SpringerBriefs in Microbiology – serie

This SpringerBrief on Spx reviews the investigations that led to the discovery of Spx and its orthologs and ties together the results of various studies that have explored the function and control of spx in Gram-positive organisms.  Spx of Bacillus subtilis has been extensively studied, but very little has been published about it. This book incorporates a number of studies that have been conducted in other Gram positive bacteria, which examined the role of Spx orthologs in stress response, bacterial development and virulence.  The book contains an overview that will introduce the protein and its orthologous forms, its association with RNA polymerase, the species of Gram-positive bacteria in which it is found, and the conditions in which it is abundant and active. Spx is a member of a large group of proteins belonging to the ArsC/Spx protein family, so the review touches upon the bioinformatic support for the protein family composition and its meaning with regard to protein structure/function. ​

Lasso peptides form a growing family of fascinating ribosomally-synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides produced by bacteria. They contain 15 to 24 residues and share a unique interlocked topology that involves an N-terminal 7 to 9-residue macrolactam ring where the C-terminal tail is threaded and irreversibly trapped. The ring results from the condensation of the N-terminal amino group with a side-chain carboxylate of a glutamate at position 8 or 9, or an aspartate at position 7, 8 or 9. The trapping of the tail involves bulky amino acids located in the tail below and above the ring and/or disulfide bridges connecting the ring and the tail. Lasso peptides are subdivided into three subtypes depending on the absence (class II) or presence of one (class III) or two (class I) disulfide bridges. The lasso topology results in highly compact structures that give to lasso peptides an extraordinary stability towards both protease degradation and denaturing conditions. Lasso peptides are generally receptor antagonists, enzyme inhibitors and/or antibacterial or antiviral (anti-HIV) agents. The lasso scaffold and the associated biological activities shown by lasso peptides on different key targets make them promising molecules with high therapeutic potential. Their application in drug design has been exemplified by the development of an integrin antagonist based on a lasso peptide scaffold. The biosynthesis machinery of lasso peptides is therefore of high biotechnological interest, especially since such highly compact and stable structures have to date revealed inaccessible by peptide synthesis. Lasso peptides are produced from a linear precursor LasA, which undergoes a maturation process involving several steps, in particular cleavage of the leader peptide and cyclization. The post-translational modifications are ensured by a dedicated enzymatic machinery, which is composed of an ATP-dependent cysteine protease (LasB) and a lactam synthetase (LasC) that form an enzymatic complex called lasso synthetase. Microcin J25, produced by Escherichia coli AY25, is the archetype of lasso peptides and the most extensively studied. To date only around forty lasso peptides have been isolated, but genome mining approaches have revealed that they are widely distributed among Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, particularly in Streptomyces, making available a rich resource of novel lasso peptides and enzyme machineries towards lasso topologies.

This book reviews the current knowledge of the globally circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, highlights their distinct genetic characteristics and associated conformational changes in the viral spike protein, and profoundly discusses the mechanisms of convergent evolution that led to the rise of these mutated strains at different geographic regions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the book explores how these variants do and may impact the efficacy of established neutralizing antibody-based (nAb) vaccines and therapeutics by analysing latest in vivo and in vitro clinical data. Finally, the author discusses ways on how nAb Covid-19 treatment derived immune escape of SARS-CoV-2 could be minimized in the future.

Soil biota is an important and fundamental part of terrestrial ecology. The soil organisms include all those life forms which pass significant proportion of their life within a soil profile. The range of organisms may vary from microscopic entities to a macro level organisms. These organisms are the hidden beauties which take up the task of food chain regulation, organic matter decomposition, and nutrient enrichment of soil. Soil organisms can be grouped into three classes viz; chemical engineers (bacteria,fungi and protozoans), biological regulators (small soil invertebrates like nematodes and mesofauna) and ecosystem engineers (large soil invertebrates and small mammals). These creatures are mainly regulated by certain physical and biological factors. The physicochemical characteristics of soil can determine its biological diversity which influences the regulatory services in an ecosystem.This book showcases the mechanisms of biological dynamics at micro, meso and macro scales of the soil organisms. The introductory chapters of this book focus on understanding the faunistic diversity and its significance in soil, bioindicators in assessment of soil quality, consequences of various stressors on soil, highlighting the eves and odds associated with agricultural industry vis-à-vis environmental pollution and the possible influences on soil biota. Remaining chapters focus on the fungal internet, ecosystem cybernetics, and the potential remedial technologies for soil conservation, and novel remediation strategies to deal with degraded soils.

