Biochemistry of Thermophily covers the proceedings of a seminar held under the auspices of the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Science Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii on June 22-24, 1977. This seminar focuses on biochemistry of thermophilic microorganisms. It presents an achievement in the complex field of thermophiles and their unique properties. This book discusses the fatty acid composition in several strains of moderately and extremely thermophilic bacteria, the membrane and lipid components, the biosynthesis and function of ?-cyclohexyl fatty acids, and the influence of growth temperature and lipid state on lipid and protein distribution. It then presents the ecologic and genetic aspects of thermophilic bacteria, including their morphology, surface structure, and transfection. It also examines the function and thermostability of ribosomal proteins, polypeptides, and polyamines in thermophilic bacteria. Finally, the book discusses the thermostability of proteins, the effect of amino acid substitution on conformational stability of thermophile, the thermophilic enzymes, and the physiology of thermophilic bacteria. This book will be helpful to molecular and research biologists, teachers, and students who wish to expand their understanding on mechanisms of thermophilicity, thermostability, and thermophilic microorganisms.