This first major reference work dedicated to the mannifold industrial and medical applications of bacteriophages provides both theoretical and practical insights into the emerging field of bacteriophage biotechnology. The book introduces to bacteriophage biology, ecology and history and reviews the latest technologies and tools in bacteriophage detection, strain optimization and nanotechnology. Usage of bacteriophages in food safety, agriculture, and different therapeutic areas is discussed in detail. This book serves as essential guide for researchers in applied microbiology, biotechnology and medicine coming from both academia and industry.

In response to the emergence of pathogenic bacteria that cannot be treated with current antibiotics, many researchers are revisiting the use of bacteriophages, or phages, to fight multidrug-resistant bacteria. Bacteriophages: Biology and Applications provides unparalleled, comprehensive information on bacteriophages and their applications, such as

It has been 10 years since Plenum included a series of reviews on bacte riophages, in Comprehensive Virology. Chapters in that series contained physical-genetic maps but very little DNA sequence information. Now the complete DNA sequence is known for some phages, and the se quences for others will soon follow. During the past 10 years two phages have come into common use as reagents: A phage for cloning single copies of genes, and Ml3 for cloning and DNA sequencing by the dideoxy termi nation method. Also during that period the use of alternative sigma fac tors by RNA polymerase has become established for SPOl and T4. This seems to be a widely used mechanism in bacteria, since it has been implicated in sporulation, heat shock response, and regulation of nitro gen metabolism. The control of transcription by the binding of A phage CII protein to the -35 region of the promoter is a recent finding, and it is not known how widespread this mechanism may be. This rapid progress made me eager to solicit a new series of reviews. These contributions are of two types. Each of the first type deals with an issue that is exemplified by many kinds of phages; chapters of this type should be useful in teaching advanced courses. Chapters of the second type provide comprehensive pictures of individual phage families and should provide valuable information for use in planning experiments.

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria; as such, they have many potential uses for promoting health and combating disease. This book covers the many facets of phage-bacterial-human interaction in three sections: the role and impact of phages on natural bacterial communities, the potential to develop phage-based therapeutics and other aspects in which phages can be used to combat disease, including bacterial detection, bacterial epidemiology, the tracing of fecal contamination of water and decontamination of foods.

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect bacteria and are believed to be the most abundant and genetically diverse organisms on Earth. As such, their ecology is vast both in quantitative and qualitative terms. Their abundance makes an understanding of phage ecology increasingly relevant to bacterial ecosystem ecology, bacterial genomics and bacterial pathology. Abedon provides the first text on phage ecology for almost 20 years. Written by leading experts, synthesizing the three key approaches to studying phage ecology, namely studying them in natural environments (in situ), experimentally in the lab, or theoretically using mathematical or computer models. With strong emphasis on microbial population biology and distilling cutting-edge research into basic principles, this book will complement other currently available volumes. It will therefore serve as an essential resource for graduate students and researchers, particularly those with an interest in phage ecology and evolutionary biology.

This book expands on the previous volumes with new chapters exploring emerging themes and methodologies in bacterial virus research. The chapters in this book are divided into 4 parts and cover topics such as: iron chloride flocculation of bacteriophages from seawater; encapsulation of Listeria phage A511 by alginate; examining genome termini of bacteriophage through high-throughput sequencing; genome sequencing of dsDNA-containing bacteriophages directly from a single plaque; characterizing bacteriophages by biology, taxonomy, and genome analysis; phage genome annotation using the RAST pipeline; and the use of RP4::mini-Mu for gene transfer. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting edge and authoritative, Bacteriophages: Methods and Protocols, Volume III is a valuable resource for both established and novice phage scientists.

Gain a better understanding of how these fascinating microorganisms can help ensure a safe food supply. • Provides a unique comprehensive review of the literature on the application of bacteriophages as therapeutic and prophylactic agents in the food production and processing industries, including food animals, plants, and aquaculture. • Describes how bacteriophages function, explaining why they have the potential to be highly effective antimicrobials, and explores opportunities to use bacteriophages to detect bacterial contamination of foods and water and to control pathogens during both food production and processing. • Examines bacteriophages that can have a negative effect on industrial food processes and bacteriophages that potentially can lead to the evolution of foodborne pathogens; and covers safety and regulatory issues that are crucial to the success of bacteriophage use. • Serves as a resource for food microbiologists, food industry professionals, government regulators.

Bacteriophages (phages) are the viruses of bacteria and biofilms that represent a frequent niche for bacteria, where they are embedded in extensive extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and can be structured into complex microcolonies. As a consequence of the resulting spatial structure and heterogeneity, phage-bacterial interactions within biofilms can be more complicated than those between phages and planktonic bacteria. This book presents and discusses research which provides a better understanding of the biology of phages interacting with biofilms.

Ranging from the evolution of pathogenicity to oceanic carbon cycling, the many and varied roles that bacteriophages play in microbial ecology and evolution have inspired increased interest within the scientific community. Bacteriophages: Methods and Protocols pulls together the vast body of knowledge and expertise from top international bacteriophage researchers to provide both classical and state-of-the-art molecular techniques. With its well-organized modular design, Volume 2: Molecular and Applied Aspects examines a multitude of topics, including the bacteriophage genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, along with applied bacteriophage biology. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, chapters consist of brief introductions to the subject, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and a Notes section which details tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Thorough and cutting-edge, Bacteriophages: Methods and Protocols is a valuable reference for experienced bacteriophage researchers as well as an easily accessible introduction for newcomers to the subject.

This authoritative, timely, and comprehensively referenced compendium on the bacteriophages explores current views of how viruses infect bacteria. In combination with classical phage molecular genetics, new structural, genomic, and single-molecule technologies have rendered an explosion in our knowledge of phages. Bacteriophages, the most abundant and genetically diverse type of organism in the biosphere, were discovered at the beginning of the 20th century and enjoyed decades of used as anti-bacterial agents before being eclipsed by the antibiotic era. Since 1988, phages have come back into the spotlight as major factors in pathogenesis, bacterial evolution, and ecology. This book reveals their compelling elegence of function and their almost inconceivable diversity.Much of the founding work in molecular biology and structural biology was done on bacteriophages. These are widely used in molecular biology research and in biotechnology, as probes and markers, and in the popular method of assesing gene expression.