Microbiology

Introduction to the course Programme and objectives. The lectures are accompanied by laboratory activities. General information on laboratory activities. Exam assessment. Cell morphology, cytology and microbiological techniques. Evolutionary relationships among prokaryotes (Bacteria and Archea) and with Eukarya. Bacterial morphology. Morphology, physiology, ecology and taxonomy of Fungi. Prokaryotic cell structure: wall, surface structures, cytoplasmatic membrane, ribosome, inclusions, genome. Endospore; structure and formation. Essentials of microscopy techniques and instrumentation. Biofilms. Microbial nutrition and growth. Nutritional requirements of microorganisms and metabolic options to obtain energy. Lab culture of microorganisms. Aerobic, facultative, microaerophilic, strictly anaerobic bacteria. Oxygen tolerance. Microbial growth: definition, measurements, continuous culture; environmental conditions and microbial growth (nutrients, pH, temperature, oxygen etc.). Physical and chemical antimicrobial control. Microbial genetics. Bacterial genetic elements: chromosome, plasmides and transposons. Mutation: screening and selection of mutants. Horizontal gene transfer among bacteria: transformation, conjugation, transduction. Bacteriophage: lytic and lysogenic pathways. Viroids and prions. Microbial metabolisms. Aerobic respiration of organic compounds; oxygenases and degradation of organic compounds. Applications: acetic acid production, composting and aerobic treatment of polluted soils. Chemiolitotrophy. Anaerobic respiration. Applications: wastewater treatment, desulfurication of cultural heritage and methane production. Main fermentations and related fermenting groups. Oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthesis and photosynthetic bacteria. Nitrogen fixation and its application. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Microbial ecology. Biogeochemical cycles and related microorganisms. Associations among microorganisms, with plants (mycorrhizae, actinorhizae and rhizobes), and with animals (rumen, intestinal tract). Criteria and methods in bacterial taxonomy. Laboratory course: basic aseptic techniques; streak-plate technique, spread and pour plating, plate counts, isolation to obtain pure cultures; optical observations of wet mount preparations. DNA extraction from pure cultures and sequencing.