Designed to support and facilitate the new era of research into bioterrorism threats and biodefense, as well as post genomic experimental research initiatives, "Current Protocols in Microbiology" is the first comprehensive source of high quality microbiology protocols for researchers that reflects and incorporates the new mandates and capabilities of this rapidly evolving discipline. This single volume resource: provides clear methodologies for research in priority areas such as biodefense, emerging and neglected infectious diseases, microbe host interactions, and host defense; incorporates functional genomics tools like nucleic acid and protein microarrays and high throughput mass spectrometry, that can measure global changes in both agent and host during infection; details bench based and computational approaches that will identify new targets for drug therapies and a new generation of antimicrobial agents and chemotherapies; presents promising genomic and proteomic approaches to the study of microbial pathogenesis amid concerns over the increased incidence of antimicrobial resistant pathogenic microorganisms; and, includes protocols for research on animal and plant viruses.