Applied Microbiology
Code
10657
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Department
Departamento de Ciências da Vida
Credits
6.0
Teacher in charge
José Paulo Nunes de Sousa Sampaio, Rita Gonçalves Sobral de Almeida
Weekly hours
4
Total hours
66
Teaching language
Português
Objectives
This course aims to integrate basic principles of general microbiology, microbial physiology and industrial microbiology, to provide the fundamentals of microbial biotechnology and to illustrate biotechnological processes with case studies.
Prerequisites
Strongly recommended a solid knowledge in Microbiology, Cell Biology and Molecular Biology.
Subject matter
Lectures: Microbial diversity, flexibility and versatility. Different stages in a biotechnologial process using microorganisms. Kinetics and energetics of microbial growth. Modelling, and Occam''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s Razor. The growth curve and significance of different phases. Growth rates, yields and productivity. Continuous culture: the chemostat. Optimization of culture conditions. Culture and production methods. Design of culture media. Microbial groups of industrial importance and interest. Strain selection. Strain improvement (mutagenesis, genetic engineering, directed evolution). Media and substrates for large-scale production. Production of primary and secondary metabolites. Examples. Antibiotics: mechanisms of action and microbial production. Exploration of additional areas of applied microbiology; environment, food production, bioactive compunds, biofuels.
Practicals: Topics on data handling, and graphical representation; Modelling of physiological systems. Isolation of Actinomycetes from the soil, Screening for antibiotic producers.
Bibliography
Books
“Industrial Microbiology: an Introduction”. 2001. Waites, M. J. et al. Blackwell Science.
“Biotecnologia: Fundamentos e aplicações”. 2003. Lima & Mota. Lidel.
"Brock Biology of Microorganisms”. 2010. 13th Edition. Madigan MT, Martinko JM Stahl D Clark DP. Prentice-Hall International Ed.
“Prescott, Harley & Klein’s Microbiology”. 2008. 7th ed., J.M. Willey et al., McGraw-Hill.
“Os micróbios e o Homem”. 2002. J.R. Postgate. Editora Replicação.