Unit MICROBIOLOGY

Course

Biological sciences

Study-unit Code

55037308

Curriculum

In all curricula

Teacher

Giovanni Cenci

Teachers

Giovanni Cenci
Stefano Covino (Codocenza)

Hours

16 ore - Giovanni Cenci
40 ore (Codocenza) - Stefano Covino

CFU

Course Regulation

Coorte 2016

Offered

2017/18

Learning activities

Base

Area

Discipline biologiche

Academic discipline

BIO/19

Type of study-unit

Obbligatorio (Required)

Type of learning activities

Attività formativa monodisciplinare

Language of instruction

English

Contents

Bases of microorganisms biology. The microbial world. Types of microorganisms. Microbial diversity. Methods for the study of microrganisms in laboratory. The prokaryotic cell (shape, size and arrangements) and its molecular structure (cytoplasm, cell wall, cytoplasmic membrane, endospores, etc). Functional properties of microorganisms. Nutrition and growth. Kinetic of cell division. Physical and chemical requirements. Metabolism. Bacterial genome. Variation and gene transfer in bacteria. Fundamentals of bacterial taxonomy (nomenclature, classification, identification). Light microscopy and techniques for observation of microorganisms. Direct examination without staining. Fixed and stained smears. Staining theory. Simple and differential stains. Culture media and cultivation methods. Techniques for isolating microorganisms. Biochemical identification of bacteria. Total and viable bacterial counts. Microbial inactivation by physical and chemical agents. Antibiotic susceptibility testing.

Reference texts

Madigan e Martinko - "Brock, Biologia dei Microrganismi", vol. 1, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano
Simonetti et al. Elementi di Tecniche Microbiologiche, seconda edizione, EMSI, Roma 2001
integrative/alternative texts:
Willey, Sherwood e Woolverton - "Prescott, Microbiologia generale", vol.1, McGraw-Hill Editore, Milano

Educational objectives

Knowledge of the main groups of microorganisms with particular reference to structural, functional and taxonomic. Acquisition of methods for the study of microorganisms in the laboratory: microscopy, techniques for isolation, counting and identification.

Prerequisites

For the understanding of the program are essential basic knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics. Such knowledge, however, must be acquired during the study for the Microbiology exam.

Teaching methods

Lessons and practical training

Other information

In the academic year 2017/18 the lessons of the MICROBIOLOGY course (8 CFU) will be carried out by two professors: G. Cenci and S. Covino. The acquisition of CFUs will be obtained by examining the topics discussed in the lessons.

Learning verification modality

Oral exam (30 min) preceded by a written test with open questions. The conversation will check the level of knowledge and connections between different parts of the program, as well as terminology and language property. You may be expected to undergo preparation tests, which will be explained at the beginning of the course.

Extended program

The Microbiology course aims to provide an overview of the microbial world and provides the bases of the biology of microrganisms usefull for a critical evaluation of literature, for other disciplines as well as for professional applications. The course mainly concerns the bacteriology (cytology, biochemical and physiological aspects, genetic ). Program organization of biological systems. Differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Grouping of microrganisms according to Haeckel and Whittaker. Evolutionary relationships among living organisms. General Bacteriology Structure and ultrastructure of the bacterial cell. Size, shape and arrangements. Chemical composition. The circular DNA of bacteria. Cytoplasm and inclusions. Cytoplasmic membrane and its functions. Cell wall (composition, molecular structure, differences between gram-positive and gram-negative). Structures outside the cell wall: cilia, flagella, fimbriae, capsule, glycocalyx, etc.). Protoplasts and spheroplasts. Spores and sporulation. Bacterial metabolism. Enzymes and their regulation (constitutive enzymes, inducible and repressible). Energy processes. Glycolysis. Oxidative phosphorylation. Aerobic respiration. Anaerobic respiration. Fermentations. Comparisons of energy performances. Nutrition. Nutritional types: classification according to the nutrients, the energy source of carbon. Essential metabolites and growth factors. Bacterial multiplication and factors affecting it. Growing cycle. Growth parameters. Synchronous cultures. Continuous culture. Diauxic growth. Pathogenicity and virulence (infection and infectious disease). Virulence factors. Variability of virulence factors. Bacterial toxins. Replication of nucleic acids in bacteria. Genotype and phenotype. Physiological adaptation. Clonal selection. Alteration of phenotype. Genotypic variations. Bacterial mutants. Plasmids. Episomi. F and R factors. Recombination phenomena: transformation, transduction, conjugation and conversion. Antibiotic resistance. Basics of bacterial taxonomy. The species concept in microbiology. Criteria for classification of prokaryotic organisms. Taxonomic ranks. Numerical taxonomy. Bacterial nomenclature. Main taxonomic groups according to Bergey. Microbiological techniques. Light microscopy. The powers of the optical microscope. Observing microrganisms through microscope. The staining theory. Preparing smears. Fixed and stained smears. Simple and differential stains (examples). Sterilization. Theory and application methods. Sterility controls. Culture media. General characteristics, requirements and classification according to physical status and functions. Cultivation of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. The study of bacterial cultures. Isolation and pure cultures. Total and viable bacterial counts. The most important biochemical reactions. The principles of bacterial biochemical identification: miniaturized methods and computer assisted identification. Antibiotics susceptibility testing. Microbiological titration of antibiotics. Minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations.