Methods for studying the genetics, molecular biology, physiology, and pathogenesis of the streptococci

Book excerpt: This book is devoted entirely to methods developed in and for studies of members of the bacterial family Streptococcaceae. Many of the studies that have been conducted on the Streptococcaceae were initiated because of the diseases they cause, or to enhance their utility from an industrial perspective. However, the results of many of these investigations have demonstrated a complexity among some members of the family that warrants an interest in them in their own right, apart from or in addition to any biomedical or industrial considerations. It is therefore hoped and expected that the advanced methods contained in this book will be of interest to those who work with the streptococci and other Gram-positive organisms, to researchers interested in industrial and medical microbiology and to any researcher who seeks to obtain a better understanding of how microorganisms interact with each other, their environment and their hosts.