MICROBIOLOGY-MOD.1

This course is designed to provide basic principles of microbiology to non-biologist students. Although relatively simple and primitive, microorganisms are considered the most successful life form. They are practically everywhere and are indispensable for life on Earth. Microorganisms deeply affect the world in which we live: they are essential for maintaining the balance of every ecosystem, they live in symbiosis with plants, humans and animals, they are essential for the fermentation of food, they play an important role in various industrial applications, they purify the waters and participate in environmental bioremediation. Some of them are pathogens and dangerous for plants, animals and humans. For all these reasons it becomes important to study them and to know their cellular, molecular and metabolic mechanisms.

The main objective of the course is to provide students with the basic concepts for understanding the structural and functional organization of prokaryotic cells and viruses, as well as their main biotechnological and nanotechnological applications. At the end of the course, students will be able to:
-Understand the fundamental concepts of microbiology and the importance of microorganisms;
-Describe prokaryotic and viral structures and how they relate to cell functions and interaction with other organisms and the environment;
-Describe the metabolic diversity of prokaryotes and how these organisms obtain energy, electrons and carbon from the environment;
-Describe the molecular biology mechanisms of microorganisms
-Discuss the main options for the control of microbial growth in vitro and in vivo;
-Prepare and recognize microscopic and macroscopic preparations, culture plates and culture media;
- Have a good understanding of common procedures in microbiology laboratories, including bacterial isolation and purification and bacterial identification based on biochemical and molecular tools
-Evaluate potential benefits and harm caused by microorganisms;
- Retain and apply the specialized language of microbiology

No prerequisites are required for this course, but it is recommended that students have a basic understanding of organic chemistry and biochemistry

1. INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY. Microorganism definition; importance of studying microorganisms; microorganisms and biosphere; impact of microorganisms on society and their application; microbiology history: Pasteur and Koch discoveries.

2. MICROBIAL CELL BIOLOGY.
to. Cell structure: prokaryotes vs eukaryotes; bacterial morphology; the cytoplasmic membrane: structure and functions; the cell wall: Gram + and Gram- structure; cell wall synthesis and cell division
b. Surface cell structures and cell inclusions: capsules and mucous layers, fimbre and pili. Cellular inclusions; gas vesicles, endospores: structure and sporulation cycle.
c. Microbial locomotion: flagella and motility; motility due to sliding; microbial rates: chemotaxis, phototaxis

3. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND MICROBIAL GENETICS. Microbial DNA, bacterial replication, transcription and translation; mutations; gene transfer in bacteria; gene recombination; transformation; transduction; conjugation; transposons; CRISPR

4. MICROBIAL METABOLISM. Macro and micro nutrients; cellular transport; energy classification of microorganisms; principles of bioenergetics;
Catabolism: Glycolysis, citric acid and glyoxylate cycles; principles of fermentation; principles of respiration: electron carriers and metabolic varieties
Anabolism: autotrophy and nitrogen fixation; polysaccharide biosynthesis and gluoconeogenesis; amino acids-nucleotides, lipids

5. METABOLIC DIVERSITY PRINCIPLES. Chemotrophic metabolism; Calvin cycle and other CO2 fixation pathways; phototrophy; nitrogen fixation; Hydrogen oxidation; iron and sulfur oxidation; nitrification; nitrate reduction and denitrification; sulfur reduction; 1 carbon atom metabolism; acetogenesis and methanogenesis, fermentations

6. MICROBIAL GROWTH. Nutrients; classical microbiology: cultivation techniques and microbial count; binary cleavage and microbial growth cycle; continuous crops; growth in biofilm; quorum sensing; environmental effects on microbial growth: temperatures, pH, osmotic pressure and oxygen; microbial growth control: heat, chemical and physical agents; antibiotic resistance

7. PRINCIPLES OF VIROLOGY. The nature of viruses; structure of the virion; methods for culturing and quantifying viruses; viral replication cycle overview; bacteriophages; eukaryotic viruses; viral classification: DNA virus, RNA virus.

8. PRINCIPLES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AND NANOTECHNOLOGY. Use of bacteria and viruses for biotechnological and nanotechnological applications

Madigan M.T., Bender K.S., Buckley D.A., Sattley W.M, Stahl D.A. Brock, Biology of Microorganisms, 16th Edition. ISBN-13: 9781292404790.

The exam will be divided into two parts. The first part will include the evaluation of the activities carried out during the laboratory sessions and will assess the student's understanding of what was covered during these sessions through a written test with the possibility of multiple choice questions and / or open questions. The second part will consist of an oral test that will evaluate all the topics covered during the course. The second part will cover all the materials (theoretical and laboratory) taught during the course.

The teaching will be organized in lectures that will cover different aspects of microbiology. The lectures will be supported by laboratory sessions that will help illustrate the practical concepts. The lessons will be interactive, and students will be encouraged to discuss their observations and points of view on the theoretical and practical concepts of the course. The laboratory exercises will consist of real experiments and will provide students with the opportunity to gain practical experience on the concepts illustrated during the lectures.

Italian

written and oral