In accordance with its predecessor, the completely revised and expanded Second Edition of Modern Microbial Genetics focuses on how bacteria and bacteriophage arrange and rearrange their genetic material through mutation, evolution, and genetic exchange to take optimal advantage of their environment. The text is divided into three sections: DNA Metabolism, Genetic Response, and Genetic Exchange. The first addresses how DNA replicates, repairs itself, and recombines, as well as how it may be manipulated. The second section is devoted to how microorganisms interact with their environment, including chapters on sporulation and stress shock, and the final section contains the latest information on classic exchange mechanisms such as transformation and conjugation. Chapters include: Gene Expression and Its Regulation Single-Stranded DNA Phages Genetic Tools for Dissecting Motility and Development of Myxococcus xanthus Molecular Mechanism of Quorum Sensing Transduction in Gram-Negative Bacteria Genetic Approaches in Bacteria with No Natural Genetic Systems The editors also cultivate an attention to global regulatory systems throughout the book, elucidating how certain genes and operons in bacteria, defined as regulons, network and cooperate to suit the needs of the bacterial cell. With clear appreciation for the impact of molecular genomics, this completely revised and updated edition proves that Modern Microbial Genetics remains the benchmark text in its field.