Ateneo - UPO

The course aims to provide students with the basic technical skills related to microbiology: basic knowledge of the biology and functioning of the bacterial cell, genetics and microbial taxonomy. In particular, basic notions of work organization will be provided in a Microbiology laboratory, sterilization methods, preparation of culture media, isolation techniques, identification and for the evaluation of microbial development, microorganism conservation, observation of physiological and metabolic characters in microbial cultures and for the determination of sensitivity to antimicrobial agents. Information will be provided on the functioning of the main antimicrobial molecules. Information will be provided on the communication and organization of microbial populations. Information will be provided on the biotechnological exploitation of bacterial activity with applications in the food, agricultural, pharmaceutical and environmental fields. Information will be provided on the processes and management of water purification plants and soil bioremediation. Finally, information will be provided on microbiological techniques applied to the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage.

Dehò G., Galli E. “Biologia dei microrganismi” CEA, 2012.
Willey M., Sherwood M., Woolverton J. “Prescott” Vol. I and II McGraw Hill, 2009.
Madigan M.D., Martinko J.M. “Brock Biologia dei microrganismi” Vol. I and II CEA, 2007.

The course aims to provide the basic theoretical skills related to microbiology and its applications in the environmental, agricultural, food, pharmaceutical and clinical fields. The student acquires the basic principles for isolating, characterizing, storing and manipulating bacteria. The course aims to provide the methods of analysis of the main clinical, food and environmental matrices as well as the competences for the interpretation of the results. The course aims to provide the concepts related to the bacterial taxonomy and the characteristics of the main bacterial jams. The concepts concerning the biology of microorganisms that colonize extreme environments are provided (for example, environments with extremely high or low temperatures, hypersaline environments). The course aims to provide the basic knowledge of the biology of microbial communities and their possible exploitation. The course aims to provide the basic knowledge for the management of water purification plants and for the bioremediation of contaminated soils exploiting particular metabolic characteristics of the bacteria. The course aims to provide the basic knowledge of the methods that can be applied for the management of conservation and restoration of works of art.

The student must possess basic knowledge of biology and, in particular, of the morphology and physiology of the eukaryotic cell. Basic knowledge of biological macromolecules, notions of organic chemistry, general and physical chemistry.
It must also possess an adequate property of language and scientific mastery.

Lectures in the classroom with slide presentations and multimedia material. Possible expert seminars on specific topics. Reading, discussion and presentation of scientific articles in the classroom.
Practice in Laboratory.

The control of learning, in itinere, will be carried out with classroom and collegial discussion of the topics dealt with. In particular, the different types of possible problems and potential variables will be evaluated in order to stimulate the acquisition of critical skills in tackling scientific work and in interpreting results. Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The exam consists of a oral examination. it consists of questions that are addressed to the student on the main topics covered during the course. The oral exam has the dual purpose of verifying the level of knowledge and understanding of the course contents and of evaluating the autonomy of judgment, the ability to learn and the ability to communicate. In order to pass the test, the student must demonstrate that he / she understands and understands at least the fundamental concepts and the most important results relevant to them; moreover, adequately stimulated, he must demonstrate that he is able to recognize the errors committed and therefore identify the correct ways; finally, he must be able to explain the topics in a comprehensible way. To achieve sufficiency it is necessary to know the basic biology of the bacterial cell (morphology, physiology, genetics) and know how to demonstrate that it has acquired the notions concerning bacterial taxonomy, the biology of microbial communities and the main applications of microbiology in the food field, agrarian, pharmaceutical, industrial and clinical. To achieve a high grade, the student must demonstrate an autonomy of judgment and a critical sense related to the topics covered, exposing their conclusions in a clear and logical way.The evaluation is expressed in thirtieths (minimum mark 18).

