A detailed overview of the current state of knowledge about this special group of organisms. - Serves as an essential volume for a variety of scientists, including microbiologists, biochemists, physiologists, biotechnology specialists, ecologists, and physical scientists such as chemists and astronomers.

The Extremophiles Handbook brings together the rapidly growing and often scattered information on microbial life in the whole range of extreme environments. This book will be a useful reference for finding clues to the origin of life and for exploring the biotechnology potential of these fascinating organisms.

Physiological and Biotechnological Aspects of Extremophiles highlights the current and topical areas of research in this rapidly growing field. Expert authors from around the world provide the latest insights into the mechanisms of these fascinating organisms use to survive.The vast majority of extremophiles are microbes which include archaea, bacteria and some eukaryotes. These microbes live under chemical and physical extremes that are usually lethal to cellular molecules, yet they manage to survive and even thrive. Extremophiles have important practical uses. They are a valuable source of industrially important enzymes and recent research has revealed novel mechanisms and biomolecular structures with a broad range of potential applications in biotechnology, biomining, and bioremediation.Aimed at research scientists, students, microbiologists, and biotechnologists, this book is an essential reading for scientists working with extremophiles and a recommended reference text for anyone interested in the microbiology, bioprospecting, biomining, biofuels, and extremozymes of these organisms. - Shows the implications of the physiological adaptations of microbes from extreme habitats that are largely contributed by their biomolecules from basic to applied research - Provides in-depth knowledge of genomic plasticity and proteome of different extremophiles - Gives detailed and comprehensive insight about use of genetic engineering as well as genome editing for industrial applications

Extremophiles: Diversity, Adaptation and Applications brings up-to-date knowledge about different types of extremophiles, the fascinating group of microorganisms that love to live in extreme environmental conditions. The book consists of fourteen chapters, of which, the first provides an overview of all the major types of extremophiles and the relationship with their respective extreme environments. The chapters following this introduction explain the diversity of prokaryotes based on environmental conditions, adaptation mechanisms, and industrial applications. The book concludes with a summary of the diverse biotechnological and industrial applications of extremophiles, emphasizing the importance of these microorganisms for human welfare. The book is intended as a primary textbook reference that enriches the knowledge base of scholars in the field of microbiology and biotechnology. It can also serve as a secondary reference for anyone who is interested in research on extremophiles. Key Features - Covers all the major types of extremophiles, including hyperthermophiles, psychrophiles, halophiles, acidophiles, alkaliphiles, xerophiles, oligotrophs, chemolithotrophs, anaerobes and others - Provides a fundamental overview of the microbiology of extreme environments - Supplements fundamentals with information about industrial and scientific applications - Presents information in a simple structured format suitable for learners - Includes references for further reading

Highly recommended by CHOICE, Oct 2018 Extremophiles are nature’s ultimate survivors, thriving in environments ranging from the frozen Antarctic to abyssal hot hydrothermal vents. Their lifeforms span bacteria to fishes, and are categorized as halophiles from hypersaline environments, acidophiles from acidic waters, psychrophiles from cold habitats, and thermophiles from warm waters. Extremophiles: From Biology to Biotechnology comprehensively covers the basic biology, physiology, habitats, secondary metabolites for bioprospecting, and biotechnology of these extreme survivors. The chapters focus on the novel genetic and biochemical traits that lend these organisms to biotechnological applications. Couples studies of marine extremophile biology/genomics and extremophile culture for biotechnological applications with the latest advances in bio-prospecting and bio-product development Includes practical experiments that a laboratory can use to replicate extreme habitats for research purposes Presents latest advances in extremophile genomics to give the reader a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of extremophiles Offers insights into the production of commercially important extremozymes, carotenoids, bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites of medicinal value. This unique guide serves as a resource for biotechnologists who wish to explore extremophiles for their commercial potential, as well as a valuable reference for teaching undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students.

