BIOLOGY 334 MICROBIOLOGY

TEXTBOOK:  Microbiology 6^th ed., Prescott

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  This upper-level course will introduce students to the basic biology of prokaryotic organisms and viruses.  Upon successful completion of the semester, students should be knowledgeable about bacterial cell structure, microbial diversity, microbial growth and energy acquisition, and applications of microbiology.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:  Students completing this course will demonstrate their ability to:

• Describe major prokaryotic cell structures and functions and understand how these compare to those of eukaryotic organisms.
• Explain how microbes use aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, and fermentation to provide energy and metabolites.
• Categorize microbes by the energy and carbon sources they use.
• Design enrichment medium for isolation of microbes.
• Delineate the flow of information in prokaryotic cells and viruses.
• Diagram transmission of genetic information between microbes.
• Predict consequences of particular types of genetic mutations and selection pressures.
• Summarize the major phylogenetic groups of prokaryotic organisms and how these relationships are determined.
• Summarize the major hypes of viruses and bacteriophage.
• Articulate modes of action for major antibiotic classes and modes of resistance to antimicrobials.
• Describe host defense mechanisms.
• List and define basic mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis.
• Compare and contrast modes of microbial diseases.
• Provide examples of beneficial contributions made by  bacteria.
• Provide examples of microbial environmental impact.
• Interpret information provided in primary and secondary literature sources.
• Provide examples of microbes important to the food industry and foods and beverages produced as a result of microbial action.
• Describe a symbiotic relationship between two organisms where at least one is a prokaryote.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Prokaryotic cells: Membrane and internal structures
• Prokaryotic cells:  Walls; external structures and spores
• Nutritional types
• Growth curve and environmental factors
• Bacterial Metabolism: Aerobic Respiration and Anaerobic Respiration
• Bacterial Metabolism: Fermentation Food Production and microbes
• Food-borne and Waterborne Disease
• Bacterial Genomes:  Structure, Replication
• Bacterial Genetics:  Mutation and Repair
• Bacterial Gene Expression
• Bacterial Gene Regulation
• Bacterial Recombination and Plasmids
• Transposons and Genetic Exchange
• Viruses - Bacteriophage
• Viruses and Human Disease
• Archaebacteria
• Deinococci and Nonproteobacteria Gram negatives
• Proteobacteria Gram positives
• Bacterial evolution
• Medical Microbiology: Normal Flora and Pathogenecity
• Antimicrobials
• Epidemiology of Infectious Disease
• CSA
• Human Diseases caused by bacteria