This text describes the structure, functions, transmission and applications of bacterial plasmids. The rate of research and accumulating knowledge on bacterial plasmids since the first edition, has established a need for a thorough revision and update. Each chapter has been brought up-to-date, and current developments in the understanding of plasmid replication and transposable elements have received special attention.

This short book attempts to give a reader who has a basic biochemical and microbiological background (one to two years at University level) an idea of the ecological, biochemical, physiological and biotechnological importance of methane, methanol and related compounds in the microbial world. Because the book covers several different scientific disciplines, readers may encounter unfamiliar terminology. The glossary at the end of the book defines the more obscure of these. The book has been written during a period of heavy teaching commit ments, and despite the helpful comments of many...