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The microbial world has given us many surprises including microbes that grow under extremely harsh conditions (122C at 40 MPa), novel metabolisms such as the uranium and perchlorate reduction, and novel chemicals that can be used to control diseases. We continually face new and difficult problems such as the need to transition to more carbon-neutral energy sources and to find eco-friendly chemicals and to find new drugs to treat disease. Will it be possible to tap into the seemingly limitless potential of microbial activity to solve our current and future problems?The answer to this question is probably yes. We are already looking to the microbial world to provide new energy sources, green chemicals to replace those made from petroleum, and new drugs to fight disease. To help us along these paths, we are deciphering how microorganisms interact with each other. We know that microbial populations interact and communicate with each other. The language that microbes use is chemical where small molecules are exchanged among different microbial cells. Sometimes, these chemicals suppress activities of competitors and could be used as antibiotics or may have other therapeutic uses. Other times, the chemicals stimulate complex responses in microbial populations such as fruiting body or biofilm formation. By understanding the conversation that microbes are having among themselves, e. g.
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Biosurfactants
ADVA V NCES IN EXPERIMENTA T L MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY Editorial Board: NATHAN A BACK, State University of New York at Buffalo IRUN U R. COHEN, The Weizmann Institute of Science ABEL LAJTHA, N.S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research JOHN D. LAMBRIS, University of Pennsylvania RODOLFO PAOLETTI, University of Milan
Recent Volumes in this Series Volume 664 RETINAL DEGENERATIVE DISEASES Volume 665 FORKHEAD TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS Volume 666 PATHOGEN DERIVED IMMUNOMODULATORY MOLECULES ! Volume 667 LIPID A IN CANCER THERAPY ! # Volume 668 SUPERMEN1 $ % Volume 669 NEW FRONTIERS IN RESPIRATORY CONTROL &'( )) *) ( Volume 670 THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS OF CELL MICROENCAPSULATION + ( , ' * - Volume 671 FRONTIERS IN BRAIN REPAIR ( Volume 672 BIOSURFACTANTS )' .
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Biosurfactants Edited by Ramkrishna Sen, MTech, T PhD Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
Springer Science+Business Media, LLC Landes Bioscience
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