​Due to its ability to degrade hydrophobic substrates highly efficiently, the non-conventional yeast Yarrowia lipolytica offers various applications in the food, feed, pharmaceutical, and fine chemistry industries, as well as in environmental protection contexts such as waste treatment and bioremediation.The yeast breaks down hydrophobic substrates such as n-alkanes, fatty acids, fats, and oils, yielding valuable biotechnological products such as organic acids, extracellular enzymes, aroma compounds, bioemulsifiers, polyols, single-cell proteins, and single-cell oils. Further, Y. lipolytica is an efficient platform for the production of various heterologous proteins; more than a hundred heterologous proteins – including those of viruses, bacteria and fungi, as well as plant, animal and human proteins – have already been produced in Y. lipolytica. Since its genome has been sequenced, it is now possible to use new recombinant technology and metabolic engineering in order to improve the metabolic pathways involved in the creation of desirable metabolites and products.

This work describes the current knowledge of biochemical mechanisms regulating initiation of DNA replication in Escherichia coli, which focuses on the control of  activity of the DnaA protein. Examples of direct linkages between DNA replication and other cellular processes are provided. In addition, similarities of the mechanisms of regulation of DNA replication operating in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are identified, and implications for understanding more complex processes, like carcinogenesis are suggested.Studies of recent years provided evidence that regulation of DNA replication in bacteria is more complex than previously anticipated. Multiple layers of control seem to ensure coordination of this process with the increase of cellular mass and the division cycle. Metabolic processes and membrane composition may serve as points where integration of genome replication with growth conditions occurs. It is also likely that coupling of  DNA synthesis with cellular metabolism may involve interactions of replication proteins with other macromolecular complexes, responsible for various cellular processes. Thus, the exact set of factors participating in triggering the replication initiation may differ depending on growth conditions. Therefore, understanding the regulation of DNA duplication requires placing this process in the context of the current knowledge on bacterial metabolism, as well as cellular and chromosomal structure. Moreover, in both Escherichia coli and eukaryotic cells, replication initiator proteins were shown to play other roles in addition to driving the assembly of replication complexes, which constitutes another, yet not sufficiently understood, layer of coordinating DNA replication with the cellcycle.

The book describes the products produced by carboxydotrophic bacteria and their biotechnological applications. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a widespread pollutant and a hazard to man because of its extremely toxic nature. It is a major component of some industrial gas mixtures and may be derived from coal. The carboxydotrophic bacteria obtain energy and carbon from the oxidation of CO. These organisms may be used to produce new metabolites, and the oxidases from them may be used to produce fuel cells and biosensors for CO.

Extremophiles are known to thrive under harsh environmental conditions. Many extremophilic bio-products are already used as life-saving drugs. Recent technological advancements of systems biology have opened the door to explore these organisms anew as sources of products that might prove useful in clinical, environmental and drug development.

A discussion of the chemical compounds produced by organisms living under extreme conditions that may have potential as drugs or leads to novel drugs for human use. This SpringerBrief deals with bioactive materials from terrestrial extremophiles.

​This SpringerBrief sheds new light on bioactive materials from marine extremophiles. It deals with all aspects of the chemical compounds produced by organisms living under extreme conditions that may have potential as drugs or lead to novel drugs for human use.

​This SpringerBrief sheds new light on bioactive materials from extremophiles with the focus on the biosynthesis processes and related genomics. It deals with all aspects of the chemical compounds produced by organisms living under extreme conditions that may have potential as drugs or lead to novel drugs for human use.

