Biology and Biotechnology of Patagonian Microorganisms [Paperback]

The Argentinean Patagonia offers a great diversity of scarcely explored environments suitable for the bioprospection of biotechnological relevant microorganisms. This book provides readers with a concise and clearly illustrated treatment of outstanding topics of Patagonian microbiology and biotechnology. It covers a wide range of areas interesting to several audiences such as researchers, graduate students and professionals working on the industry food. Among the main topics we will discuss examples of environmental applications, such as heavy metal and hydrocarbon bioremediation, bioprospection of valuable molecules from extremophilic bacteria and yeasts, the use of Patagonian yeasts and lactic acid bacteria in fermented foods and beverages, aquaculture probiotics and yeasts for food biopreservation.

Introduction.- Part I Environmental Microbial Biotechnology.- Chapter 1 Molecular biological tools for the assessment of hydrocarbon-degrading potential in coastal environments.- Chapter 2 Indigenous PAH-degrading bacteria in oil-polluted marine sediments from Patagonia. Diversity and biotechnological properties.- Chapter 3 Hydrocarbon remediation by Patagonian microbial consortia.- Chapter 4 Assessment of microbial Patagonian communities for using in heavy metal bioremediation.- Chapter 5 Microbiological and biochemical indicators for assessing soil quality in drylands from Patagonia.- Part II Patagonian Microorganisms for Industrial and Sanitary Applications.- Chapter 6 Molecular ecology of class 1 integrons in Patagonia as model system for understanding the rise of antibiotic resistance isolates around the world.- Chapter 7 Novel sources of antimicrobials from pristine and poorly explored environments. The Patagonia microbiota case.- Chapter 8 Bioprospecting for bioactive actinomycetes from Patagonia.- Chapter 9 Microorganisms from Patagonia and Antarctica and their cold-active skills for using polymeric materials.- Chapter 10 Alkaline prolSå