Learning objectives
This course has been designed with goal of educating students to the wonderment of the mostly unseen microbial world by showing them the importance of microbes to their own lives
Course unit content
The course will cover eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbes and viruses, but will emphasize bacteria. This course will provide a conceptual and experimental background in microbiology sufficient to enable students to take more advanced courses in related fields.
Full programme
Microbiological techniques: light and electron microscopy, simple and differential staining procedures. Structure of the microbial cells at different evolution levels (Eukarya, Bacteria, Archaea). Comparative analysis and description of structures and functions of procaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Microbial nutrition: common nutritional requirments, growth factors, nutrient uptake, culture media, sterilization, pure cultures. Microbial growth: influence of aerobiosis,anaerobiosis, temperature, pH etc. on microbial growth. Microbial population growth , methods for growth measurement, continuous coltures (chemostat and turbidostat). Microbial metabolism and metabolic diversity: energy production, aerobic and anaerobic respiration, fermentation, oxigenic and anoxigenic photosynthesis, chemolithoautotrophy. Biosynthesis. Metabolism regulation at transcriptional level, translational level, feed-back inhibition. Microbial genetics: bacterial genome, mutation and mutants, genetic recombination in prokaryotes (transformation, conjugation, transduction). Plasmids and transposable elements. Microbial evolution and systematics. Prokaryotic diversity (Bacteria and Archaea), Fungi, Algae, Protista and Structure and Composition of Viruses; viral morphology; viral envelopes; chemical composition of virons; classification and nomenclature of viruses; viral replication; mechanisms of infection.
Bibliography
Dehò & Galli “Biologia dei Microrganismi” Casa Editrice Ambrosiana (2011)
Prescott et al“Microbiologia “ 7/ed volumi 1-2-3 McGraw-Hill Companies srl (2009)
Madigan et al. “Brock, Biologia dei Microrganismi” volumi 1-2-3 Casa Editrice Ambrosiana (2007)
Assessment methods and criteria
The exam is organised in a written test composed of 26 short questions (with a short answer) and 6 open questions for a total value of 33. During the teaching period there is the possibility of splitting the test. The total value of the written test corresponds to 30/30 and lode.
The oral examination is necessary for all the students who have got less than 33 points with a minimum of 15. The oral examination adds maximum 3 point to the test total score.
Other information
Intermediate tests without credits
