Book excerpt: This is the long–awaited second edition of an invaluable classic! Escherichia coli occupies a central role in contemporary molecular biology. It is the unicellular organism about which most is known – all molecular and cellular biologists will want a copy of this book. In 154 chapters, 250 expert authors and editors present the state of the art. Completely rewritten and restructured, the second edition offers a whole new approach to the subject.