Microbial life history : the fundamental forces of biological design / Steven A. Frank.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Frank, Steven A., 1957- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Microbial metabolism--Evolution.

Microbial metabolism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (400 p.) : 55 b/w illus.

Place of Publication:

Princeton, N. J. : Princeton University Press, [2022]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

A powerful framework for understanding how natural selection shapes adaptation and biological designDesign and diversity are the two great challenges in the study of life. Microbial Life History draws on the latest advances in microbiology to describe the fundamental forces of biological design and apply these evolutionary processes to a broad diversity of traits in microbial metabolism and biochemistry.Emphasizing how to formulate and test hypotheses of adaptation, Steven Frank provides a new foundation for exploring the evolutionary forces of design. He discusses the economic principles of marginal valuations, tradeoffs, and payoffs in risky and random environments; the social aspects of conflict and cooperation; the demographic aspects of age and spatial heterogeneity; and the engineering control theory principles by which systems adjust to environments. Frank then applies these evolutionary principles to the biochemistry of microbial metabolism, providing the first comprehensive link between the forces that shape biological design and cellular energetics.Tracing how natural selection sculpts metabolism, Microbial Life History provides new perspectives on the life histories of organisms, from growth rate and survival to dispersal and defense against attack. Along the way, this incisive book addresses the conceptual and philosophical challenges confronting evolutionary biologists and other practitioners who study biological design and seek to apply its lessons.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

1 Microbial Design

Part 1 Theoretical Background

2 Forces of Design

3 Comparison and Causality

4 Brief Examples

5 Theory: Forces

6 Theory: Traits

7 Theory: Control

8 Studying Biological Design

Part 2 The Design of Metabolism

9 Microbial Metabolism

10 Growth Rate

11 Thermodynamics: Biochemical Flux

12 Flux Modulation: Driving Force

13 Flux Modulation: Resistance

14 Variant Pathways

15 Tradeoffs

16 Predictions: Overflow Metabolism

17 Predictions: Diauxie, Electrons, Storage

18 Design Revisited

References

Index

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: Frank, Steven A. Microbial Life History

ISBN:

9780691231181

0691231184

OCLC:

1334891219