Microbiology and Microbial Chemistry   (412B1)

Academic year:

2019/2020.

Attendance requirements:

062B1

ECTS:

7

Study level:

Study program:

Teacher:

Vladimir P. Beškoski, Ph.D.
full professor, Faculty of Chemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, Beograd

Assistants:

Aleksandra N. Žerađanin, Ph.D.
research assistant, Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, Njegoševa 12, Beograd

Kristina Ž. Joksimović
research assistant, Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, Njegoševa 12, Beograd

Hours of instruction:

Weekly: three hours of lectures + four hours of labwork (3+0+4)

Goals:

Introducing students to the basic theoretical knowledge in the field of biology of microorganisms, particularly prokaryotes and prokaryotic viruses; introducing students to the basic techniques in microbiology and the methods used in working with microorganisms.

Outcome:

Understanding the structure and function of cellular and acellular microorganisms at a basic level; the ability to use the literature independently; understanding the basic methods used in the study of microorganisms; acquiring skills necessary for working in a microbiology laboratory.

Teaching methods:

Interactive teaching, laboratory classes and term papers.

Extracurricular activities:

Searching for and collecting literature, preparing for the practical classes, writing a term paper and preparing for the exam.

Coursebooks:

Main coursebooks:

1. M. T. Madigan, J. M. Martinko, J. Parker (editors): Brock Biology of Microorganisms, (11^th Edition), Prentice Hall, 2006.
2. H. G. Schlegel: General Microbiology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1986.
3. G. Gojgić-Cvijović, M. M. Vrvić: Praktikum za mikrobiološku hemiju, IHTM - Centar za hemiju, Beograd, 2003.
4. G. N. Cohen: Microbial Biochemistry, Springer, 2011.
5. V. P. Beškoski and M. M. Vrvić: Material for lectures and laboratory classes (available only in Serbian)

Supplementary coursebooks:

• Various review papers, depending on the topic of the term paper.

Additional material:

—

Lectures:

5 points (3 hours a week)

Syllabus:

• The object of study and importance of microbiology. The methods used in the study of microorganisms.
• The size and shapes of microorganisms, the structure and function of prokaryotic cells. The growth and metabolism of microorganisms. The cell wall.
• The effect of physical and chemical factors on the growth. Biochemical adaptations of extremophiles. An overview of replication, transcription and translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
• Fundamentals of genetic engineering. General properties of viruses. Bacteriophages and the representative members of animal and plant viruses. Viroids. Prions.
• DNA repair, mutations, transformation, conjugation, transduction.
• Systematics and the representative groups of prokaryotes.
• Microbial metabolism: photosynthesis, chemolithotrophy, nitrogen fixation.
• Aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, fermentations.
• Biogeochemical cycles.
• The control of microbial growth, antibiotics, pathogenicity of microorganisms.
• Fundamentals of ecological microbiology. Quorum sensing.
• An overview of the application of microorganisms in biotechnological processes and environmental protection. Microbial metabolic engineering.

Labwork:

15 points (4 hours a week)

Syllabus:

• Safety in a microbiology laboratory, sterilization, media preparation.
• Cultivation of microorganisms (MO), working in sterile conditions.
• Analyzing the cultivated microorganisms, microscoping, the Gram staining, the Loeffler staining, the Schaeffer–Fulton staining, determining the size of MO.
• The bacterial growth curve, determining the number of MO using the direct method.
• Determining the number of viable microorganisms using the dilution method (air, water, soil, cheese, yoghurt), a pure culture.
• The isolation of the pure culture of the bacteria of the genera Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Streptomyces.
• Identification of MO using commercial API tests, bacterial fatty acids (GC).
• Determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of tetracycline and plant extracts using the agar diffusion method.
• Antibiotic sensitivity - results and comments, students defend their term papers.
• The final test.

Semester papers:

15 points

Colloquia:

15 points

Written exam:

20 points

Oral exam:

30 points