The author team of Prescott's Microbiology continues the tradition of past editions by providing a balanced, comprehensive introduction to all major areas of microbiology. This balance makes Microbiology appropriate for microbiology majors and mixed majors courses. The authors have introduced a number of pedagogical elements designed to facilitate student learning. They also remain focused on readability, artwork, and the integration of several key themes (including evolution, ecology and diversity) throughout the text, making an already superior text even better.

Part One Introduction to Microbiology1. The Evolution of Microorganisms and Microbiology2. Microscopy and Specimen Preparation3. Bacterial Cell Structure 4. Archaeal Cell Structure 5. Eukaryotic Cell Structure 6. Viruses and Other Acellular Infectious AgentsPart Two Microbial Nutrition, Growth, and Control7. Microbial Growth 8. Control of Microorganisms in the Environment9. Antimicrobial ChemotherapyPart Three Microbial Metabolism10. Introduction to Metabolism11. Catabolism: Energy Release and Conservation12. Anabolism: The Use of Energy in Biosynthesis Part Four Microbial Molecular Biology and Genetics13. Bacterial Genome Replication and Expression14. Regulation of Bacterial Cellular Processes 15. Eukaryotic and Archaeal Genome Replication and Expression 16. Mechanisms of Genetic Variation 17. Recombinant DNA Technology 18. Microbial Genomics Part Five The Diversity of the Microbial World19. Microbial Taxonomy and the Evolution of Diversity 20. The Archaea 21. The Deinococci, Mollicutes, and Nonproteobacterial Gram-Negative Bacteria 22. The Proteobacteria 23. Firmicutes: The Low G · C Gram-Positive Bacteria 24. A ctinobacteria: The High G · C Gram-Positive Bacteria 25. The Protists 26. The Fungi (Eumycota) 27. The VirusesPart Six Ecology and Symbiosis28. Biogeochemical Cycling and Global Climate Change29. Methods in Microbial Ecology 30. Microorganisms in Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 31. Microorganisms in Terrestrial Ecosystems 32. Microbial Interactions Part Seven Pathogenicity and Host Response33. Innate Host Resistance 34. Adaptive Immunity 35. Pathogenicity and Infection Part Eight Microbial Diseases, Detection, and Their Control36. Clinical Microbiology and Immunology 37. Epidemiology and Public Health Microbiology 38. Human Diseases Caused by Viruses and Prions 39. Human Diseases Caused by Bacteria 40. Human Diseases Caused by Fungi and Protists Part Nine Applied Microbiology41. Microbiology of Food 42. Biotechnology and Industrial Microbiology 43. Applied Environmental Microbiology