The book summarizes the achievements of the past decade in the biochemistry, bioenergetics, structural and molecular biology of respiratory processes in selected genera of the domain Bacteria along with an extensive coverage of the redox chains of extremophiles belonging to the Archaean domain. The volume is a unique piece of work since it contains a series of chapters dealing with metabolic features having important microbiological and ecological relevance such as the use of ammonium, iron, methane, sulfur and hydrogen as respiratory substrates or nitrous compounds in denitrification processes. Particular attention is also dedicated to peculiar groups of prokaryotes such as Gram positives, acetic acid bacteria, pathogens of the genera Helicobacter and Campylobacter, nitrogen fixing symbionts and free-living species, oxygenic phototrophs (Cyanobacteria) and anoxygenic (purple non-sulfur) phototrophs. The book is intended to be a long-term source of information for Ph.D. students, researchers and undergraduates from disciplines such as microbiology, biochemistry and ecology, studying basic and applied sciences, medicine and agriculture.
From the contents:Preface.- Respiratory Chains in Archaea: From Minimal Systems to Supercomplexes.- Aerobic Respiration in the Gram-Positive Bacteria.- Respiratory Electron Transport in Helicobacter and Campylobacter.- Respiratory Chains in Acetic Acid Bacteria: Membrane-bound Periplasmic Sugar and Alcohol Respirations.- Nitrogen Fixation and Respiration: Two Processes Linked by the Energetic Demands of Nitrogenase.- The Oxidation of Ammonia as an Energy Source in Bacteria.- Respiration in Methanotrophs.- The Enzymes and Bioenergetics of Bacterial Nitrate, Nitrite, Nitric Oxide and Nitrous Oxide Respiration.- Fe(ll) Oxidation by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans: the Role of the Cytochrome c Oxidase in Energy Coupling.- Sulfur Respiration.- Hydrogen Respiration.- Cyanobacterial Respiration.- Interactions Between Photosynthesis and Respiration in Facultative Anoxygenic Phototrophs.- Subject Index.- Species Index.- Gene and Gene Product Index.
From the reviews "The material in this book (Respiration in Archaea and Bacteria:Diversity of Prokaryotic Respiratory Systems, edited by Davide Zannoni) provides a bridge between the biophysics and biochemistry of the individual enzyme components and the complex physiology of the organisms in which these components function. Having all this material in one place is valuable to those of us doing research in the area, but also provides to anyone with an interest, a useful introduction to the background and context of current research. As such, this book is highly recommended for students and researchers interested in prokaryotic physiology and should be added to library shelves as a useful reference." (Robert B.Gennis,Professor of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Photosynthesis Research (2005))