Books

In recent years, researchers have discovered a new type of signaling mechanism based on cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP). This newly recognized second messenger is strongly associated with the transition between the motile and sessile states of many bacteria as well as the formation and dispersion of biofilms in many bacteria. The near universality of this second messenger in bacteria combined with the biomedical relevance and commercial importance of biofilms has generated much interest in c-di-GMP signaling research.

This book examines c-di-GMP signaling from a variety of angles, beginning with an introductory chapter that compares c-di-GMP to the better-known second messenger cAMP. Next, the book recounts the discovery of c-di-GMP, explains the important role of bioinformatics in the development and continued evolution of the field, and then describes the fundamental structure, function, regulation, and integration of c-di-GMP pathways. Further chapters explore the role of c-di-GMP in such diverse processes as flagellar biogenesis and motility, extracellular polysaccharide biosynthesis, biofilm development, virulence, and innate host immunity. The book ends with an expert forecast of the future of c-di-GMP signaling research and its applications.

Each chapter has been written and reviewed by leading pioneers in this rapidly evolving field. As the first book dedicated to c-di-GMP, it serves as a comprehensive reference on the state of the science for both experienced researchers and for those who are interested in discovering its many promising applications.

Hardcover, 356 pages, illustrations, index.

Sexual reproduction is ubiquitous in nature. As the engine that drives genetic diversity, sex accelerates adaptation and removes deleterious mutations. As such, it plays a central role in the origin and success of species. Studies on the major groups within the fungal kingdom have provided significant and wide-ranging contributions on the molecular bases by which sexual identity and reproduction are defined and controlled. Sex in Fungi: Molecular Determination and Evolutionary Implications not only encompasses the current state of knowledge, but also serves as an invaluable resource that will guide new research on these systems and organisms.

Since John Raper’s pioneering studies with the basidiomycetes in the 1960s, and the elegant work of Ira Herskowitz with Saccharomyces, genetic, molecular, and genomic analyses of fungal sexual reproduction have helped to illuminate how sexual cycles function in, as well as drive, evolution. The biological principles involved are profound and can serve as general paradigms for how cell identity is established and maintained, how cells sense and respond to extracellular cues, the role of genetic rearrangements in generating changes in cell identity and fate, and how genomic regions governing sexual identity are organized and evolved.

Drawing on the great advances made over the past 10 years, this volume provides illuminating insights into the molecular details of cell-type specification, mating-type switching, pheromone perception and signaling, and cellular and nuclear fusion. The tremendous impact of comparative genomics on the analysis of mating is evident in many of the chapters in this book. This volume includes chapters on both model and pathogenic fungi as well as a section that looks forward to what we hope to learn in other fungal lineages. The book concludes with a selection of chapters on the implications of sex, and studies of experimental evolution, in a broader evolutionary context.

Hardcover, 542 pages, full-color insert, illustrations, index.

In the decade-plus since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), clinicians and researchers have come to recognize the implications of the brain as a reservoir for resistant HIV, and the significance of this chronic infection to the patient’s functioning and prognosis. This unique volume covers the full scope of research on the neurological and neurobehavioral implications of HIV/AIDS, or “neuro-AIDS,” including the fields of microbiology and immunology.

In this book, noted researchers from all over the world examine the wide range of HIV-associated neurological and neurobehavioral disorders. Neuro-AIDS can affect the entire neuraxis, resulting in physiological, neurological, and neurobehavioral deficits ranging from distal sensory polyneuropathy and primary CNS lymphoma to HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment and disorders including HIV-associated dementia. Toxicities of the antiretroviral medications themselves are a serious concern

This book presents the wide variety of HIV-associated disorders and comorbidities with a look at the pre-HAART literature as well as the latest findings from the post-HAART era. Pathophysiology and selected neuroimaging techniques for diagnosis and assessment are examined in detail. In addition, this volume stands out for its chapters on specific patient populations such as women, children, minorities, and older persons, as well as special chapters addressing medico-legal and end-of-life concerns. The book concludes with a look at global issues and the future of neuro-AIDS in the HAART era.

Electronic Only, 537 pages, full-color insert, illustrations, index.

Recent technological advances have led to an outpouring of knowledge in the field of structural biology, yielding an abundance of informational resources available to researchers in the study of bacterial pathogenesis. Structural Biology of Bacterial Pathogenesis explores recent developments in the understanding of the molecular basis of bacterial infectious diseases, from structures involved in adhesion and host recognition to those describing elements of bacterial secretion systems. The first compilation of its kind, this new volume offers a convenient review of current research that will engage instructors, students, and professionals in the fields of bacterial pathogenesis and infectious diseases.

Replete with unique illustrations and written by experts, Structural Biology of Bacterial Pathogenesis provides a foundation for understanding the molecular interactions required for infection to occur. Readers will gain insight into the role structures play both in our comprehension of pathological processes and in the design of novel antibiotic compounds. Chapters address diverse topics, including host receptors of bacterial origin, sortase pathways in gram-positive bacteria, and bacterial secretion machinery. Illustrations emphasize general concepts related to each disease profiled, as well as concepts concerning the infectious agent causing it.

Electronic Only, 273 pages, full-color insert, illustrations, index.