Teacher
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GORRASI Susanna
(syllabus)
1) History of microbiology: discovery of the microbial world; the “Abiogeny” dispute, microorganisms and their environment, impact of microorganisms on man: pathogenic, harmful and useful microorganisms. 2) The laboratory of microbiology: the microscope, mentions of optical physics, preparation of microscope slides, electron microscopy and other microscopy techniques. The pure culture, microbial nutrition and preparation of culture media. Theory and practice of sterilization. 3) Cytology: prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells: prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells: general concepts, structure and ultra-structure of bacterial cells, structure and function of cytoplasmic membrane, transports through the cytoplasmic membrane, cell wall, structure and function, the cell wall of Gram + and Gram – bacteria, Archaeal and eukaryotic cell walls, capsules and other envelopes, motility, flagella and chemotaxis, endospore structure and function, mentions of eukaryotic spores. 4) Cell physiology: reminders of chemistry and cell biochemistry (redox reactions, hydrogen and electron transport, high energy compounds), biological energy production, glycolysis and alternative pathways; NAD re-oxidation: fermentations (alcoholic and lactic); aerobic respiration (TCA, electron transport phosphorylation, energy balance in respiration), mentions of anaerobic respiration and biosynthesis. 5) Microbial growth: growth of a single cell and of a microbial population, diauxic growth, effect of environmental parameters on growth (pH, temperature, etc.), methods for the control of microbial growth. 6) Principles of molecular and bacterial genetics (reminders): DNA structure, restriction enzymes, DNA replication, genetic elements, gene rearrangement, transposons, transcription, structure and function of mRNA and tRNA, translation and protein synthesis, genetic code mutations and mutagens; bacterial recombination (in details), transformation, transduction, plasmids and conjugation. 7) Virology: “anatomy” and structure of viral particles; viral counts; general concepts of viral reproduction, principles of viral genetics, RNA/DNA phages, temperate and lytic bacterial viruses; some important animal and plant viruses (mentions). 8) Microbial ecology: isolation and identification of microorganisms (recalls), interactions among microbial population and between microorganisms and other organisms; microbial ecosystems; methods for the study of microbial ecology and diversity; biogeochemical cycles (Carbon, Nitrogen, Iron, Sulphur, etc.). 9) Microbial classification and phylogeny (mentions) 10) Environmental biotechnology: pollution and depollution; role of microorganisms in environmental decontamination, Soil and water bioremediation; aerobic/anaerobic catabolism of environmental pollutants, treatment of water and wastewater; Some study cases. 11)Microbial Biotechnology: microorganism of industrial interest, screening for industrial metabolites/enzymes. Bioreactors, structure and design, scale-up, primary and secondary metabolites; production of antibiotics, enzymes, etc. (mentions). Enzyme and cell immobilization (mentions) 12) Pathogenic, harmful and useful microorganisms, mentions of medical microbiology. Pathogenic microorganisms in food and waters (mentions); Microbiological analysis of water
Some practical/laboratory lectures will be added to better explain some topics of laboratory techniques
(reference books)
Brock, Biologia dei Microrganismi di M.T. Madigan e J.M. Martinko, D.A. Stahl, D.P. Clark, Pearson, 2012. Vol.1 e 2 (or any other more recent edition) Brock, Biologia dei Microrganismi di M.T. Madigan e J.M. Martinko, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Vol. 1 e 2A Biologia dei microrgamismi di G. Dehò e E. Galli, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2018. Microbiologia ambientale ed elementi di ecologia microbica di Barbieri, Bestetti, Galli, Zannoni, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2008
The lectures slides (PDF) are available on line. During the course, some scientific publications will be distributed and discussed.
Other recent textbooks of General Microbiology could be used after a preliminary check with the teacher.
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