Theory (48 hours, 6 cfu)

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) 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, endospores structure and function, mentions of eukaryotic spores.
3) 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.
4) 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.
5) 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; principal animal and plant viruses (mentions).
6) Microbial ecology and mention of environmental biotechnology: 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.), role of microorganisms in environmental decontamination, aerobic/anaerobic catabolism of environmental pollutants, treatment of water and wastewater.
7) 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)
8) Pathogenic, harmful and useful microorganisms mentions of medical microbiology. Pathogenic microorganisms in food and waters (mentions); microbiological analysis of water.

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.

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.

Theory (16 hours, 2 cfu)

1) 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.
2) 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, mechanisms of gene expression control, genetic code mutations and mutagens; bacterial recombination (in details), transformation, transduction, plasmids and conjugation.
3) Microbial taxonomy, classification and phylogeny


Laboratory (8 hours, 1 cfu)

1) Pure cultures: methods to obtain pure cultures, enrichment cultures.
2) Microscopy: observation of fresh and stained slides, simple and differential staining
3) Measure of the microbial growth: viable and total counts, dry weight and turbidimetry

Testi principali di riferimento:
Brock, Biologia dei Microrganismi di M.T. Madigan e J.M. Martinko, D.A. Stahl, D.P. Clark, Pearson, 2012. Volumi 1 e 2
Brock, Biologia dei Microrganismi di M.T. Madigan e J.M. Martinko, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Volumi 1 e 2A
Biologia dei microrgamismi di G. Dehò e E. Galli, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2018.

I file PDF delle lezioni tenute durante il corso sono disponibili dal portale studente durante le lezioni verranno distribuite e discusse alcune pubblicazioni scientifiche per l’approfondimento di alcune tematiche.

Sono ritenuti validi anche altri testi moderni (edizioni recenti) di microbiologia generale, previa consultazione con il docente.