SUBJECT

Title

Trends in Microbiology

Type of instruction

lecture

Level

master

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Part of degree program

Biology MSc

Credits

Recommended in

Semester 2

Typically offered in

Spring semester

Course description

1. Sampling techniques and strategies for environmental and clinical microbiology. Transport, storage and conservation of samples, planning of investigation strategy/workflow. Other parameters of the sampling area and samples.

2. Strategies of diagnostic microbiological investigations. Culture based studies and stain. Culture independent investigations, clone. Direct and indirect diagnostic methods.

3. Novel techniques for cultivation. Chromogenic media. VBNC microbes, injured cells. Methods of gradient chamber, capillary, etc. cultures. Combination of culture and molecular studies.

4. Molecular tools in the exploration of species richness. Genome studies and molecular fingerprinting in the practice.

5. Biological species concept and species definition in microbiology. Genetic species definition, polyphasic taxonomy. Identification and determination techniques.

6. The effect of whole genome projects on microbiology.

7. Modern light and electron microscopic methods (e.g. FISH, AFM, STM) in microbiology. Proteomics and “functionomics”. Community metabolism and single cell microbiology.

8. Basics of interactions between species. Interactions in bacterial communities. Bacteria and other microbes.

9. Plant – microbe interactions: exo- and endophytic microbes analysed on the example of reed and bulrush. PGP microbes.

10. Animal-microbe interactions. “Anaerobe” eukaryotes. Endosymbionts of insects. Sexual parasitism. Possibilities of biological insecticides.

11. Pathogenecity and infection on the example of E. coli. Pathogenic E. coli types. Pathogenecity factors, islands. Epidemics and microevolution.

12. Microbiology of water and aquatic habitats. Biological water quality. Organisation of biofilms and their community metabolism. Microbiology of ultra pure water.

13. Microbiology of anaerobe habitats. C and energy transfer. Homoacetogens and acetate utilisation. Methanogens and sulphate reducers. Bio-corrosion.

14. Fate of xenobiotics in the environment. Recalcitrance. Co-metabolism (co-oxidation). Degradation of halogenated hydrocarbons. Halorespiration.

Readings

B. B. S. Kapoor, Dr. Anil Arora: Recent Trends in Microbiology, Madhu Publications, 2012