Microbial Life captures the richness, the intellectual excitement, and present-day understanding of the role of the microbe in evolution, human health, and in our lives. It is written for undergraduates who have a general understanding of chemical concepts and biochemistry.

'...the clear illustrations and easy-to-read text in Microbial Life convey the excitement and immediacy of a subject that is almost always in the news.' - John Heritage, Journal of Biological Education
 
'Microbial Life represents a refreshing change of emphasis and style compared to more standard microbiology textbooks...has authors who are still at the cutting edge of bacterial research and yet have found time to contribute to a text. This research activity shows throughout the book...' - Elizabeth Sockett, Microbiology Today (Society for General Microbiology)

PART ONE: THE SCOPE OF MICROBIOLOGY
Evolution, Microbial Life, and the Biosphere
Historical Overview
Fundamental Chemistry of the Cell
Structure and Function of Bacteria and Archaea
PART TWO: MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY: NUTRITION AND GROWTH
Nutrition, Cultivation, and Isolation of Microorganisms
Microbial Growth
Control of Microbial Growth
PART THREE: MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY: METABOLISM
Cellular Energy Derived from Chemicals
Cellular Energy Derived from Light
Biosynthesis of Monomers
Assembly of Bacterial Cell Structures
Role of Microbes in Biodegradation
PART FOUR: GENETICS AND BASIC VIROLOGY
Basic Genetics
Viruses
Genetic Exchange
Microbial Genomics
PART FIVE: MICROBIAL EVOLUTION AND DIVERSITY
Taxonomy of Bacteria and Archaea
Archaea
Nonphotosynthetic Proteobacteria
Gram-positive Bacteria: Firmicutes and Actinobacteria
Phototrophic Bacteria
Exploring Microbial Diversity: Other Phyla, Other Microbial Worlds
Eukaryotic Microorganisms
PART SIX: ECOLOGY OF MICROORGANISMS
Microbial Ecology
Beneficial Symbiotic Associations
Human Host-microbe Interaction
PART SEVEN: IMMUNOLOGY AND MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
Immunology
Microbial Diseases of Humans
Viral Diseases of Humans
Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology
PART EIGHT: APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
Industrial Microbiology
Applied Environmental Microbiology

JAMES T. STALEY, University of Washington, Seattle

ROBERT P. GUNSALUS, David Geffen School of Medicene, University of California Los Angeles

STEPHEN LORY, Harvard Medical School

JEROME J. PERRY