The time seems ripe for a critical compendium of that segment of the biological universe we call viruses. Virology, as a science, having passed only recently through its descriptive phase of naming and num bering, has probably reached that stage at which relatively few new-truly new-viruses will be discovered. Triggered by the intellectual probes and techniques of molecular biology, genetics, bio chemical cytology, and high resolution microscopy and spec troscopy, the field has experienced a genuine information explosion. Few serious attempts have been made to chronicle these events. This comprehensive series, which will comprise some 6000 pages in a total of about 18 volumes, represents a commitment by a large group of active investigators to analyze, digest, and expostulate on the great mass of data relating to viruses, much of which is now amorphous and disjointed, and scattered throughout a wide literature. In this way, we hope to place the entire field in perspective, and to develop an invalua ble reference and sourcebook for researchers and students at all levels. This series is designed as a continuum that can be entered anywhere, but which also provides a logical progression of developing facts and integrated concepts.

In calling this series Molecular Plant Virology, I had in mind aspects of plant virology of interest to biochemists, molecular geneticists, biophysicists, genetic engineers, or, collectively,molecular biologists. At the same time, the intention was to provide up-to-date reviews, by expert contributors, on current research topics in plant virology of interest and referential use to virologists and plant biologists. The selected topics are pitched mainly at a research level, but with sufficient introduction and cross-referencing to enable graduate students to enter this fascinating field and, hopefully, not get lost.

This is the first book to systemize all levels of communicative behavior of phages. Phages represent the most diverse inhabitants on this planet. Until today they are completely underestimated in their number, skills and competences and still remain the dark matter of biology. Phages have serious effects on global energy and nutrient cycles. Phages actively compete for host. They can distinguish between ‘self’ and ‘non-self’ (complement same, preclude others). They process and evaluate available information and then modify their behaviour accordingly. These diverse competences show us that this capacity to evaluate information is possible owing to communication processes within phages (intra-organismic), between the same, related and different phage species (interorganismic), and between phages and non-phage organisms (transorganismic). This is crucial in coordinating infection strategies (lytic vs. lysogenic) and recombination in phage genomes. In 22 chapters, expert contributors review current research into the varying forms of phage biocommunication and Phagetherapy. Biocommunication of Phages aims to assess the current state of research, to orient further investigations on how phages communicate with each other to coordinate their behavioral patterns, and to inspire further investigation of the role of non-phage viruses (non-lytic, non-prokaryotic) in these highly dynamic interactional networks.

The time seems ripe for a critical compendium of that segment of the biological universe we call viruses. Virology, as a science, having passed only recently through its descriptive phase of naming and num bering, has probably reached that stage at which relatively few new truly new-viruses will be discovered. Triggered by the intellectual probes and techniques of molecular biology, genetics, biochemical cytology, and high resolution microscopy and spectroscopy, the field has experienced a genuine information explosion. Few serious attempts have been made to chronicle these events. This comprehensive series, which will comprise some 6000 pages in a total of about 22 volumes, represents a commitment by a large group of active investigators to analyze, digest, and expostulate on the great mass of data relating to viruses, much of which is now amorphous and disjointed, and scattered throughout a wide literature. In this way, we hope to place the entire field in perspective, and to develop an invalu able reference and sourcebook for researchers and students at all levels. This series is designed as a continuum that can be entered anywhere, but which also provides a logical progression of developing facts and integrated concepts.

This new volume explores the recent innovations in active, intelligent, and smart packaging systems that embrace packaging potential to not only provide protection to food but to also improve its nutritive value, reduce contamination by releasing antimicrobials, and provide real-time status of food quality. The book presents novel edible food packaging, nanotechnology-based improvements in food packaging, and biodegradation and bio-based approaches for management of food waste and plastic waste from packaging.

Authored by electron microscopists and leading members of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV), the Atlas of Virus Diagrams includes chapters on virus classification. The diagrams, selected for content and historic and aesthetic value, illustrate vertebrate, invertebrate, and plant bacterial viruses taken from English, French, and German language virological literature. The book presents this information in three sections: Overviews, including vertebrate and plant viruses Viruses with cubic and helical symmetry Viruses with binary symmetry (tailed bacteriophages).

Principles of Virology is the leading virology textbook because it does more than collect and present facts about individual viruses. Instead, it facilitates an understanding of basic virology by examining the shared processes and capabilities of viruses. Using a set of representative viruses to present the complexity and diversity of a myriad of viruses, this rational approach enables students to understand how reproduction is accomplished by known viruses and provides the tools for future encounters with new or understudied viruses. This fully updated edition represents the rapidly changing field of virology. A major new feature is the inclusion of 26 video interviews with leading scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of virology. Applicable courses: undergraduate courses in virology and microbiology as well as graduate courses in virology and infectious diseases.

The time seems ripe for a critical compendium of that segment of the biological universe we call viruses. Virology, as a science, having passed only recently through its descriptive phase of naming and num bering, has probably reached that stage at which relatively few new-truly new-viruses will be discovered. Triggered by the intellectual probes and techniques of molecular biology, genetics, bio chemical cytology, and high resolution microscopy and spec troscopy, the field has experienced a genuine information explosion. Few serious attempts have been made to chronicle these events. This comprehensive series, which will comprise some 6000 pages in a total of about 18 volumes, represents a commitment by a large group of active investigators to analyze, digest, and expostulate on the great mass of data relating to viruses, much of which is now amorphous and disjointed, and scattered throughout a wide literature. In this way, we hope to place the entire field in perspective, and to develop an invalua ble reference and sourcebook for researchers and students at all levels. This series is designed as a continuum that can be entered anywhere, but which also provides a logical progression of developing facts and integrated concepts.

The time seems ripe for a critical compendium of that segment of the biological universe we call viruses. Virology, as a science, having passed only recently through its descriptive phase of naming and num bering, has probably reached that stage at which relatively few new truly new-viruses will be discovered. Triggered by the intellectual probes and techniques of molecular biology, genetics, biochemical cytology, and high-resolution microscopy and spectroscopy, the field has experienced a genuine information explosion. Few serious attempts have been made to chronicle these events. This comprehensive series, which will comprise some 6000 pages in a total of about 22 volumes, represents a commitment by a large group of active investigators to analyze, digest, and expostulate on the great mass of data relating to viruses, much of which is now amorphous and disjointed, and scattered throughout a wide literature. In this way, we hope to place the entire field in perspective, and to develop an invaluable reference and sourcebook for researchers and students at all levels. This series is designed as a continuum that can be entered anywhere, but which also provides a logical progression of developing facts and integrated concepts.

During the past two decades, virus taxonomy has advanced to the point where most viruses can be classified as belonging to families, genera, or groups of related viruses. Virus classification is primarily based on chem ical and physical similarities, such as the size and shape of the virion, the nature of the genomic nucleic acid, the number and function of com ponent proteins, the presence of lipids and of additional structural fea tures, such as envelopes, and serological interrelationships. The families, genera, or groups of viruses that have been defined on the basis of such criteria by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) will be described in some detail in this catalogue and illustrated by elec tron micrographs. In my present attempt to list most if not all well es tablished and studied viruses in alphabetical order, I have largely confined myself to identifying them only in such taxonomic terms, generally without quoting specific data reported for individual viruses. If the latter data do not at times agree closely with those given for the taxon or group, it is difficult to decide to what extent this is attributable to misclassi fication due to insufficient data and errors in the analytical procedures and descriptions, or to what extent this is an expression of Nature's free dom of choice and abhorrence of restrictive classifications.