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Bacterial Growth and Form

Based on the author's more than 40 years experience, Bacterial Growth and Form examines such important questions as what bacteria were, what they are, and what they do. Particular emphasis is placed on the ability of bacteria to establish their shapes as they grow and divide. By developing an understanding of the properties of these simple and early life forms, especially at the levels of physics and mathematics, the book provides insight into the mechanism used by bacteria to subvert physical forces to their own ends. A major consideration of this work is that prokaryotes do many of the same things that eukaryotes do, but with simpler equipment employed in an extremely sophisticated way. The book illustrates this point by closely examining the basic mechanismof hydrostatic or turgor pressure: how it functions for many of the mechanical purposes in the prokaryote, how it leads to mechanisms for resisting turgor pressure, and how it ultimately led to the development of exoskeletons and endoskeletons, and to the refinement of bacteria. Bacterial Growth and Form brings together biochemical, biophysical, and physiological principles in an authoritative, single-source volume. It provides researchers, and students in biophysics and microbiology with an indispensible reference and a new perspective into the biology of life.

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Bacterial growth and form

Based on the author's more than 40 years experience, "Bacterial Growth and Form" examines such important questions as what bacteria were, what they are, and what they do. Particular emphasis is placed on the ability of bacteria to establish their shapes as they grow and divide. By developing an understanding of the properties of these simple and early life forms, especially at the levels of physics and mathematics, the book provides insight into the mechanism used by bacteria to subvert physical forces to their own ends. A major consideration of this work is that prokaryotes do many of the same things that eukaryotes do, but with simpler equipment employed in an extremely sophisticated way.The book illustrates this point by closely examining the basic mechanism of hydrostatic or turgor pressure: how it functions for many of the mechanical purposes in the prokaryote, how it leads to mechanisms for resisting turgor pressure, and how it ultimately led to the development of exoskeletons and endoskeletons, and to the refinement of bacteria. "Bacterial Growth and Form" brings together biochemical, biophysical, and physiological principles in an authoritative, single-source volume. It provides researchers, and students in biophysics and microbiology with an indispensible reference and a new perspective into the biology of life.

Bacterial growth and form

This book is unique in the way microbiology is presented. As some of the simplest organisms, bacteria have a close connection to physics and chemistry. Throughout the book an appreciation of how these organisms solve their problems is given. They do so in a way that is adequate but less dependent on the evolution of very sophisticated biological tools that are so prominent in the biology of eukaryotic plants and animals. This simplicity is a consequence of the fact that the Domain of Bacteria separated from the evolutionary tree earlier than the other two Domains. Early parts of the book are devoted to evolutionary processes and mathematics for the study of bacteria growth. Also presented are the physics of osmotic pressure, surface tension, and relevant aspects of biochemistry. Since this book presents a novel approach to microbiology, it will be appropriate for all microbiologists and students. Even though it is written so that a prior knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and microbiology is not needed, it will be read, studied, and thought about by people with a more physical background.