TEACHING UNIT 1

Course presentation. Importance of microorganisms for human life. History of Microbiology

Theoretical principles of microscopy and overview of optical and electron microscopy systems

General characteristics of the cell and cellular life. Bacterial shape and size. Structures of the prokaryotic cell. Facultative structures: capsule, slime layer, glycocalyx, Biofilm, flagella, pili and fimbriae.

Cytoplasm. Inclusion bodies. Ribosomes, phylogenetic trees, and domains. DNA organization in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Plasmids. Haploid and diploid yeast status

Bacterial cell wall. Gram stain. Biosynthesis and cell wall damage.

Structure of the cytoplasmic membrane. Membrane transporters and their function. Active vs. passive transport. Protein secretion.

Bacterial endospore: morphology, composition, sporulation and germination. Staining and enumeration

Principles of prokaryotic genetics. Transformation, conjugation, and transduction.

Viruses. Lytic and lysogenic cycle