New Book on Prokaryotic Metabolism and Physiology

This book follows on from their successful earlier Bacterial Physiology and Metabolism, first published in 2008, has been extensively revised and updated to take account of latest scientific advances, particularly in genomics and in the understanding of the archaea.

Vast numbers of different prokaryotic microorganisms shape the biosphere, and the Bacteria and Archaea exhibit incredible metabolic diversity. Such metabolic diversity is reflective of the wide range of habitats where prokaryotes thrive. Thus, prokaryotes are found almost everywhere under a wide range of physical and chemical conditions. Some physiologies, e.g. chemolithotrophy and nitrogen fixation, are only found in certain groups of prokaryotes, while the use of inorganic compounds, such as nitrate and sulfate, as electron acceptors in respiration is another prokaryotic ability. This book describes the key metabolic processes that occur under different conditions, and the cellular processes that determine prokaryotic roles in the environment, biotechnology and human health.

Geoff and Hong carried out their PhDs together in University College Cardiff and have been friends and scientific collaborators for over 40 years. Hong had an outstanding scientific career at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea and has held several visiting professorships in China and Malaysia. The Korean government designated his research group a National Research Laboratory, the Bioelectricity Laboratory, and he carried out pioneering research with electrochemically-active bacteria and microbial fuel cells, which also led to commercialisation of biosensor technology.  Geoff has previously worked extensively with sulfate-reducing bacteria, acidophiles and selenite reducers, and also published several papers with Hong Kim on the microbial fuel cell and electrogenic bacteria. The book’s cover images are of selenite-reducing bacteria taken by Lara Codognotto of the Geomicrobiology Group.

Prokaryotic Metabolism and Physiology (2019). Kim, B.H. and Gadd, G.M. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 510pp. ISBN: 978-1-107-17173-2 hardback; 978-1-316-62291-9 paperback.