Stress Biology of Cyanobacteria: Molecular Mechanisms to Cellular Responses

A significant component of many different ecosystems, cyanobacteria occupy almost every niche of the earth, including fresh and salt waters, rice fields, hot springs, arid deserts, and polar regions. Cyanobacteria, along with algae, produce nearly half the global oxygen, making assessment of their ecophysiologies important for understanding climate impacts and potential remediation. Stress Biology of Cyanobacteria: Molecular Mechanisms to Cellular Responses is a compilation of holistic responses of cyanobacteria, ranging from ecological and physiological to the modern aspects of their molecular biology, genomics, and biochemistry.

Covering almost every aspect of cyanobacterial stress biology, this book is divided into two parts: Bioenergetics and Molecular Mechanisms of Stress Tolerance and Cellular Responses and Ecophysiology. The first few chapters focus on the molecular bioenergetics of photosynthesis and respiration in cyanobacteria, and provide a clear perspective on different stress tolerance mechanisms. Part I also covers the effect of specific stresses—including heavy metal, high and low temperature, salt, osmotic, and UV-B stress—on a wide range of vital physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes of cyanobacteria.

Part II describes mechanisms of symbiosis, stress-induced bioproducts, and the role of environmental factors on nitrogen fixation, which along with photosynthesis is a major contributor to the current geochemical status of the planet. The text also covers mutation and cyanobacterial adaptation, and the most widely studied cyanotoxin, microcystin, which has effects on both human and animal health. With contributions from experts around the world, representing the global importance of cyanobacteria, this book provides a broad compilation of research that deals with cyanobacterial stress responses in both controlled laboratory conditions as well as in their natural environment.

Dr. Ashish Kumar Srivastava completed his MSc in botany and Ph.D. in molecular biology of cyanobacteria from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. His area of research is molecular assessment of diversity and stress responses of cyanobacteria inhabiting different ecosystems. He has served in Mizoram University and Banaras Hindu University as an assistant professor. He is the recipient of the Endeavour Research Award 2009 from the Australian Government. He also received the Young Scientist Award from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and the BPS Project Award of British Psychological Society. He is a life member of the National Academy of Sciences, India. He joined the prestigious Indian Administrative Services in 2011 and is currently posted in Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India.

Professor Amar Nath Rai completed his MSc from B.H.U. (gold medalist) and Ph.D. from the University of Dundee, UK. After having served Mizoram University as the vice-chancellor, he joined North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Varanasi, India, as vice-chancellor in 2010. He is an internationally recognized scientist in the field of nitrogen fixation and plant–microbe interactions. He has written books published by renowned publishers like CRC Press (United States) and Kluwer Academic Publisher (the Netherlands) and has published his research in journals with high-impact factor. Professor Rai is the recipient of the Amity Academic Excellence Award and Young Scientist Award. He is also a member of the Central Advisory Board on Education and Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet, Government of India.

Brett A. Neilan is a molecular biologist and an expert in the study of toxic cyanobacteria that affect water quality globally. He obtained his Ph.D. in microbial and molecular biology from the University of new South Wales (UNSW). He is currently professor of microbial chemistry, Australian Research Council Federation Fellow, deputy director of the Australian Centre for Astrobiology, co-director of the Environmental Microbiology Initiative at UNSW, member of the Australian Society for Microbiology and Sydney Institute for Marine Science, and adjunct professor at the Chinese Academy of Science. Dr. Neilan’s research focuses on microbial and molecular diversity, specifically the genetics of toxic cyanobacteria. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and was awarded three Australian Museum Eureka Prizes and the Australian Academy of Science Fenner Medal.