Buch, Englisch, 368 Seiten, Format (B × H): 181 mm x 256 mm, Gewicht: 798 g
Biology and Technology at High Temperatures
Buch, Englisch, 368 Seiten, Format (B × H): 181 mm x 256 mm, Gewicht: 798 g
ISBN: 978-0-8493-9214-6
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Inc
We might think of them as living on the very edge of existence. Referred to as extremophiles, these microorganisms exhibit the most radical capacity for adaptation in those harsh environments that are just barely conducive to the existence of cellular life. Unlocking the mechanisms and understanding the evolutionary development that allows these simple organisms to thrive can teach us much about microbiology in extremis. Highly diverse, these microorganisms are found nearly everywhere. One example, thermophiles are microorganisms that thrive at temperatures above the mesophilic range of 25-40 degrees C. Until recently, due to their extreme environment, the study of thermophiles was limited. However with the advent of new tools, particularly genetic analysis, remarkable strides have been made.
Thermophiles: Biology and Technology at High Temperatures presents a cogent summary of the progress made in studying these extremophiles.
Discover how thermophiles demonstrate extremes that indicate a lack of evolutionary constraints
Much is being learned from the study of thermophiles, especially our understanding of biology at the molecular level and the genetic mechanisms that permit adaptation. Included in this volume is a discussion of protective strategies of thermophiles, including their thermostability, which allow them to maintain functional proteins. It also investigates whether hyperthermophiles employ protein phosphorylation-dephosphryation as a molecular regulatory mechanism, and provides significant clues regarding the synthesis of protein. By studying this extreme example, its subtle, yet exaggerated response mechanisms, and its development over the course of many short-lived generations, we may begin to understand the mechanisms in diseases linked to improper protein folding, and also begin to more fully understand the ingenious design of DNA, and all that such an understanding implies regarding the survival of human life in a rapidly changing environment.
Zielgruppe
Professional
Autoren/Hrsg.
Weitere Infos & Material
OVERVIEW. The Challenges to Life at Extremely High Temperatures. MOLECULAR BASIS OF MOLECULAR THERMOSTABILITY. Membranes and Membrane Proteins. Transporter Gene Families in Thermophiles. Extrinsic Protein Stabilization. Intrinsic Protein Stability. Chaperonins. Heat Shock Proteins. METABOLISM AND ENERGETICS. Metabolite Channeling in Enzyme Complexes. Novel Pathways of Intermediary Metabolism. Iron Reduction at Temperatures Up to 121 C. TECHNOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF THERMOPHILES AND THEIR ENZYMES. Applications of Unusual Natural Products from Thermophiles. High Pressure/High Temperature Applications. High Expression Strategies for Production of Thermostable Proteins. Bioleaching. Oil Well Microbiology. GENETIC MANIPULATION OF THERMOPHILES. DNA Repair and Mutagenesis in Archaea. Sulfolobus Plasmids and Cloning Vectors. Transposable Genetic Elements in Thermophilic Archaea. Genetic Analysis of Metabolism and Thermostability in Thermus. Establishing gene function by targeted mutagenesis. SIMPLE MODELS FOR COMPLEX FUNCTIONS. High Throughput Structural Determination of Proteins from Thermophiles. Novel Properties of DNA Polymerases/Nucleases from Thermophilic Archaea. MCM Proteins. DNA-Binding Proteins. Events and interactions at the DNA Replication Fork. Protein Phosphorylation at 80-90C. ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION. Thermophile Diversity in Terrestrial Springs. Natural Population Structure: Measures of Gene Flow and Recombination.
