THE GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY COURSE IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE A SOLID KNOWLEDGE BACKGROUND ON:
1) THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE PROKARYOTIC CELL; 2) THE MECHANISMS OF REPLICATION, EXCHANGE, RECOMBINATION AND EXPRESSION OF DNA IN BACTERIA; 3) THE NUTRITION, GROWTH AND METABOLISM OF BACTERIA; 4) THE STRUCTURAL, GENETIC, AND METABOLIC DIVERSITY IN BACTERIA; 5) THE ANTIMICROBIAL DRUGS AND THE CONTROL OF MICROBIAL GROWTH;6) THE CONCEPT OF BACTERIAL SPECIES AND THE EVOLUTION AND THE TAXONOMY OF BACTERIA; 7) THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MICROBIAL ECOLOGY; 8) THE PRINCIPLES OF MOLECULAR VIROLOGY OF BACTERIOPHAGES AND ANIMAL VIRUSES 9) THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BACTERIA, VIRUSES AND HIGHER ORGANISMS.
1) THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE PROKARYOTIC CELL; 2) THE MECHANISMS OF REPLICATION, EXCHANGE, RECOMBINATION AND EXPRESSION OF DNA IN BACTERIA; 3) THE NUTRITION, GROWTH AND METABOLISM OF BACTERIA; 4) THE STRUCTURAL, GENETIC, AND METABOLIC DIVERSITY IN BACTERIA; 5) THE ANTIMICROBIAL DRUGS AND THE CONTROL OF MICROBIAL GROWTH;6) THE CONCEPT OF BACTERIAL SPECIES AND THE EVOLUTION AND THE TAXONOMY OF BACTERIA; 7) THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MICROBIAL ECOLOGY; 8) THE PRINCIPLES OF MOLECULAR VIROLOGY OF BACTERIOPHAGES AND ANIMAL VIRUSES 9) THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BACTERIA, VIRUSES AND HIGHER ORGANISMS.
teacher profile teaching materials
Definition of viral and quasi-species and introduction to viral taxonomy
Acute, latent and persistent infections: definition and examples
David Baltimore's breakdown of viruses into 7 replication classes and the differences between classes.
Virus titration, cultivation and isolation methodologies
Antibodies: structure and function, monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, use in microbiology
The definition of serotype and genotype and methods used to define them (neutralization test and genome sequencing)
Attack mechanisms and viral penetration
The size of the viral genomes and their distinctive characteristics compared to the cellular genomes
Genetic variability in DNA and RNA viruses in comparison.
The host's restriction against phage infections.
Introduction to innate antimicrobial immunity and PAMPs, induction of type I interferons and introduction to the mechanism of action.
Notes on the humoral and cell adaptive immune response against microbial infections: role of B, Tc and Th lymphocytes; differences between primary and secondary response to infections
Comparative replication cycle of DNA phages (T4 phage, lambda, Mu and M13 as examples of Baltimore class I and II phages.
SV40 and human papillomaviruses, two small dsDNA animal viruses (examples of Baltimore class I animal viruses): replication cycle, definition of host and permissive and non-permissive cells, promotion of oncogenesis.
Consult the web site viralzone.expasy.org.
Programme
What are viruses and how do they replicate. Types of capsids and their function, types of genomes and phases of the viral multiplication cycle.Definition of viral and quasi-species and introduction to viral taxonomy
Acute, latent and persistent infections: definition and examples
David Baltimore's breakdown of viruses into 7 replication classes and the differences between classes.
Virus titration, cultivation and isolation methodologies
Antibodies: structure and function, monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, use in microbiology
The definition of serotype and genotype and methods used to define them (neutralization test and genome sequencing)
Attack mechanisms and viral penetration
The size of the viral genomes and their distinctive characteristics compared to the cellular genomes
Genetic variability in DNA and RNA viruses in comparison.
The host's restriction against phage infections.
Introduction to innate antimicrobial immunity and PAMPs, induction of type I interferons and introduction to the mechanism of action.
Notes on the humoral and cell adaptive immune response against microbial infections: role of B, Tc and Th lymphocytes; differences between primary and secondary response to infections
Comparative replication cycle of DNA phages (T4 phage, lambda, Mu and M13 as examples of Baltimore class I and II phages.
SV40 and human papillomaviruses, two small dsDNA animal viruses (examples of Baltimore class I animal viruses): replication cycle, definition of host and permissive and non-permissive cells, promotion of oncogenesis.
Core Documentation
Use PDF files of lessons and exercise present in the Moodle platform and the following textbook: N. J. Dimmock, A. J. Easton, K. N. Leppard - Introduction to Modern Virology - Seventh edition 2016 -Wiley Blackwell - ISBN 978-1-119-97810-7 or later editions.Consult the web site viralzone.expasy.org.
Type of delivery of the course
The modules would take place with lectures, but due to the suspension of the frontal teaching from the beginning of March after the first three lectures to face the coronavirus epidemic, a site dedicated to the course on the MOODLE platform has been activated. Students are asked to refer to the information present there and to register on the platform.Attendance
attendance of the course is strongly recommendedType of evaluation
The exam for the Microbiology course is oral. However, it is given the opportunity to carry out two ongoing tests to assess the knowledge of the subject (multiple choice questions + open questions) shortly after the completion of each of the two teaching units of the course ("Virology and antimicrobial immunity" and "Biology and genetics of prokaryotes and archea ") with a mark expressed in thirtieths. If the evaluation is sufficient (greater than or equal to 18/30 in both tests) the average mark can be recorded. The mark of the written test can be improved by taking the oral on the dates of the appeals established for the academic year. In case of insufficiency, the oral test of the units found to be insufficient must necessarily be taken.