History of microbiology.
Structural and functional characteristics of the prokaryotic cell. Cytoplasmic membrane of prokaryotes, cytoplasmic matrix, nucleoid, plasmids, bacterial cell wall, cell walls of Archaea, external components to the cell wall, chemotaxis, the bacterial endospore.
Bacterial nutrition. The common nutritional requirements, macronutrients, micronutrients, growth factors, nutritional type of microorganisms, uptake of nutrients by the cell.
Bacterial growth. Cell division of the bacterial cell, growth curve, measurement of microbial growth, influence of environmental factors on microbial growth.
Bacterial metabolism. Release and energy conservation: an overview of the metabolism, degradation of glucose to pyruvic acid, fermentation, tricarboxylic acid cycle, electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation, anaerobic respiration, catabolism of carbohydrate and intracellular storage polymers, catabolism of lipid, catabolism of proteins and amino acids, oxidation of inorganic molecules, photosynthesis. Energy use in biosynthesis: the principles that govern the biosynthesis, synthesis of sugars, synthesis of aminoacids, synthesis of fatty acids, synthesis of nucleotides, synthesis of peptidoglycan.
Systematic microbiology. Evolution and diversity of microorganisms, taxonomic categories, classification systems, the main characters used in taxonomy. Domain Bacteria: bacterial phylogeny, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, Chlamydiae, Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, Chlorobi, Spirochaetes, Deinococcus, Chloroflexi, Nitrospirae, Deferribacteres, hyperthermophilic bacteria. Domain Archaea: phylogeny and general characteristics. Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota.
The biogeochemical cycles. Carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, sulfur cycle, phosphorus cycle, iron cycle.
Elements of virology. General properties of viruses, virus structure, virus cultivation, principles of viral taxonomy.
Fundamental principles of molecular biology and genetic of microorganisms. The nature of the genetic information in bacteria, DNA replication, RNA synthesis, protein synthesis, transformation, transduction and conjugation.
Microbial interaction. Positive interactions between microorganisms and humans, harmful interactions between microorganisms and humans, virulence factors and toxins.
Control of microbial growth. Control of microorganisms by chemical, physical and chemotherapeutic agents. Microbiota and Human Microbiome. Biotechnology for food and beverage production, Probiotics. Production of methane, hydrogen and biofuels. Production of amino acids.

Acquisition of mastery of basic theoretical knowledge concerning microbiology and its applications in the environmental, agricultural, food, pharmaceutical and clinical fields. Acquisition of the fundamental principles for isolating, characterizing, storing and manipulating bacteria. Acquisition of the mastery of the methods of analysis of the main clinical, food and environmental matrices as well as the competences for the interpretation of the results. Acquisition of the mastery of the notions inherent in the bacterial taxonomy and the characteristics of the main bacterial jambs. The concepts concerning the biology of microorganisms that colonize extreme environments are provided (for example, environments with extremely high or low temperatures, hypersaline environments). Acquisition of mastery of basic knowledge of the biology of microbial communities and their possible exploitation. Acquisition of mastery of basic knowledge for the management of water purification plants and for the bioremediation of contaminated soils exploiting particular metabolic characteristics of the bacteria. Acquisition of the mastery of the basic knowledge of the methods that can be applied for the management of conservation and restoration of works of art. Acquisition of appropriate scientific language. In particular: "Knowledge and understanding": Acquisition of in-depth knowledge on concepts and methodologies related to bacteriology, knowledge of microbiology concepts and applications related to infectious problems, acquisition of appropriate scientific language.
"Knowledge and understanding of applied skills": knowing how to identify the data necessary to provide indications regarding the presence and the type of microorganisms linked to infectious problems and to have the tools to find them in reliable locations; ability to interpret the obtained cultural results, ability to apply appropriate techniques for the isolation and identification of micro-organisms.
"Autonomy of judgment": ability to analyze with critical sense the elements related to the spread of infectious agents, autonomy of judgment in the evaluation of experimental data.
"Communication skills": perfecting the disciplinary vocabulary in the field of microbiology and bacteriology, as well as describing phenomena and problems related to infections in a clear and concise way also to non-professionals. Ability to relate on the pathological characteristics of important microorganisms in infections with an appropriate scientific language, both in oral and written form.
"Learning skills": acquisition of the ability to acquire, deepen and update independently, through reading texts and scientific articles.
Ability to use the teaching material for a critical and reasoned study.