Author Description

The 8th International Symposium on Microbial Growth on C1 Compounds was held at the Bahia Resort Hotel, San Diego, CA, 27 August-1 September, 1995. A total of 160 participants from 18 countries were registered. Eight Scientific Sessions were held in which 45 papers were presented, and 114 posters were displayed and discussed in 3 separate poster sessions. The Symposium covered a broad range of topics, including acetogenesis, methanogenesis, CO2 fixation, lithoautotrophy, carboxidotrophy, methylotrophy and methanotrophy. The theme of the Symposium was mechanistic, and under this rubric the physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and both applied and environmental aspects of microbial growth on C1 compounds were addressed. This Symposium Volume contains 46 chapters, including the text of an Opening Address delivered at the Symposium by J.R. Quayle. This chapter elegantly presents an historical perspective on the past 7 Symposia, in the context of major breakthroughs in the field and of what is termed `giant' topics. The reader will be pleased to see that the tradition of the past Symposia Volumes is upheld, and that both familiar and new `giant' topics are covered. This Volume presents a cutting edge view of the broad field of microbial one-carbon metabolism, and provides a valuable resource for researcher and student alike.