Ateneo - UPO

Knowledge of extreme environments and microenvironments. Unicellular and pluricellular organisms that can survive in environments characterized by one or more stressful conditions close to the limits of life.

- Ravi V. Durvasula, D. V. Subba Rao: Extremophiles: From Biology to Biotechnology, 2018, CRC Press
- G. Ferretti, C. Capelli: dagli Abissi allo Spazio. Ambienti e limiti umani, edi-ermes
- Special Issue "Extremophiles and Extreme Environments", 24 open access articles
- Reviews and Articles provided by the teacher during the lessons

The course aims to put the student in a position to know the basic notions of modern biology, to contextualize information bringing it back to a macroscopic context; to understand the contents of the communication between the intracellular and extracellular environment, between the different cells. The course also aims to train the student in scientific language, morpho-functional analysis methods and evolutionary history of organisms. As we proceed to study a group of extremophiles, we will briefly describe the habitat to which it has adapted and the strategies adopted to live and proliferate in an inhospitable environment for human beings.

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Lectures with Power Point presentations. The slides used will be available to students on DIR pages.

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.

Oral examination. The exam includes at least 3 questions, concerning topics carried out during the course: in particular, the questions will focus on organisms that are able to live in one or two of the environments explained during the lessons and defined extremes with particular regard about their metabolism. The overall assessment will take into account the partial scores obtained in the individual questions.

- Definition and description of extreme environments and microenvironments, as they are not compatible with human life - Definition of extremophilic and extreme tolerant organisms - Description of the main organisms and their adaptations: • Thermophiles and thermotolerants (including Thermus aquaticus, Pyrodictium occultum, Cyanidium caldarium, Alvinella pompejana,..) • Psychrophilic and psychotolerant (including Clamidomonas nivalis, Chloromonas brevispina, Antarctic icefishes, ...) • Radiotolerants (including Deinococcus radiourans, Thermococcus gammatolerans, Aspergillus niger, ...) • Halophiles and halotolerants (Dunaliella salina, Hortaea werneckii, Rhopalophrya salina, ...) • Acidophilic and acid-tolerant (including Cyanidium caldarium, Picrophilus torridus, ..) • Alkalophiles and alkalotolerants (including Spirulina, Thermopallidum, Clostridium, ...) • Barophils and barotolerants (including Thermococcus profundus) • Xerophilous and xerotolerant (including Rhopalophrya salina) • Chemilitritrofi (Bacillus infernus) • Organisms subjected to multiple stresses • Life in the evaporites and cryptoendolytic life • Life in Space - Use and potential of extremophiles - Man and extreme environment

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING - To know the structure and functions of uni- and pluricellular organisms in relation to their adaptation to extreme environments, the structural and functional properties of the principal molecules of biological interest and the principles on which the main functions of biological systems are based; - Understand the specific characteristics of the main adapted organisms; APPLYING KNOWLEDGE &UNDERSTANDING - Ability to integrate the knowledge and skills acquired through the course with those derived from other teachings - Ability to understand the adaptive strategies of different organisms COMMUNICATION SKILLS - Use appropriate scientific language in oral and written communication - Demonstrate the ability to recognize essential information and present them MAKING JUDGMENT - Be able to interpret experimental biology results similar to those discussed at lesson - Being able to interpret the different specializations in terms of adaptation LEARNING ABILITIES Be able to describe scientific topics related to extreme environments and extremophiles and their adaptation. This ability will be developed through the active involvement of the students through oral discussions in class of topics related to the course.