Pathology and biotechnology

Plenum Press, 1998. $110.00 hbk (xv + 335 pages)ISBN 0 306 45849 7The genus Pseudomonas has been the focus of extensive research and of several national, as well as international, meetings during recent years. The outcome of such meetings and continued research is the publication of several books dealing with various aspects of Pseudomonas biology. This genus comprises several species, each with its own characteristics; for example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is well known as a pathogen of humans and other animals, Pseudomonas putida is known for its vast nutritional versatility, and Pseudomonas syringae is a major phytopathogen. Several other species that are well-known either as animal pathogens or for their ability to degrade a vast number of natural and synthetic organic compounds have recently been transferred from the Pseudomonas genus to other newly formed genera, such as Burkholderia or Sphingomonas.Pseudomonas is primarily focused on aspects of Pseudomonas biology that have not been reviewed in the recent past, and it therefore provides an interesting glimpse of some less well-known subject areas. Although the choice of subject matter seems somewhat arbitrary, the selection of authors is excellent, as each is an active researcher in the field and presents his/her subject matter in great detail and with considerable lucidity.The first chapter, on Pseudomonas plasmids, traces the history of antibiotic- and metal ion-resistance plasmids, as well as of the degradative plasmids that were originally found only in Pseudomonas but were later shown to occur in other soil bacteria. The use of some of these plasmids, particularly the broad-host-range plasmids as cloning vectors and the plasmids involved in the production of plant hormones and toxins, is emphasized.A major theme of the book is carbohydrate metabolism (Chapters 2 and 3), including catabolic pathways, the biosynthesis of cell wall lipopolysaccharides, capsular polysaccharides and slimes, and the transport of sugars. These chapters are not only detailed but also highlight the logical interrelationship that exists in the maintenance of a balance between sugar transport, its catabolism and the resultant synthesis of exo-, capsular or lipopolysaccharide. The transport of other molecules, such as amino acids, metal ions and various aromatic compounds, is discussed in Chapter 6.Although carbohydrate metabolism is given a prominent role, the variety of lipids present in various cellular compartments is also discussed, particularly with regard to their compositional changes as a function of environmental growth conditions (Chapter 4). Other chapters cover the specialized role of iron sequestration by various siderophores in Pseudomonas pathogenicity and plant-related biocontrol (Chapter 7), the physiological functions (and, where known, the genetic organization and regulation) of outer membrane proteins (Chapter 5) and the physical and chemical nature of Pseudomonas flagellum and its post-translational modification as a result of phosphorylation or glycosylation (Chapter 8). The final chapter, which focuses on the nutritional versatility of various Pseudomonas species in relation to the enzymes that allow them to biodegrade a myriad of complex organic compounds and their role as biocatalysts in various industrial processes, provides a fitting tribute to the importance of these species to man.The policy decision to focus on the subject areas that have not been recently reviewed elsewhere has led to some weaknesses in the book. For example, although the chapter on plasmids deals with degradative plasmids of historical importance, it barely mentions the plasmids that specify degradation of chlorinated compounds, such as chlorobenzenes, chlorobenzoates or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), the nature of gene recruitment or the role of insertion sequence elements in the evolution of such plasmids. Similarly, many exciting areas of modern Pseudomonas research, such as quorum sensing, various types of secretion mechanisms (including the type III contact-mediated introduction of virulence factors into host cells), two-component signal transduction systems and plant–bacteria interactions, are barely mentioned. In many chapters, there is a tendency to simply put together a series of observations without any effort to integrate or establish interrelationships between them.Although the book was published in 1998, most of the chapters deal with journal articles pre-1996, making the chapters somewhat outdated. In addition, one chapter has several typographical errors that are distracting. However, in spite of these minor problems, the book provides important and interesting information on the chosen topics, and the chapters are well organized and well written. It would certainly be useful for reference purposes on selected topics and as a handbook on the aspects of pseudomonad biology involved in biotechnology.