Halophilic Microorganisms and their Environments: 5 (Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology, 5) - Hardcover

Oren, Aharon

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1402008295 ISBN 13: 9781402008290

Publisher: Springer, 2002

Synopsis

"This water" he told me, "runs out to the eastern region, and flows into the Arabah; and when it comes into the sea, into the sea of foul waters [i. e. , the Dead Sea], the water will become wholesome. Every living creature that swarms will be able to live wherever this stream goes; the fish will be very abundant once these waters have reached there. It will be wholesome, and everything will live wherever this stream goes. Fishermen shall stand beside it all the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim; it shall be a place for drying nets; and the fish will be of various kinds [and] most plentiful, like the fish of the Great Sea. " Ezekiel’s prophecy (Ezekiel 47: 8-10) for revival and purification of the Dead Sea waters This new book on "Halophilic Microorganisms and their Environments" is the fifth volume in the COLE series (Cellular Origin and Life in Extreme Habitats (see: http://www. wkap. nl/prod/s/COLE). In the previous books we covered aspects of enigmatic microorganisms, microbial diversity, astrobiology, and symbiosis, so this book on halophilic microbes adds a fitting link to the rest of series' books. Since ancient times hypersaline habitats have been considered extreme environments, and some were thought not to sustain life at all. Yet, every organism requires salt for its existence. Salty places have been compared to an environment of extinction (e. g. , the Dead Sea).

About this title

Synopsis

The halophilic microorganisms form a highly diverse group of organisms. They present the biochemist/physiologist with interesting questions on the strategies used to cope with high osmotic pressures exerted by hypersaline brines. They often have a strong impact on the ecosystems in which they thrive. The first section of the book presents in-depth discussions of the taxonomy, cellular properties, metabolic diversity, pigments, ion metabolism and organic osmotic solutes, properties of halophilic proteins, genetics, and biotechnological uses of halophilic microorganisms. The second section describes the occurrence and functioning of these organisms in the Great Salt Lake, the Dead Sea, solar saltern ponds, alkaline soda lakes, and other hypersaline environments worldwide. Each chapter contains an extensive list of references. No other book provides in-depth up-to-date coverage of all subjects described. The volume is intended for researchers and students interested in microbial physiology, microbial ecology, environmental sciences, and extremophilic biotechnology.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1402008295
• ISBN 13: 9781402008290
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 596