AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and participation to the course will allow the student to acquire deep knowledge on Molecular Microbiology in clinic and possibly in industrial and agricultural sectors.

In detail the student will be able:

• To learn the molecular mechanisms of the bacterial evolution and the role played by the horizontal gene transfer
• To learn the molecular mechanisms behind the bacterial defence against both viruses and the stress conditions
• Understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the bacterial virulence and of the antimicrobial strategies in use.
• Understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the bacterial antibiotic-resistance
• To learn the more advanced techniques of molecular biology applied in microbiology

TEACHING METHODS

The course consists exclusively of lectures. Attendance at lessons is strongly recommended.

Lectures in the classroom are delivered through multimedia presentations.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The program of the course includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics:

• Analysis of the cells and of the microbial communities by cultivation-dependent and cultivation-independent techniques, applications and advantages of the different approaches. Bacterial typing and Next Generation Sequencing.
• Bacterial viruses and possible applications in biotechnology
• Antibiotic-resistance: molecular mechanisms responsible of the resistance phenotype against antimicrobials, antibiotic-resistance selection systems, cicle and spread of the antibiotic resistant bacteria and relative antibiotic resistance genes
• Bacterial genome plasticity: horizontal gene transfer in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and its role in the genome evolution in pathogens
• Quorum sensing: Molecular mechanisms of quorum sensing in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria
• Immunity defence systems in bacteria against viral infection and DNA repair mechanisms
• Molecular bases of pathogenicity and virulence in bacteria and bacterial biofilms

Conventional and new generation vaccines   

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All slides used during lessons and other teaching materials will be available on AulaWeb at the end of each lesson cycle or will be provided to students by teachers. The books below are suggested as a supporting texts, but students can still use other university level texts.

-"Brock - Biologia dei microrganismi. Microbiologia generale, ambientale e industriale"  M.T. Madigan, J.M. Martinko, K. S. Bender, D.H. Buckley, e D.A. Stahl  (2016) e "Brock - Biologia dei microrganismi. Microbiologia biomedica” M.T. Madigan, J.M. Martinko, D.A. Stahl  e D.P. Clark (2012). Pearson Education

-“Biologia dei microrganismi”  G. Deho ed E. Galli  (2014) Casa Editrice Ambrosiana

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARCO GIOVINE (President)

CARLA PRUZZO (President)

LUIGI VEZZULLI (President)

SONIA SCARFI'

LESSONS

LESSONS START

These information are provided at

http://www.distav.unige.it/ccsbio/orario-lezioni-bms

Class schedule

MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is written and consists of the presentation of a topic chosen by the student and the answer to questions asked by the teacher on topics covered during the course. Three calls will be available in the winter session (January-February) and 3 calls in the summer session (June, July, September).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Detailed information on how to prepare for the exam and the degree of detail required for each covered topic will be provided during the lessons. The exam will focus on the topics covered in class and will have the purpose to evaluate not only if the student has reached an adequate level of knowledge, but also if he has acquired the ability to recall the theoretical notions by applying them to simple concrete contexts. The ability to expose the arguments clearly and with correct terminology will also be evaluated.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

La frequenza costante e regolare alle lezioni è fortemente raccomandata