Teacher
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PETRUCCIOLI Maurizio
(syllabus)
The course will take place according to the following breakdown: 1. History of Microbiology (notes): the discovery of the world of micro-organisms and the controversy over spontaneous generation; microorganisms as agents of disease and their role in the transformation of organic matter. 2. Technical basis of microbiological laboratory: the microscope, notes of optical physics; fresh and colorful slides; electron microscopy (transmission and scanning); pure culture and its achievement; general principles of microbial nutrition; preparation culture media, theory and practice of sterilization; controls sterility. 3. Cytology of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell: general introduction; structure and ultrastructure of the bacterial cell; structure and function of the membrane; transport systems across membrane; cell wall and its chemical composition and characteristics; the wall of Gram + and Gram -; cell wall of archaebacteria and eukaryotes; capsule and the associated virulence; cell movement and structure for movement; chemotaxis, bacterial endospore, structure, function and importance; overview of spores of eukaryotes and the alternation of generation; mitochondria and respiratory function; overview of the arrangement of DNA and cell division. 4. Cell physiology: brief review of cellular chemistry and biochemistry (activation energy, catalysis and enzymes, biological redox reactions, hydrogen and electron transport; phosphate molecules with energy bonds); production of energy in biological systems; glycolysis and similar ways; re-oxidation of NADH: fermentation and respiration; alcoholic and lactic fermentations, aerobic respiration, the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the electron transport system; energy balance of catabolism; notes on anaerobic respiration, biosynthesis of cellular material. 5. Microbial growth of a single cell and a microbial population; measure of growth and related curve; catabolic repression and diauxia; effect of cultivation conditions on microbial growth. 6. Principles of molecular genetics and bacterial genetics: references to the structure of DNA; action of restriction enzymes; DNA replication; genetic elements; rearrangement of genes; transposons; transcription process; structure and function of mRNA and tRNA; translation process and protein synthesis; the genetic code; mutagens and mutations; recombination in bacteria; transformation, transduction and conjugation; plasmids and their biological significance. 7. Virology: the nature of the viral particle; viral count; general characteristics of viral reproduction; principles of genetics of viruses; bacteriophage RNA; icosahedral single-stranded DNA bacteriophages; double-stranded DNA viruses; the temperate bacterial viruses and lysogeny;, the main families of animal viruses (notes). 8. Microbial ecology: references to traditional techniques for isolation and identification of microorganisms; interactions between microbial populations and with other organisms; microbial communities and ecosystems, the main biogeochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, iron, etc.); role of microorganisms on environmental decontamination; aerobic and anaerobic catabolism of organic contaminants and wastewaters treatment; 9. Microbial biotechnology: microorganisms of industrial interest; screening from natural environments and collections, the bioreactors, geometry and applications; scale-up process; primary and secondary metabolites; notes on production of antibiotics, enzymes, aminoacids and on immobilization techniques.
The laboratory practices cover the following topics: 1. The pure culture and its isolation: spreading and crawling, the re-isolation; the enrichment cultures; 2. Culutre media: preparation of liquidi e solid media; 3. Microscopy and microscopic observation; observations of fresh samples; simple and differential staining and observations of stained preparations; 4. Cultivation of microorganisms and measurement of microbial growth (direct and cultural counts, dry weight, turbidimetry).
(reference books)
Suggested texts to choose from: - Brock, Biologia dei microrganismi - Microbiologia generale, ambientale e industriale 16/Ed. -Michael T. Madigan, Kelly S. Bender, Daniel H. Buckley, David A. Stahl, W. Matthew Sattley, Pearson, 2022 - Brock, Biologia dei microrganismi - Microbiologia generale, ambientale e industriale 14/E - di Michael T. Madigan, John M. Martinko, David A. Stahl, Kelly S. Bender, Daniel H. Buckley - Pearson, 2015. - Biologia dei microrganismi di G. Dehò e E. Galli, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, nuova edizione (3^ edizione), 2018. - Microbiologia di D.R. Wessner, D. Dupont e T.C. Charles, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2015. - 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 microrgaismi di G. Dehò e E. Galli, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2012.
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