The present work focuses on the diagnosis of TB, covering all its possible ways. Content ranges from clinical diagnosis, which is the first instance in approaching tuberculosis, until the gold standard microbiological and molecular diagnostic tools, which are useful due to its speed and high sensitivity. Additionally, diagnosis of latent TB infection, which is key feature to controlling TB under a public health perspective, is also addressed. This book is intended to be a quick and useful reference for the diagnosis of TB, being of special use for clinicians, pulmonologists and microbiologists, but also to every professional, professors and students involved in research and practice on TB diagnosis. In addition, it is intended to be of interest to professionals all over the world, but especially in countries with high TB endemicity, where the proper diagnosis of TB is a topic of major importance.

This book provides ample knowledge and better understanding of Streptococcus pyogenes and their superantigens. Many illustrations make this a highly informative book. This book elucidates briefly Streptococcus pyogenes as a strict human pathogen possessing an array of virulence factors. These help in evading host immune responses such as by the activation of non-specific T-cell subpopulations by producing superantigens. This book mainly focuses on streptococcal superantigens and explains how they are different from conventional antigens. Moreover, it elaborates those diseases in which superantigens are actively involved. Useful aspects of superantigens and different therapeutic interventions to eradicate superantigens induced diseased are also discussed.

This book describes the complex processes involved in styrene degradation by microbes, including highly adaptive microorganisms, the various enzymes involved in styrene biodegradation, new styrene-catabolic routes, novel regulatory mechanisms, and the genes coding for styrene metabolizing enzymes. Numerous biotechnological applications are discussed, such as the development of sustainable eco-friendly technologies as well as the use of styrene degrading microorganisms and their enzymes as a rich resource for biotechnology.

This book provides an introduction to biosurfactants produced by lactic acid bacteria, presenting a detailed compilation of their functional properties and structural composition. Microbial surfactants, extensively known as surface-active agents, have created a niche for themselves in the green-chemicals market, thanks to their distinct environment-friendly properties. The demand for biosurfactants in the cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, agricultural and environmental industries is steadily growing, and biosurfactants from lactic acid bacteria possess significant biological properties, making them potentially suitable for antimicrobial, anti-adhesive and various other industrially important applications.Exploring these aspects in depth, the book offers a valuable resource for both postgraduate students and researchers in the fields of food and industrial microbiology.

This Brief provides a concise review of the potential use of microalgae for biofuel production. The following topics are highlighted: the advantages of microalgae over conventional biofuel-producing crops; technological processes for energy production using microalgae; microalgal biomass production systems, production rates and costs; algae cultivation strategies and main culture parameters; biomass harvesting technologies and cell disruption; CO2 sequestration; life cycle analysis; and algal biorefinery strategies. The conclusions section discusses the contribution of the technologies described to environmental sustainability and future prospects.

Stress, high blood pressure, smoking, pollution, fast foods, overweight, excessive travelling, surgery, less movement are common features in our modern life. These features are risky for blood clotting disorders. According to WHO, over 29% of the total mortalities worldwide are due to thrombosis. By the year, 2020 cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) may cause an estimated 25 million deaths per year, thus antithrombotic therapy is of great interest. The available thrombolytic agents such as urokinase are highly expensive, antigenic, quite unspecific, pyretogenic and hemorrhagenic. Therefore, the production of fibrinolysing enzymes, which rapidly dissolute thrombi within the vascular tree, without the detriments by microorganisms, as described in this book, is the desirable aim of today’s research.

This book provides a detailed account of the physico-chemical properties and biological functions of the outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) of different pathogenic and non-pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. It also includes an authentic record of the first systematic study that discovered the mechanism of OMV formation by a pathogen, Vibrio cholerae, and proposed that the process represented a novel secretory activity of bacteria. Furthermore, the authors present clinical and laboratory data on the use of OMVs as immunogens, as effective and licensed vaccines against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B infections and on the development of more effective vaccines against other human and animal pathogens including Vibrio cholerae. This volume thus bears witness to the emerging revolution in the field of vaccines against pathogens and closes with a discussion of open questions and future research on OMVs.

to Cyclic glucans are polysaccharides that are predominantly produced by Agrobacterium, Bradyrhizobium and Rhizobium sp. and widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. In this book, the applications, properties, analytical tools, production and genes of four main cyclic β-glucans from microorganisms are highlighted and critically evaluated. As biocompatible and biodegradable renewable resources, they have an immense potential for future applications, which has not yet been fully exploited. This concise review will help to bridge this gap.