Soil is a unique biological system with an abundant microflora and a very high microbial diversity capable of performing multiple key ecosystem functions. The detection of genes in soil has improved the knowledge of unculturable microorganisms and led to a greater understanding of potential soil metabolic pathways. Further advances in understanding soil functionality are being realized by harnessing omics technologies, such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, proteomics, and volatilomics. The next challenge of systems biology and functional genomics is to integrate the information from omic approaches to give a more complete picture of soil as a biological system. This volume presents the state-of-the-art of omic applications in soil science, a field that is advancing rapidly on many fronts. Distinguished contributors describe the application of metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and proteomics to soil science. In particular, the book covers the current and emerging omics techniques and the contribution of these approaches to a better assessment of soil functionality. The book also explores the specific problems encountered in the application of various omics technologies to soil science and the future research requirements necessary to overcome the current limitations in this area. The topics covered include soil functional genomics, soil metagenomics, soil microbial ecology, soil metatranscriptomics, soil proteomics, soil volatilomics, and soil proteogenomics. Omics techniques are also discussed in comparison with classical techniques. This book is both a practical guide and a recommended reference volume for all soil scientists. Content: Contributors Preface 1: Soil as a Biological System Introduction Main characteristics of soil as a biological system Soil biota and their functions in soil Microbial diversity, soil functions and the holistic approach The omics approaches in soil 2: Functional Genomics Analysis of Key Bacterial Traits Involved in Rhizosphere Competence Introduction Bacterial species specifically selected by the rhizosphere Bacterial functions enriched in the rhizosphere Motility and chemotaxis: early phase traits required for rhizocompetence. Microbial growth in the rhizosphere: the contribution and relevance of central metabolismDenitrification: a promising model linking microbial metabolic flexibility and community structure Surviving in the rhizosphere: the relevance of stress and detoxification traits Secretion systems: important functional traits involved in rhizosphere competence Secondary metabolism: specialized functions involved in competitive rhizosphere fitness Conclusions and future directions 3: Soil Metagenomics -- Potential Applications and Methodological Problems Introduction. Metagenomics for fostering our understanding of soil habitatsA case study -- the metagenomics assessment of the chitinolytic process in soil Metagenomics for bioexploration The search for novel chitin-degrading enzymes -- a case study Outlook 4: Screening Phylogenetic and Functional Marker Genes in Soil Microbial Ecology Introduction Marker genes as biomarkers Phylogenetic and functional marker genes Methodologies for marker gene screening in soil samples Primer and probe designing (non-protein-coding sequences and protein-coding sequences) strategies. Experimental design for screening of the bacterial 16S rDNA marker gene with short read producing high-throughput sequencing technologiesConcluding remarks and potentials 5: Soil Metatranscriptomics Introduction The experimental and bioinformatic workflow Recent achievements in metatranscriptomics Conclusions and outlook 6: Soil Proteomics Introduction Soil proteomics Specificity of soil proteomics Conclusions 7: Soil Volatile Organic Compounds as Tracers for Microbial Activities in Soils Introduction Soil smells? Volatiles produced by microorganisms Volatiles from plant roots. Microbial volatiles affecting plant growthDegradation of VOCs Retention, emission and measurement Methods of VOC measurement Microbial mass products Conclusions 8: Proteogenomics: A New Integrative Approach for a Better Description of Protein Diversity Introduction The current proteomic tools and approaches Genome annotation of soil microflora gains in number but not in quality Proteogenomics, mapping proteome data onto genome sequence N-terminomics, new tools for an avalanche of results. Contribution of proteogenomics to a better assessment of soil microflora Concluding remarks. Soil is a unique biological system with an abundant microflora and a very high microbial diversity capable of performing multiple key ecosystem functions. The detection of genes in soil has improved the knowledge of unculturable microorganisms and led to a greater understanding of potential soil metabolic pathways. Further advances in understanding soil functionality are being realised by harnessing omics technologies such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, proteomics and volatilomics. The next challenge of systems biology and functional genomics is to integrate the information from omic approaches to give a more complete picture of soil as a biological system. This volume presents the state-of-the-art of omic applications in soil science, a field that is advancing rapidly on many fronts. Distinguished authors describe the application of metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and proteomics to soil science. In particular the book covers the current and emerging omics techniques and the contribution of these approaches to a better assessment of soil functionality. The authors also explore the specific problems encountered in the application of various omics technologies to soil science and the future research requirements necessary to overcome the current limitations in this area. Topics covered include soil functional genomics, soil metagenomics, soil microbial ecology, soil metatranscriptomics, soil proteomics, soil volatilomics and soil proteogenomics. Omics techniques are also discussed in comparison with classical techniques. This book is both a practical guide and a recommended reference volume for all soil scientists
In this rich compilation, Emeka Nwosu takes the reader to a journey of the issues that have helped to shape discourses on various aspects of the Nigerian state and society. The articles, originally published in his weekly column in the premier Nigerian daily newspaper, ThisDay, not only show his perspectives on these issues when they were written but also reveal how discussions on some of those issues have evolved over time and how they have mutated today.
Journalists, especially those who maintain regular columns, are often said to write 'history in a hurry'. For experienced writers like the author whose writings are research-based, it does not mean that what they write about is factually wrong but simply that their writings are infused with the passions and emotions that attended those issues as they unfolded.
This collection is therefore not only informed commentaries on some of the issues that have shaped the contour of the Nigerian state and society over the years but a good trip on the passions and emotions that attended those discourses. The articles, 66 of them, are written with remarkable candour and gusto and therefore a delight to read. They form a very important contribution to the corpus of works on Nigerian politics and society.
