Includes Index

Contents:The beginnings of microbiology -- The methods of microbiology -- The nature of the microbial world -- The protists --The procaryotes: an introductory survey -- Microbial metabolism:the generation of ATP -- Microbial metabolism -- biosynthesis -- Regulation -- Microbial growth -- The effect of environment on microbial growth -- The relation between structure and function in procaryotic cells -- The viruses -- Mutation and gene function at the molecular level -- The expression of mutation in viruses, cells and cell populations -- Genetic recombination -- The classification of bacteria -- The photosynthetic procaryotes -- Gram-negative bacteria:the chemoautotrophs and methylotrophs -- Gram-negative bacteria: aerobic chemo heterotrophs -- The enteric group and related organisms -- Gram-negative bacteria :Myxobacteria and other gliding organisms -- Gram-positive bacteria :unicellular -- endosporeformers -- Gram-positive bacteria: the actinomycete line -- Nonspore-forming strict anaerobes -- Microorganisms as geochemical agents -- Symbiosis -- symbiotic associations between photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic partners -- Symbiotic associations between two nonphotosynthetic partners -- microbial pathogenicity -- Microbial diseases of man -- The exploitation of microorganisms by man -- Index