Molecular Mechanisms of Parasite Invasion

Molecular Mechanisms of Parasite Invasion (Subcellular Biochemistry)
by Barbara A. Burleigh (Editor), Dominique Soldati-Favre (Editor)

Product Details
* Hardcover: 237 pages
* Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (April 17, 2008)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0387782664

Book Description
In biological terms, a parasite can be defined as an organism that grows, feeds and is sheltered on, or in, a different organism while contributing nothing to the survival of the host. 1 This relationship is particularly intimate for parasitic protozoa (and single-celled fungi such as the Microsporidia), many of which not only penetrate tissue barriers, but gain entry into host cells. The entry mechanisms are as diverse as the organisms employing them and are often critical components of their pathogenic profile. All of the parasitic organisms highlighted in this new book represent medically important human pathogens that contribute significantly to the global burden of disease. As such there is intense interest in understanding the molecular basis of infection by these pathogens not only with regard to their clinical relevance but also the fascinating biology they reveal. For most of the parasites discussed here (Plasmodium falciparum, Toxoplasma gondii, Cryptosporidium parvum, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp.) the ability to penetrate biological barriers and/or to establish intracellular residence is critical to survival of the pathogen in the mammalian hosts. For other parasites, such as Entamoeba, a tissue invasive phenotype is a key virulence determinant. In the ensuing 18 chapters, select members of this diverse set of protozoan parasites, as well as some examples of the extremely reduced fungal parasites classified as Microsporidia, are discussed within the context of the fascinating molecular strategies employed by these organisms to migrate across biological barriers and to establish residence within target host cells.

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Bacterial Circadian Programs

Bacterial Circadian Programs
by Jayna L. Ditty (Editor), Shannon R. Mackey (Editor), Carl H. Johnson (Editor)

Product Details
* Hardcover: 333 pages
* Publisher: Springer; XI, 333 p. 100 illus. edition (March 1, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 3540884300

Book Description
Since the discovery of circadian rhythms in cyanobacteria in the late 1980s, the field has exploded with new information. The cyanobacterial model system for studying circadian rhythms, "Synechococcus elongatus", has allowed a detailed genetic dissection of the bacterial clock due to the methods currently available in molecular, structural, and evolutionary biology.
This book addresses multiple aspects of bacterial circadian programs: the history and background of the cyanobacteria and circadian rhythms in microorganisms, the molecular basis, structure, and evolution of the circadian clock, entrainment of the oscillator with the environment and the control of downstream processes by the clock, the demonstration of adaptive significance and the prokaryotic clock’s remarkable stability, and mathematical and synthetic oscillator models for clock function.
Experts in the field provide a timely and comprehensive review and a stepping-stone for future work on this amazing group of microorganisms and timing.

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