Explores the utility and potential of extremophiles in sustainability and biotechnology Many extremophilic bio-products are already used as life-saving drugs. Until recently, however, the difficulty of working with these microbes has discouraged efforts to develop extremophilic microbes as potential drug reservoirs of the future. Recent technological advances have opened the door to exploring these organisms anew as sources of products that might prove useful in clinical and environmental biotechnology and drug development. Extremophiles features outstanding articles by expert scientists who shed light on broad-ranging areas of progress in the development of smart therapeutics for multiple disease types and products for industrial use. It bridges technological gaps, focusing on critical aspects of extremolytes and the mechanisms regulating their biosynthesis that are relevant to human health and bioenergy, including value-added products of commercial significance as well as other potentially viable products. This groundbreaking guide: Introduces the variety of extremophiles and their extremolytes including extremozymes Provides an overview of the methodologies used to acquire extremophiles Reviews the literature on the diversity of extremophiles Offers tools and criteria for data interpretation of various extremolytes/extremozymes Discusses experimental design problems associated with extremophiles and their therapeutic implications Explores the challenges and possibilities of developing extremolytes for commercial purposes Explains the FDA's regulations on certain microbial bio-products that will be of interest to potential industrialists Extremophiles is an immensely useful resource for graduate students and researchers in biotechnology, clinical biotechnology, microbiology, and applied microbiology.

This book ‘Extremophiles: Wastewater and Algal Biorefinery’ explores the potential of extremophiles/extremotolerant organisms in wastewater treatment, biorefining of algal biomass and in the treatment of industrial waste effluent. The book provides a holistic overview about the current status of extremophiles in waste water treatment and various industrial processes. The chapters comprehensively cover the scientific and research findings on various industrial applications of extremophiles such as biofuels, extremozymes, electricity generation, biofilms, microbial corrosion and waste water treatment etc. This book is an integrated source of literature for the scientists, engineers, academicians, and students working in the area of extremophiles, microbial technology and biorefinery.

Choice Recommended Title, August 2019 Read an exclusive interview with Professor Vera Kolb here. Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life on Earth. This exciting and significant field of research also investigates the potential existence and search for extra-terrestrial life in the Solar System and beyond. This is the first handbook in this burgeoning and interdisciplinary field. Edited by Vera Kolb, a highly respected astrobiologist, this comprehensive resource captures the history and current state of the field. Rich in information and easy to use, it assumes basic knowledge and provides answers to questions from practitioners and specialists in the field, as well as providing key references for further study. Features: Fills an important gap in the market, providing a comprehensive overview of the field Edited by an authority in the subject, with chapters written by experts in the many diverse areas that comprise astrobiology Contains in-depth and broad coverage of an exciting field that will only grow in importance in the decades ahead

Extremophiles is a component of Encyclopedia of Biological, Physiological and Health Sciences in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The extremophiles represent some of the most fascinating organisms on Earth for the simple reason that they inhabit extreme environments characterized by physical and (or) chemical properties which render them totally inhospitable for most of the other organisms. The work has been sub-divided into 6 main topics related to the above mentioned environmental conditions. These topics consist of a general introduction and of several more specialized chapters that have been written by scientists prominent in the field. The chapters cover the description of the biotopes and inhabiting species, their specific characteristics as well as what we know about the molecular mechanisms which constitute the fundamentals of the resistance and adaptation of extremophiles to extreme conditions. The theme “Extremophiles” is headed by two chapters introducing the subject for non-specialists in the field, one covering the basic concepts and the other one giving an overview of the biotopes. These three volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.

Extremophiles are organisms that are able to live in extreme conditions due to their unique physiological and genetic adaptations. Extremophiles are harnessed for their extremozymes that have wide applications in biotechnology, pharmaceutics, and industry. Recent developments in genomics and proteomics have helped unravel the mechanism of survival, physiological adaptation, and genomics structure of extremophiles. Physiology, Genomics, and Biotechnological Applications of Extremophiles covers innovative developments in understanding the physiology and biochemistry of extremophiles using the -omics perspective, focuses on the advancement in mechanisms of the extremophiles that makes them able to survive under extreme conditions, and discusses the applications of extremophiles in astrobiology. Covering topics such as genomics and the history and identification of extremophiles, it is ideal for students, professors, researchers, academicians, microbiologists, agricultural scientists, and biotechnologists.