Dyson (Swansea U., UK) has devoted 30 years to studying Streptomyces--the complex bacteria that grown in soils and are the source of antibiotics--and is delighted to present this volume offering overviews of the current status of research, as well as insight and inspiration for further research. He feels although this century's first decade of genome sequence study has not yet had a huge impact on understanding of streptomycete ecology, the future will see molecular genetics supplanting classical genetic analysis, leading to enhanced ability to synthesize antibiotics. This compendium presents 12 contributed chapters pertaining to genome architecture, conjugative genetic elements, differentiation, protein secretion, central carbon metabolic pathways, regulation of nitrogen assimilation, and mechanisms of phosphate control of primary and secondary metabolism, among other topics. Contributors are primarily from the UK and continental Europe, with a few from the US. The volume is distributed in the US by ISBS. Annotation 2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
