Stearns / Surette Microbiology For Dummies

1. Auflage 2014
ISBN: 978-1-118-87126-3
Verlag: John Wiley & Sons
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 384 Seiten, E-Book

Microbiology is the study of life itself, down to the smallestparticle
Microbiology is a fascinating field that explores life down tothe tiniest level. Did you know that your body contains morebacteria cells than human cells? It's true. Microbes are essentialto our everyday lives, from the food we eat to the very internalsystems that keep us alive. These microbes include bacteria, algae,fungi, viruses, and nematodes. Without microbes, life on Earthwould not survive. It's amazing to think that all life is sodependent on these microscopic creatures, but their impact on ourfuture is even more astonishing. Microbes are the tools that allowus to engineer hardier crops, create better medicines, and fuel ourtechnology in sustainable ways. Microbes may just help us save theworld.
Microbiology For Dummies is your guide to understandingthe fundamentals of this enormously-encompassing field. Whetheryour career plans include microbiology or another science or healthspecialty, you need to understand life at the cellular level beforeyou can understand anything on the macro scale.
* Explore the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryoticcells
* Understand the basics of cell function and metabolism
* Discover the differences between pathogenic and symbioticrelationships
* Study the mechanisms that keep different organisms active andalive
You need to know how cells work, how they get nutrients, and howthey die. You need to know the effects different microbes have ondifferent systems, and how certain microbes are integral toecosystem health. Microbes are literally the foundation of alllife, and they are everywhere. Microbiology For Dummies willhelp you understand them, appreciate them, and use them.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Stearns, Jennifer

Surette, Michael

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction 1
Part I: Getting Started with Microbiology 5
Chapter 1: Microbiology and You 7
Chapter 2: Microbiology: The Young Science 11
Chapter 3: Microbes: They're Everywhere and They Can Do Everything 21
Part II: Balancing the Dynamics of Microbial Life 29
Chapter 4: Understanding Cell Structure and Function 31
Chapter 5: Making Sense of Metabolism 49
Chapter 6: Getting the Gist of Microbial Genetics 67
Chapter 7: Measuring Microbial Growth 89
Part III: Sorting Out Microbial Diversity 105
Chapter 8: Appreciating Microbial Ancestry 107
Chapter 9: Harnessing Energy, Fixing Carbon 121
Chapter 10: Comparing Respiration and Fermentation 141
Chapter 11: Uncovering a Variety of Habitats 157
Part IV: Meeting the Microbes 179
Chapter 12: Meet the Prokaryotes 181
Chapter 13: Say Hello to the Eukaryotes 199
Chapter 14: Examining the Vastness of Viruses 219
Part V: Seeing the Impact of Microbes 237
Chapter 15: Understanding Microbes in Human Health and Disease 239
Chapter 16: Putting Microbes to Work: Biotechnology 261
Chapter 17: Fighting Microbial Diseases 283
Part VI: New Frontiers in Microbiology 299
Chapter 18: Teasing Apart Communities 301
Chapter 19: Synthesizing Life 313
Part VII: The Part of Tens 325
Chapter 20: Ten (Or So) Diseases Caused by Microbes 327
Chapter 21: Ten Great Uses for Microbes 335
Chapter 22: Ten Great Uses for Microbiology 341
Index 349

Über Autor(innen)

Jennifer C. Stearns, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Fellow in theDepartment of Medicine at McMaster University where, along with Dr.Surette, she pushes the boundaries of medical microbiology.Michael G. Surette, PhD, is appointed to both the Departmentof Medicine and the Department of Biochemistry and BiomedicalSciences at McMaster University. Julienne C. Kaiser, MSc, isa PhD candidate in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology atWestern University where she studies drug-resistant bacteria.