods used to reduce their impact on cultural artefacts. Additionally, the reader will learn more about how microorganisms can be used for the preservation and protection of cultural artefacts through bio-based and eco-friendly materials. New avenues for developing methods and materials for the conservation of cultural artefacts are discussed, together with concrete advances in terms of sustainability, effectiveness and toxicity, making the book essential reading for anyone interested in microbiology and the preservation of cultural heritage.
This Springer Protocols manual is a practical guide to the application of key molecular biology techniques in microbiological research. The focus is on experimental protocols, which are presented in an easy-to-follow way, as step-by-step procedures for direct use in the laboratory. Notes on how to successfully apply the procedures are included, as well as recommendations regarding materials and suppliers. In addition to the practical protocols, important background information and representative results of experiments using the described methods are presented. Researchers in all areas applying microbial systems, such as in molecular biology, genetics, pathology, and agricultural research will find this work of great value.
People's desire to understand the environments in which they live is a natural one. People spend most of their time in spaces and structures designed, built, and managed by humans, and it is estimated that people in developed countries now spend 90 percent of their lives indoors. As people move from homes to workplaces, traveling in cars and on transit systems, microorganisms are continually with and around them. The human-associated microbes that are shed, along with the human behaviors that affect their transport and removal, make significant contributions to the diversity of the indoor microbiome. The characteristics of "healthy" indoor environments cannot yet be defined, nor do microbial, clinical, and building researchers yet understand how to modify features of indoor environmentsâ€"such as building ventilation systems and the chemistry of building materialsâ€"in ways that would have predictable impacts on microbial communities to promote health and prevent disease. The factors that affect the environments within buildings, the ways in which building characteristics influence the composition and function of indoor microbial communities, and the ways in which these microbial communities relate to human health and well-being are extraordinarily complex and can be explored only as a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem by engaging the fields of microbial biology and ecology, chemistry, building science, and human physiology. This report reviews what is known about the intersection of these disciplines, and how new tools may facilitate advances in understanding the ecosystem of built environments, indoor microbiomes, and effects on human health and well-being. It offers a research agenda to generate the information needed so that stakeholders with an interest in understanding the impacts of built environments will be able to make more informed decisions.
Clinical microbiologists are engaged in the field of diagnostic microbiology to determine whether pathogenic microorganisms are present in clinical specimens collected from patients with suspected infections. If microorganisms are found, these are identified and susceptibility profiles, when indicated, are determined. During the past two decades, technical advances in the field of diagnostic microbiology have made constant and enormous progress in various areas, including bacteriology, mycology, mycobacteriology, parasitology, and virology. The diagnostic capabilities of modern clinical microbiology laboratories have improved rapidly and have expanded greatly due to a technological revolution in molecular aspects of microbiology and immunology. In particular, rapid techniques for nucleic acid amplification and characterization combined with automation and user-friendly software have significantly broadened the diagnostic arsenal for the clinical microbiologist. The conventional diagnostic model for clinical microbiology has been labor-intensive and frequently required days to weeks before test results were available. Moreover, due to the complexity and length of such testing, this service was usually directed at the hospitalized patient population. The physical structure of laboratories, staffing patterns, workflow, and turnaround time all have been influenced profoundly by these technical advances. Such changes will undoubtedly continue and lead the field of diagnostic microbiology inevitably to a truly modern discipline. Advanced Techniques in Diagnostic Microbiology provides a comprehensive and up-to-date description of advanced methods that have evolved for the diagnosis of infectious diseases in the routine clinical microbiology laboratory. The book is divided into two sections. The first techniques section covers the principles and characteristics of techniques ranging from rapid antigen testing, to advanced antibody detection, to in vitro nucleic acid amplification techniques, and to nucleic acid microarray and mass spectrometry. Sufficient space is assigned to cover different nucleic acid amplification formats that are currently being used widely in the diagnostic microbiology field. Within each technique, examples are given regarding its application in the diagnostic field. Commercial product information, if available, is introduced with commentary in each chapter. If several test formats are available for a technique, objective comparisons are given to illustrate the contrasts of their advantages and disadvantages. The second applications section provides practical examples of application of these advanced techniques in several "hot" spots in the diagnostic field. A diverse team of authors presents authoritative and comprehensive information on sequence-based bacterial identification, blood and blood product screening, molecular diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases, advances in mycobacterial diagnosis, novel and rapid emerging microorganism detection and genotyping, and future directions in the diagnostic microbiology field. We hope our readers like this technique-based approach and your feedback is highly appreciated. We want to thank the authors who devoted their time and efforts to produce their chapters. We also thank the staff at Springer Press, especially Melissa Ramondetta, who initiated the whole project. Finally, we greatly appreciate the constant encouragement of our family members through this long effort. Without their unwavering faith and full support, we would never have had the courage to commence this project.
Molecular Microbial Diagnostic Methods: Pathways to Implementation for the Food and Water Industry was developed by recognized and experienced highlevel scientists. It's a comprehensive and detailed reference that uncovers industry needs for the use of molecular methods by providing a brief history of water and food analysis for the pathogens of concern. It also describes the potential impact of current and cutting-edge molecular methods. This book discusses the advantages of the implementation of molecular methods, describes information on when and how to use specific methods, and presents why one should utilize them for pathogen detection in the routine laboratory. The content is also pertinent for anyone carrying out microbiological analysis at the research level, and for scientists developing methods, as it focuses on the requirements of end-users. - Includes information on how to introduce and implement molecular methods for routine monitoring in food and water laboratories - Discusses the importance of robust validation of molecular methods as alternatives to existing standard methods to help ensure the production of defendable results - Highlights potential issues with respect to successful implementation of these methods
Molecular Wine Microbiology features rigorous scientific content written at a level comprehensible for wine professionals as well as advanced students. It includes information on production and spoilage issues, the microbial groups relevant for wine production and microbial wine safety. Microbiology has long been recognized as a key tool in studying wine production, however only recently have wine microbiology studies been addressed at a molecular level, increasing the understanding of how microbiology impacts not only the flavor quality of the wine, but also its safety. Understanding, at a molecular level, how a starter culture can impact ethanol, glycerol, volatile phenols, mannoproteins, biogenic amines or ochratoxin A of a wine are just some of the core points that must be considered in order to achieve maximium consumer acceptability while addressing safety concerns during processing and storage. While other books offer insights into the technological aspects of enology, this book is written by expert microbiologists, who explore the positive and negative impacts of gene function in the production of wine, from a microbiological point of view. - Winner of the 2012 Jury Award in Enology from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine - Presents the most current methods of studying the microbiology of wine - Includes latest identification and typing methods, reducing identification time from days and weeks to minutes and hours - Provides important knowledge about the impact of microbiological factors at the molecular level for reduction of wine spoilage and increased wine quality and safety
