Experimental molecular microbiology

• Explain the concepts of exponential growth and balanced growth.
• Describe genetic elements such as genes, promoters, operons, plasmids, and transposons.
• Explain the basic principles of PCR and DNA sequencing.
• Explain the basic mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria: transformation and conjugation.
• Contrast key physiological and genetic traits of biotechnologically important bacteria.
• Describe the main regulatory principles of the lac operon in transcriptional initiation control.
• Master basic microbiological and molecular methods, including sterile technique and serial dilutions, including calculation.
• Calculate growth rates and generation times based on experimental growth curve data.
• Perform basic sequence similarity analyses using online databases.
• Apply and elucidate essential concepts of bacterial genetics in the areas of mutation, selection, screening, recombination, and complementation.

Experimental Microbiology methods (sterile technique, optical density measurements, plating and colony counting).
Bacterial physiology (growth kinetics, induction of gene expression, biofilm formation)
Bacterial genetics (PCR, DNA sequence analysis, conjugation, transformation, transposon mutagenesis, isolation and analysis of mutants, complementation).
The results of the experimental work are presented in short peer-reviewed reports.

• 36 – 49 (Thurs 13-17)

27002/27008, Course 27026 should be followed together with 27027.

Mandatory laboratory exercises

The course replaces 27028 Exercises in molecular microbiology. Participation in laboratory exercises is mandatory. Before accessing the laboratory, you must pass a multiple choice test on safety

Minimum: 20, Maximum: 96.

Please be aware that this course has a minimum requirement for the number of participants needed, in order for it to be held. If these requirements are not met, then the course will not be held. Furthermore, there is a limited number of seats available. If there are too many applicants, a pool will be created for the remainder of the qualified applicants, and they will be selected at random. You will be informed 8 days before the start of the course, whether you have been allocated a spot.