Microbial Fermentations in Nature and as Designed Processes

Fermentation is one of the most important metabolic tools that biology has developed and microorganisms in many ways seem to have become the true masters of fermentative metabolism. Each of the fermentative microbial functions evolved to fit an energetic opportunity, and each function has ecological value.

This book provides its readers with:

• Understanding regarding the commonalities and distinctions between aerobic and anaerobic fermentations as performed by microorganisms.
• A summary of knowledge regarding the ways in which animals and plants depend upon symbiotic interactions with their fermenting microbial partners including the deconstruction of complex polysaccharides. Information is also included about how those natural technologies constitute adaptation into designed processes for anaerobic degradation of lignocellulosic materials.
• The important role of rhizosphere microbes that facilitate availability of inorganic and organic phosphates for plants. These phosphates get stored in the plant's seeds. After ruminant animals ingest the seeds, enzymes produced by gastrointestinal microbial fermentation allow the animals to utilize their dietary phosphates.
• History of how microbial fermentation has been harnessed from prehistoric times to the present for processing and preserving food products for humans and fodder for our domesticated animals.
• Insight into the ways that microbial fermentations are used as an engineering tool for producing chemicals, including enzymes and pharmaceuticals, which improve the health of ourselves and our domesticated animals.
• Perspectives on possible future research directions for the field of applied microbial fermentation that will help to advance agriculture and industry.

發酵是生物學中最重要的代謝工具之一，許多方面的微生物似乎已成為真正的發酵代謝大師。每種發酵微生物功能的演化都是為了適應能量機會，並且每個功能都具有生態價值。

本書為讀者提供以下內容：
- 了解微生物進行的有氧和厭氧發酵之間的共同點和區別。
- 概述動植物如何依賴與其發酵微生物合作的共生互動，包括解構複雜多醣體。還包括有關這些自然技術如何構成對無氧降解木質纖維素材料的設計適應過程的信息。
- 根圈微生物在為植物提供無機和有機磷素方面的重要作用。這些磷素儲存在植物的種子中。在反芻動物攝食種子後，腸道微生物發酵產生的酶使動物能夠利用其飲食中的磷素。
- 微生物發酵從史前時代到現在在加工和保存人類食品產品以及家畜飼料方面的應用歷史。
- 洞察微生物發酵如何作為生產化學品（包括酶和藥物）的工程工具，改善我們自己和家畜的健康。
- 對應用微生物發酵領域可能的未來研究方向的觀點，有助於推進農業和工業的發展。

Christon J. Hurst, PhD, is a Consulting Microbiologist in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, and a Lifetime Visiting Professor at the Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia. He has worked on environmental microbiology and microorganism detection in multiple industries, and has published extensively on microorganisms and related subjects.

Christon J. Hurst博士是美國俄亥俄州辛辛那提的一位顧問微生物學家，也是哥倫比亞卡利市瓦列大學的永久訪問教授。他在多個行業從事環境微生物學和微生物檢測的工作，並在微生物和相關主題上發表了大量論文。