The University of Jordan

Faculty of AgricultureDept. of Nutrition and Food Technology

Course title: General MicrobiologyCourse number: 0603301

Course status: Required Credit hours: 4 (lecture: 3, laboratory: 1)Prerequisite (s): General Biology II (0304102) Level: 2nd and 3rd yearLectures time: 09:00-10:00, Sun., Tue., and Thu.Instructor: Dr. Hamzah Al-Qadiri Office: Green House Phone Ext.: 22418

Course description:This course covers the fundamentals and applications of microbiology, providing students with a basis for understanding the broad aspects of the biology of microorganisms. It provides students with basic knowledge regarding microbial structure, physiology, growth and nutrition, genetics, and taxonomy. Environmental, industrial, medical and food microbiology will be covered. This course includes the fundamental training in the field of microbiology to enhance students practical capabilities in the field of microbiology. The practical part serves many functions; it helps student to practice standard microbiological staining and culture techniques as well as microbial purification, identification, and verification techniques.

Learning outcomesAfter completion of the course, the students are expected to:

Identify microorganisms on the basis of structural, morphological, and biochemical examinations.

Get familiar with microbial evolution and systematics (microbial taxonomy) Understand the difference and the relation of microbes to other species. Get familiar with the growth and metabolism of microbes. Understand how microbes respond to changing environments in order to

survive. Understand how to control microorganisms by physical, chemical, and

antimicrobial agents. Get familiar with microbial ecology. Know about microbial genetics (i.e. essentials of molecular

biology, mutation, genome structure, cloning, and gene function and regulation).

Understand how the immune system constantly protects us from infection.

Know about microbial diseases and epidemiology. Know what separates “good” or commensal microbes from “bad” or

pathogenic microbes Get familiar with microbial biotechnology, industry, and genetic engineering.

Course content

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Theoretical Part:

Lecture 1, 2 Background to the study of microbiology (unit II, chapter: 11)

- Evolution of microbiology and microorganisms- Pasteur and the refutation of the theory of spontaneous generation - Koch and the demonstration that microorganisms cause disease

3, 4, 5 Cell structure and function (unit I, chapters: 4, 7, 9) - External structures that protect the cells- Cytoplasmic membrane, movement of materials into and out of cells- Cellular storage of Genetics information- Structures involved with motility of cells- Survival through the production of spores

6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Classification of microorganisms (unit II, chapters: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, unit I, chapter 9)

Prokaryotic diversity: the bacteria- Nomenclature - Classification of bacterial cells - Identification of bacterial cells- The major groups of bacteriaProkaryotic diversity: the ArchaeaEukaryotic microbial diversity (Survey of fungi, algae, and protozoa) Microbial genomicsViruses - Viruses of prokaryotes- Viruses of eukaryotes

11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Microbial growth and metabolism (unit I, chapters: 3, 5, 6, 8) MacromoleculesNutrition, laboratory culture, and metabolism of microorganismsMicrobial Growth (bacterial growth)- Kinetics of bacterial growth- Growth curve of bacteria- Batch and continuous culture of bacteria Influence of environmental factors on the growth of microorganisms Metabolic regulationsBiosynthesis of macromoleculesMicrobial energetics (the generation of ATP)- Enzymes and microbial metabolism - Heterotrophic generation of ATP- Autotrophic generation of ATP

16 Mid-term exam 17, 18, 19

Metabolic diversity and microbial ecology (unit III, chapters: 17, 18, 19)Metabolic diversityMicrobial ecologyMethods in microbial ecology

20, 21, 22, 23

Microbial genetics (unit 1, chapters: 7, 10; unit II, chapter 15) Gene and gene expressionDNA structureDNA replicationRNA synthesis (transcription)Protein synthesis

Genetic variation- Mutation and DNA recombination- Genome structure- Genetic exchange in prokaryotes- Gene cloning and genomic cloning techniques- Bacterial chromosome- Gene function and regulation

24, 25 Control of microorganisms (Unit IV, chapter: 20)Physical antimicrobial controlChemical antimicrobial control

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Antimicrobial agents used in vivo

26, 27, 28

Immunology, pathogenicity, and host responses (Unit IV, chapters: 21, 22)Essential of immunologyMicrobial interactions with human

29, 30, 31

Microbial diseases (unit V, chapters: 25, 26, 27)EpidemiologyPerson-to- person microbial diseaseAnimal-transmitted diseases

32, 33 Environmental microbiology (unit V, chapters: 28, 29)Soil and air microbiologyWaterborne microbial diseasesFood preservation and foodborne microbial diseases

34, 35, 36

Microorganisms as tools for industry and research (unit VI, chapters: 30, 31)Biotechnology and industrial microbiologyGenetic engineering of microorganism

Representative FT-IR spectral patterns of L. innocua ATCC 51742. νas = asymmetric stretch,

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The approximate composition of a typical bacterial cell (weight basis). (Alberts et al., 2002).

νs = symmetric stretch, δs = symmetric deformation

Practical Part:

1 - Safety measures in the microbiological laboratory- Types of microscopes

2 Sterilization techniques- Physical methods

- Heat - Radiation- Membrane filtration

- Chemical reagents

3 Growing of microorganisms - Preparation of culture media (broth and agar) - Preparation of pure culture

- Streaking method- Slant and stabbing techniques

4 Microscopy and staining (1)- Preparation of slides- Motility test (hanging drop technique)- Examination of unstained living organisms- Simple stain

5 Microscopy and staining (2)

- Gram stain- Spore stain

6 Microbial physiology and biochemical tests (1)- Oxidase test- Catalase test- Oxidation/fermentation test

7 Microbial physiology and biochemical tests (2)- Carbohydrate metabolism- Protein metabolism - Starch hydrolysis- Casein hydrolysis- Urea hydrolysis

8 Characterization of molds

9 Characterization of yeasts

10 Studying viruses

11 Conditions affecting microbial growth (1)- Microorganism of extreme conditions

- Halotolerant - Acid tolerant- Thermotolerant

12 Conditions affecting microbial growth (2)

- Nutrient requirements- Oxygen requirement (aerobic, anaerobic, and fermentation reactions)

13 Enumeration of microorganisms - Direct microscopic count (counting chambers)- Pour plate method- Spread plate method

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Grade distribution and exam time

Exam % DateMid-term theory exam 25Mid-term lab exam 10Final theory exam 35Final lab exam 15

Other Activities %Reports and quizzes 10

Homework, assignment, and class activity

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Learning Resources

Required text book:

1 Title Brock Biology of MicroorganismsAuthor Madigan, Martinko Publisher Prentic HallEdition 11th ed., 2006

Recommended references:

1 Title Microbiology, Fundamentals and Applications Author Ronald M. AtlasPublisher Macmillan Publishing Company, Collier Macmillan PublishersEdition 2nd ed., 1988

2 Title Molecular Biology of the CellsAuthor Alberts, johnson, Lewis, Raff, Roberts, and WalterPublisher Garland ScienceEdition 4th ed., 2002

3 Title Fundamentals of Microbiology Author PommervilleEdition 7th ed.

4 Title Control of Communicable Diseases Manual Author James ChinPublisher American Public Health AssociationEdition 17th ed., 2000

5 Internet : - American Society for Microbiology (ASM) (www.asm.org)- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (www.cdc.gov)- American Public Health Association (APHA) (www.apha.org)- World Health Organzation (WHO) (www.who.org)

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