Course Syllabus

BIOL 2200 General Microbiology

Course Description

This general microbiology course is designed for those with a basic understanding of biology and chemistry. The course will cover the morphology, reproduction, metabolism, microbial and molecular genetics, biotechnology, ecology, and diversity of microorganisms. An emphasis will be placed on bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, and their role in the environment and human disease. The lecture must be taken concurrently with the lab BIOL 2205.

Justification

The course will advance the students understanding of the biology of microorganisms, and microbial and molecular genetics. The course follows the recommendations of the American Society for Microbiology and will serve as a core course for microbiology majors. In addition, it will serve as a support course for other biology and pre-professional majors. Many pharmacy schools and veterinary medicine schools now require a general microbiology course before students can be accepted. Clinical laboratory science majors also need microbiology for science majors. Similar courses are taught at other USHE institutions.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to identify structures that are found in bacteria, archaea, eukaryotic cells and acellular agents.
2. Students will be able to determine how microbes grow, how growth is controlled, and metabolic pathways found in microbes.
3. Students will be able to understand the diversity of microbes in the world around them.
4. Students will be able to determine how microbes help sustain life on earth as we know it.
5. Students will be learn how microbes cause disease in humans and other animals and how the immune system protects us.
6. Students will learn how bacterial genes are structured and regulated and how they contribute to recombinant DNA technology.
7. Students will read and discuss key scientific literature to gain skills necessary to discern credibility of sources of scientific information.

Course Content

Course content will be covered by reading assignments in the textbooks, handouts, lecture and class discussion, and library project(s). Any topic not so covered remains the responsibility of the student to explore. Brief history of microbiology; Microbial cell biology and physiology: information flow within a cell, regulation of cellular activities, cellular structure and function, cell energy metabolism); Microbial and molecular genetics: inheritance of genetic information, cause, consequences and uses of mutations, exchange and acquisition of genetic information; Microbial growth: measurement and growth curves, mathematics of growth, nutrient limiting and continuous culture, environmental factors on growth; Interactions and impact of microorganisms and humans: physical and chemical control of microorganisms, antibiotics and chemotherapy, symbiotic associations, microbial pathogenic mechanisms, disease, food microbiology, genetic engineering, biotechnology; Interactions and impact of microorganisms in the environment: microorganisms and their role in ecosystems, marine and terrestrial environments; Viruses and microbial diversity: microbial taxonomy, Archaea, bacteria, fungi, algae, protists

The diversity of the microbial world will be discussed. In addition, there will be discussions on how microbes affect humans in regard to age, race, other socio-economic backgrounds and overall general health.