Genetics of Bacterial Diversity

Genetics of Bacterial Diversity focuses on the rapidly developing field of non-K-12 bacterial genetics that is largely outside the scope of other texts. The book begins with an introductory chapter that outlines the phylogenetic relationships of bacteria and the range of metabolic, behavioral, and developmental phenomena displayed by them. Two chapters then review the genetic processes found in bacteria generally, and discuss a range of genetic techniques used to analyze the various special systems described in the body of the book, respectively. Subsequent chapters deal with various special metabolic capabilities characteristic of certain groups of bacteria (light production, photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, antibiotic production, degradation of aromatic compounds and mercury resistance); developmental processes of cell-cycle associated motility, sporulation, and specialized colonial behavior; four components of bacterial pathogenicity for animals; and pathogenic and symbiotic interactions of bacteria with higher plants. The final chapter explains some of the concepts and the progress being made in the application of population genetics to bacteria. This book may be of interest to microbiologists wishing to catch up on the genetic basis of some of the classical phenomena of bacteriology, and geneticists unfamiliar with some of the things that bacteria can accomplish.