Brings the excitement, breadth, and power of the modern microbial sciences to the next generation of students and scientists.

This third edition of the bestselling Microbe textbook is an eloquent and highly readable introduction to microbiology that will engage and excite science majors and pre-health professionals. The authors have carefully crafted a lively narrative with stunning, detailed illustrations to bring key concepts to life and promote a lifelong passion for the microbial sciences.

Microbe is replete with case studies, ranging from a MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) outbreak in an NFL locker room to the search for life outside of Earth, that illustrate relevant microbiology concepts in real-world scenarios. To further engage students and deepen their understanding of both the principles and practice of science, each chapter includes activities that encourage students to demonstrate and apply their knowledge of the topics presented. Questions are posed throughout each chapter to introduce important subjects and to prompt students to actively participate in the learning experience. This new edition also features highlight boxes exploring the varied roles and applications of microbes at work in our world as well as profiles of the diverse array of individuals who work in and adjacent to the field of microbiology.

An equally valuable tool for instructors of all classroom modalities, Microbe integrates key concepts, learning outcomes, and fundamental statements directly from the ASM Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Microbiology. The new edition also provides robust instructor materials, including slides with figures and tables from the text, access to more than 250 peer-reviewed questions for microbiology education, and an instructors' manual featuring answers for end-of-chapter questions as well as supplemental exercises and resources to challenge students to dig deeper into their understanding of the material.

Reviews:

This is a fantastic text that makes microbiology accessible to students. The new edition highlights a One Health perspective and the impact of microbiology on society and the human experience. The stories of Microbiologists at Work reflect the diversity of individuals making contributions to the field through a range of career paths. The conversational, engaging writing style; the learning outcomes that provide roadmaps for guided reading; and the clear, concise figures make this a text my students enjoy. Mary E. Allen, Professor of Biology & Coordinator of Academic Assessment, Hartwick College

Microbe is one of the best undergraduate textbooks I have used to teach microbial metabolism. It has the perfect mix of examples from both the research literature and the realworld for explaining challenging concepts to students. The new human gut microbiome chapter is amazing and does a great job of tying in concepts students learn in earlier chapters. Kersten Schroeder, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences-College of Medicine, University of Central Florida

Microbe captures the wonder of the microbial world! The chapter on differentiation and development of bacteriacaptivates my students and has long been a favorite, and I appreciate the deepened coverage of archaea in this edition. With new figures and information boxes, this book invites my students to join in on discovering the amazing world of microbes. Anne M. Estes, Assistant Professor of Biology, Towson University



Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

Part I Fundamentals of Microbial Life

1 A Microbial Planet

2 Microbial Cell Exterior: Envelopes and Appendages

3 Microbial Cell Interior

4 Microbial Cell Growth and Division

5 Microbial Metabolism

6 Bioenergetics of Fueling

7 Synthesis of Building Blocks

8 Building Macromolecules

9 Building the Cell Envelope

10 Inheritance and Information Flow

11 Coordination of Cell Processes

12 Succeeding in the Environment

13 Differentiation and Development of Bacteria

Part II Microbial Diversity

14 Bacteria and Archaea

15 The Fungi

16 Protists

17 The Viruses

18 Viral Latency

Part III Microbial Ecology

19 Microbial Communities

20 Cycles of Elements

21 Microbial Interactions

22 The Human Gut Microbiome

Part IV Microbial Pathogenesis

23 Infection: The Vertebrate Host

24 Opportunistic Infections by Microbiota: MRSA

25 Intracellular Pathogens: Listeria and Mycobacterium

26 Toxins and Epidemic Cholera: Phage Giveth, and Phage Taketh Away

27 Zoonoses: How Plague Emerged from a Foodborne Illness

Coda

Glossary

Index