BS33920 - MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

Module Identifier

BS33920

Module Title

MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

Academic Year

2007/2008

Co-ordinator

Dr Hazel M Davey

Semester

Semester 2

Other staff

Dr Gareth W Griffith, Professor Michael Young, Dr Michael K Winson, Dr Mustak A Kaderbhai

Course delivery

Lecture

30 x 1h lectures

Seminars / Tutorials

6 x 1h seminars

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment Length/Details	Proportion
Semester Exam	2 Hours	60%
Semester Assessment	2000 word essay (20%), Microbial growth assignment (20%)	40%
Supplementary Exam	2 Hours	100%

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module students will:

Be familiar with the growth of microorganisms in artificial culture, appreciate how their growth is inhibited and how their physiology will change depending on the environment they inhabit

be aware of the immense metabolic versatility of bacteria and fungi, which allows them to be capable of growth almost anywhere

be aware of the current research strategies in the industrial sector that exploit microbial bioprocesses to over-produce many medically and economically important compounds

appreciate that individual bacterial cells can communicate and regulate their physiology using signalling molecules

appreciate the methods used for studying heterogenous bacterial populations.

Aims

In the post-genomic era microbial physiology and biochemistry are of paramount importance and this module will provide theoretical training in the processes involved in microbial growth and its control. The content will emphasise the immense diversity of environments that microbes inhabit and how this unlimited source of biological activity can be exploited for biotechnological purposes. Basic foundation in microbial metabolism including examples of biochemical diversity and illustrations of industrial bioprocesses, microbial biotransformations and bioremediation will be included.

Content

The lectures cover the following topics:

Introduction to the ubiquity of microbes.
Nutrition of microorganisms.
Definitions of how organisms are grouped based on physiological parameters.
Growth of microorganisms in artificial culture.
Inhibition of growth and mechanisms of microbial cell death.
Microbes in the environment.
Diversity of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism.
Diversity of microbial fermentations.
Bacteria as individuals rather than a population.
Screening for new metabolites and strain development.
Industrial methods of fermentation and downstream product recovery.
Industrial processes using microorganisms, with worked examples.
Microbial biotransformations.

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Black, Jacquelyn G. Microbiology, principles and explorations, student study guide /Jacquelyn G. Black. 6th. Wiley 0471482447
Madigan, M.T. (2005) Brock Biology of Microorganisms 11th. Prentice Hall 0132017849
Perry, J.J., Stanley, J.T. & Lory, S. (2002) Microbial Life Sinauer
Schlegel, H.G. (1986) General microbiology 6th. Cambridge University Press.
Wackett, Lawrence Philip (2001) Biocatalysis and Biodegradation: Microbial Transformation of Organic Compounds ASM
** Multiple Copies In Hugh Owen
Moat, A.G. & Foster, J.W. (1995) Microbial Physiology 3rd. New York: Wiley-Liss.
** Recommended Background
Bu'Lock, J. & Kristiansen, B. (1987) Basic Biotechnology New York: Academic Press.
Crueger, W. & Crueger, A. (1989) Biotechnology: A textbook of industrial microbiology Massachusetts: Sinauer.
Dawes, A.E. (1986) Microbial energetics Blackie.
Neidhardt, F.C. Ingraham, J.L. & Schaechter, M. (1990) Physiology of the bacterial cell : a molecular approach Massachusetts: Sinauer.
Nicholls, D.G & Fergusson, S.J. (1992) Bioenergetics 2 Academic press.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6