Foreword vii

Preface ix

About the Authors xi

About the book xiii

Acknowledgement xiv

1. An introduction to microbiology 1

2. The methods for studying microorganisms 5

3. Naming, classifying, and identifying of prokaryotes 14

4. Cell structure and function in Bacteria 18

5. Genetics of Bacteria 30

6. Binary fission and other forms of reproduction in Bacteria. Bacterial endospores 33

7. Microbial growth 37

8. Bacterial nutrition 41

9. Microbial metabolism 48

• Fermentation
• Aerobic and anaerobic respiration
• Photosynthesis

10. Basics of environmental microbiology (Microbial ecology) 56

• Environmental factors affecting growth
• Microbial growth control
• Nutrient Cycles

11. Microbe-Human Interactions. Infection and Disease 64

• The human microbiome
• Microbial pathogenicity and virulence
• Infection, infectious diseases
• Epidemiology
• Study of specific pathogens and infectious diseases
• Antibiotics
• Vaccines and vaccination

12. Viruses 93

• An introduction to the viruses
• Structure and classification of viruses
• Viral life cycles
• Viral Replication
• Subviral entities: viroids and prions
• Overview of human viruses

Keys (Correct answers) 10

Dina Yarullina is an associate professor (docent) at the Department of Microbiology and a senior researcher in the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Microorganisms, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia. She graduated from Kazan State University, Kazan, Russia as a specialist in Microbiology in 2004 and then obtained a Ph.D. in Microbiology in 2007. The main focus of her research is to study beneficial and probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria with a view to develop effective science-based preparations for medicine and food industry. She is an author of over 30 articles which were published in the international peer-reviewed scientific journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, one monograph, a chapter in the multi-author book and six study guides for students.

Vera Ulyanova is an associate professor (docent) at the Department of Microbiologyand a senior researcher in the Laboratory of Biosynthesis and Bioengineering of Enzymes, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia. She graduated from Kazan State University, Kazan, Russia as a specialist in Microbiology in 2006 and then obtained a Ph.D. in Microbiology in 2009. The main field of her research is the study of phylogenetic diversity, structural and functional features of bacterial extracellular ribonucleases. She is an author of over 30 articles which were published in the international peer-reviewed scientific journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, one monograph and five study guides for students.

Raihan Shah Mahmud is an associate professor (docent) at the Department of Microbiology and a senior researcher in the Laboratory of Omics Technologies, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia. He graduated from Kazan State University, Kazan, Russia as a specialist in Microbiology in 2007 and then obtained a Ph.D. in Microbiology in 2010. The main field of his research is elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying antiviral effect of bacterial ribonuclease against pandemic and highly pathogenic influenza A and other RNA-containing viruses. He is an author of over 25 articles which were published in the peer-reviewed scientific journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science,one monograph and two study guides for students.

Aliya Suleimanova is an associate professor (docent) at the Department of Microbiology and a senior researcher in the Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia. She graduated from Kazan State University, Kazan, Russia as a specialist in Microbiology in 2009 and then obtained a Ph.D. in Microbiology in 2013. Her main research interest is the study of bacterial phytases for their application in poultry feeding to increase the bioavailability of phosphorus. She is an author of over 20 articles which were published in the international peer-reviewed scientific journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, a chapter in the multi-author book and a study guide for students.

Yuliya Surchenko is an assistant professor and a senior researcher at the Department of Microbiology, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia. She graduated from Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia as a specialist in Microbiology in 2014 and then obtained a Ph.D. in Microbiology in 2019. The main field of her research is related to microbial ribonucleases, their structural organization and antitumor activity. She is an author of over 15 articles which were published in the peer-reviewed scientific journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science and a study guide for students.

Elena Dudkina is an associate professor (docent) at the Department of Microbiology and a senior researcher in the Laboratory of Biosynthesis and Bioengineering of Enzymes, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia. She graduated from Kazan State University as a specialist in Microbiology in 2011 and then obtained a Ph.D. in Microbiology in 2017. The area of her scientific interests is related to microbial ribonucleases, their structural organization and antitumor activity. She is an author of over 20 articles which were published in the peer-reviewed scientific journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, a monograph “Native dimers of microbial RNases” and two study guides for students.