Background Major transitions in biological evolution show the same pattern of sudden
emergence of diverse forms at a new level of complexity. The relationships between major …

Microorganisms cause virtually all pathoses of the pulp and periapical tissues. To effectively
treat endodontic infections, clinicians must recognize the cause and effect of microbial …

In this chapter we introduce the notion of a natural classification and the role classification
plays in sciences. We consider the difference between taxonomy and systematics, and …

Community genomic data have revealed multiple levels of variation between and within
microbial consortia. This variation includes large-scale differences in gene content between …

Actual definitions of bacterial species are limited due to the current criteria of definition and
the use of restrictive genetic tools. The 16S ribosomal RNA sequence, for example, has …

The diversification of lineages within Pseudomonas syringae has involved a number of
adaptive shifts from herbaceous hosts onto various species of tree, resulting in the …

As the field of molecular communication continues to grow, numerous solutions have been
proposed to enable communication between nanomachines. Amongst these solutions …

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and gene loss are key processes in bacterial evolution.
However, the role of gene gain and loss in the emergence and maintenance of ecologically …

Molecular pathogenomic analysis of the human bacterial pathogen group A Streptococcus
has been conducted for a decade. Much has been learned as a consequence of the …

Although biologists have long recognized the importance of studying evolution to
understand the organization of living organisms, only with the development of genomics …