The Bacteria: Their Origin, Structure, Function and Antibiosis [electronic resource] / by Arthur L. Koch.

Origin of Bacteria -- The Origin of Life Based on Physical Principles -- Preamble to Life -- The First Cell -- Development of Cell Physiology and Diversity -- Wall Structure -- Covalent Bonds and Tensile Strength of Materials -- Structure of the Fabric that Covers a Bacterium -- The Covalently Linked Sacculus: the Nona-Muropeptide Model -- The Structure of the Tessera; the Unit Structure of Murein Wall -- Extrusion and Incorporation into Wall -- The Role of Poles in the Growth Strategy of Bacteria -- Bacterial Morphologies -- Sidewalls of Gram-Negative Rod-Shaped Bacteria -- Growth Strategies for Gram-Positive Cells -- Wall Growth Strategies for Gram-Negative Cells -- Commas, Vibrios, Spirilla, and Helicobacters; Tapered and Branched Bacteria -- Spirochetes and Spiroplasma and the Special Strategies for CWD (Cell Wall Deficient) Cells -- Coccal Versus Rod-Shaped Cells, and the First Bacterium -- Diseases: Old and New -- Antibiosis -- Lysozymes as Alternatives to ?-lactams Antibiotics Acting on the Bacterial Wall -- Development of Wall Antibiotics and Bacterial Counter-Measures -- Antibiotics and Resistance, with an Emphasis on Aminoglycosides -- Future Chemotherapy Aimed at the Bacterial Murein.

The book's purpose is to explain from the development of life on earth to the evolution of diversity. It is this diversity that led, almost automatically to the development of pathogens and predators. The relationship of pathogens and host lead to the development of antibiotics and resistance mechanism. Man has extended this process and we now have a situation in which new antibiotics only are effective for a short time. If we are to create long term antibiotics we must design them with this history in mind. Understanding antibiotic chemotherapy at the ecological level is necessary for more permanent advances in development and in the usage of antibiotic agents both old, new, and in the future.