Microbial Life captures the richness, the intellectual excitement, and present-day understanding of the role of the microbe in evolution, human health, and in our lives. It is written for sophomore to senior undergraduates who have a general understanding of chemical concepts and biochemistry. The coverage includes a brief historical background, evolution of microorganisms, components of bacteria and viruses, energetics, genetics, microbial diversity together with the role of microbes and viruses in human disease, immunology, the environment, and industrial applications.

Chapter summaries, review questions, and suggested readings reinforce key concepts, while boxes highlight recent or significant research, historical essays, and methods and techniques. An interactive Student CD-ROM is included with every copy of the book.

SPECIAL FEATURES of Microbial Life:

* a streamlined text deliberately shortened by ten percent to encourage students to read and grasp the concepts
* full coverage of all aspects of microbiology—the book can serve as a text for a course in Taxonomy or Environmental Microbiology
* a brand new art program completely redone with clear, understandable drawings and appropriate explanations provided by balloon captions
* expanded coverage of evolution of Bacteria and Archaea, structure and function, nutrition and growth parameters, and energetics covering both chemical and photoenergy conservation
* expanded coverage of all aspects of genetics including a new section on genomics
* viral structure and reproduction, up-to-date coverage of taxonomy, microbial diversity and ecosystems
* coverage of important aspects of immunology in a revised single chapter
* a chapter on the important area of beneficial symbioses and on host–microbe interactions
* updated and expanded treatment of the role of microbes and viruses in human diseases
* industrial microbiology and environmental microbiology covered in separate chapters