Molecular Methods to Study Complex Microbial Communities -- Construction of Small-Insert and Large-Insert Metagenomic Libraries -- Construction and Screening of Marine Metagenomic Libraries -- Metagenomic Analysis of Isotopically Enriched DNA -- Wide Host-Range Cloning for Functional Metagenomics -- Cloning and Expression Vectors for a Gram-Positive Host, Streptomyces lividans -- Retracted Chapter: Heterologous Gene Expression in the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus -- Novel Tools for the Functional Expression of Metagenomic DNA -- Screening of Functional Promoter from Metagenomic DNA for Practical Use in Expression Systems -- Substrate-Induced Gene Expression Screening: A Method for High-Throughput Screening of Metagenome Libraries -- Screens for Active and Stereoselective Hydrolytic Enzymes -- Screening for Cellulase-Encoding Clones in Metagenomic Libraries -- Screening Metagenomic Libraries for Laccase Activities -- Screening for N-AHSL-Based-Signaling Interfering Enzymes -- Identification of Molecular Markers to Follow Up the Bioremediation of Sites Contaminated with Chlorinated Compounds -- Methods for the Isolation of Genes Encoding Novel PHB Cycle Enzymes from Complex Microbial Communities -- Metagenomic Approaches to Identify and Isolate Bioactive Natural Products from Microbiota of Marine Sponges -- Screening for Novel Antibiotic Resistance Genes -- Novel Metal Resistance Genes from Microorganisms: A Functional Metagenomic Approach -- Retrieval of Full-Length Functional Genes Using Subtractive Hybridization Magnetic Bead Capture -- Detection and Isolation of Selected Genes of Interest from Metagenomic Libraries by a DNA Microarray Approach -- Application of DNA Microarray for Screening Metagenome Library Clones -- MetaGenomeThreader: A Software Tool for Predicting Genes in DNA-Sequences of Metagenome Projects -- Erratum to: Heterologous Gene Expression in the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.

Metagenomics has proven to be a powerful tool for exploring the ecology, metabolic profiling, and comparison of complex microbial communities as well as its important applications in the mining of metagenomes for genes encoding novel biocatalysts and drug molecules for bioindustries. In Metagenomics: Methods and Protocols, expert researches provide an overview and introduction to basic methods commonly used in laboratories that have a strong background in microbial metagenomics. The book attempts to address all of the working steps involved in this crucial field, beginning with DNA isolation from soils and marine samples and continuing with the construction and screening of libraries, along with key advise involving bioinformatic tools available to analyze large metagenomic sequence data sets. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, chapters include brief introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Metagenomics: Methods and Protocols serves as a very complete guide to available screening protocols for all major biocatalysts in order to allow for the easy setup of these screens in any microbiology lab.