Bacterial Stress Responses, 2nd Edition

From The Critics

Reviewer: Rebecca T. Horvat, PhD, D(ABMM)(University of Kansas Medical Center)
Description: Bacteria have a remarkable ability to respond quickly to their environment, especially in adverse conditions. This book explores and investigates how bacterial cells respond to this stress.
Purpose: This is an update of a book was first published 10 years ago. Since that time, there has been a tremendous increase in both technology and information on how bacteria survive. This type of information can be useful in the development of new antimicrobial agents, in agriculture, and in the production of biofuel and food products.
Audience: This book is directed at scientists working in this diverse field as well as students interested in basic mechanisms of gene regulation and response. The authors have contributed their experience, advice, and enthusiasm throughout the book which is evident in each chapter.
Features: The first three sections focus on general background information on stress responses in bacteria while the last three sections show specific examples in pathogens, effect of environment on bacterial response, and applications where these responses can be useful in making products. In all cases, it appears that transcription factors are central to the control of protein production. This response to stress by bacteria must occur rapidly in order to survive, therefore on a molecular level these changes need to occur immediately. Thus, bacteria have developed mechanisms to sense critical changes in the environment such as levels of oxygen, presence of metals, and change in temperature, energy source, or presence of damaging toxins. Additionally, bacterial colonies have the capability of signaling between bacteria in order to control population levels or product a biofilm for protection. There is discussion of quorum sensing by which bacterial cooperate in order to protect the entire bacterial colony. For bacteria, living in colonies requires cooperation with neighbors and, in exchange, the protection of individual cells. In this way, bacteria can survive both the extremes of the environment, the presence of antibiotics, or immune reactions in hosts, as well as invasion by phages.
Assessment: There is still much that remains to be known about how bacteria survive environmental stress. This book shows many good examples of experimental models that investigate gene regulation, protein production, and bacterial communication that leads to survival of the bacterial species.

Booknews

A host of scholars in a variety of biological sciences have contributed to this summary of current research on bacterial stress responses. The first section examines specific responses to stressors such as heat and cold, acid, and oxygen deprivation. Other sections cover general responses in various bacteria species, connections between stress responses and pathogenesis, and how some bacteria thrive in stressful environments. A final section discusses applications of stress response studies, including human and environmental suggestions. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)