The Prokaryotes is a comprehensive, multi-authored, peer reviewed reference work on Bacteria and Achaea. This fourth edition of The Prokaryotes is organized to cover all taxonomic diversity, using the family level to delineate chapters.

Different from other resources, this new Springer product includes not only taxonomy, but also prokaryotic biology and technology of taxa in a broad context. Technological aspects highlight the usefulness of prokaryotes in processes and products, including biocontrol agents and as genetics tools.

The content of the expanded fourth edition is divided into two parts: Part 1 contains review chapters dealing with the most important general concepts in molecular, applied and general prokaryote biology; Part 2 describes the known properties of specific taxonomic groups.

Two completely new sections have been added to Part 1: bacterial communities and human bacteriology. The bacterial communities section reflects the growing realization that studies on pure cultures of bacteria have led to an incomplete picture of the microbial world for two fundamental reasons: the vast majority of bacteria in soil, water and associated with biological tissues are currently not culturable, and that an understanding of microbial ecology requires knowledge on how different bacterial species interact with each other in their natural environment. The new section on human microbiology deals with bacteria associated with healthy humans and bacterial pathogenesis. Each of the major human diseases caused by bacteria is reviewed, from identifying the pathogens by classical clinical and non-culturing techniques to the biochemical mechanisms of the disease process.

The 4th edition of The Prokaryotes is the most complete resource on the biology of prokaryotes.

The following volumes are published consecutively within the 4th Edition:

Prokaryotic Biology and Symbiotic Associations

Prokaryotic Communities and Ecophysiology

Prokaryotic Physiology and Biochemistry

Applied Bacteriology and Biotechnology

Human Microbiology

Actinobacteria

Firmicutes

Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria

Gammaproteobacteria

Deltaproteobacteria and Epsilonproteobacteria

Other Major Lineages of Bacteria and the Archaea

Chromatiaceae

Granulosicoccaceae
Ectothiorhodospiraceae
Halothiobacillaceae
Thioalkalispiraceae
Acidithiobacillaceae
Thermithiobacillaceae
Xanthomonadaceae
Cardiobacteriaceae
Achromatiaceae
Beggiatoaceae
Leucotrichaceae
Piscirickettsiaceae
Francisellaceae
Legionellaceae
Coxiellaceae
Methylococcaceae
Oceanospirillaceae
Alcanivoraceae
Hahellaceae and Litoricolaceae
Halomonadaceae
Pseudomonadaceae
Moraxellaceae
Alteromonadaceae
Pseudoalteromonadaceae
Shewanellaceae
Moritellaceae
Idiomarinaceae
Marinicella
Colwelliaceae
Ferrimonadaceae
Psychromonadaceae
Oleiphilaceae
Vibrionaceae
Aeromonadaceae
Succinivibrionaceae
Enterobacteriaceae
Pasteurellaceae
Congregibacteraceae
Celerinatantimonadaceae
Salinisphaeraceae
Solimonadaceae.