Microbiology A
Code
5353
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Department
Departamento de Ciências da Vida
Credits
6.0
Teacher in charge
Paula Maria Theriaga Mendes Bernardo Gonçalves
Weekly hours
4
Total hours
50
Teaching language
Português
Objectives
To comprehend the diversity of microbial life and the relationships between the main groups of microorganisms in an evolutionary perspective, as well as metabolic and structural diversity. To acquire basic knowlege of bacterial genetics.
To learn the basic laboratory techniques of microbiology: optical microscopy; microbial culture and aseptic technique; isolation of microorganisms.
Prerequisites
Basic principles of biochemistry and molecular biology.
Subject matter
Lectures:
Module I: Overview of Microbiology
Microorganisms as cells and their natural environments
The antiquity of microbial life
The impact of microorganisms on humans
The historical roots of microbiology: the contributions of pasteur and Koch
Pasteur and the defeat of spontaneous generation
Modern microbiology
Elements of cell and viral structure
The evolutionary tree of life: Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya
Physiological diversity of microorganisms
Module II: Cell Structure and Function in Bacteria and Archaea
Cell wall of Bacteria and Archaea
Extracellular and intracellular structures in prokaryotes
Flagella and motility and Microbial taxes
Phylogeny of the Bacteria: Proteobacteria, Gram positive bacteria and Cyanobacteria
Phylogeny of Archaea: Euryarcheota and Crenarqueota
Eukaryotic cell structure
Mitochondrion,Chloroplast and other organelles
Phylogeny of the Eukarya
The origin of (microbial) life and Darwinian Evolution ; the endosymbiotic origin of eukaryotic cells
Module III: Nutrition, Culture, and Metabolism of Microorganisms
Microbial nutrition
Bioenergetics
Oxidation-reduction electron donors and electron acceptors
Energy rich compounds and energy storage
Fermentation and respiration
Catabolic diversity (topics)
Photosynthesis , Autotrophy ,Nitrogen fixation (overview)
Nutrient Cycles, Bioremediation (topics)
The microbial growth cycle
Factors affecting growth
Module IV: Essentials of Molecular Biology
Comparative overview of the flow of genetic information in Bacteria, Archae and Eukarya
Overview of Viruses and Virology (topics)
Principles of Bacterial Genetics
The E. coli genome; Plasmids
Mutations, mutagenesis and mutants
Genetic exchange in Prokaryotes: transformation; transduction; conjugation; transposable elements
Topics of recombinant DNA technology
Lab sessions: Basic microbiological techniques: preparation of culture media; sterilization; aseptic technique. Introduction to laboratory culture of microorganisms. Light microscopy: eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Microscopical examination of environmental samples (soil/water). Basic methods for the isolation of microorganisms: isolation of endospore-forming bacteria (Bacillus) from soil; isolation of yeasts from fermenting fruit.
Bibliography
- M.T. Madigan et al., “Brock Biology of Microorganisms”, 12th ed., Pearson, 2009 (or other editions of the same book).
Teaching method
Lectures will consist in power point presentations of the subjects, aimed to be interactive and stimulate discussion.
During Lab sessions the students will learn and practice basic techniques used to culture and quantify microorganisms, microscopy and isolation of microrganisms from natural samples.