General Microbiology
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with basic microbiology knowledge, and the general information necessary for the application of microbiological methodologies to biotechnology. The course focuses on the analysis of microbial cellular structure, physiology and genetics, on potential applications of microorganisms in biotechnology and on the mechanisms of pathogenesis by both bacteria and viruses.
Expected learning outcomes
The students will acquire detailed knowledge and understanding of the composition and fundamental biological processes of bacterial cells, and will achieve a clear understanding of microbial diversity at the level of metabolic processes and gene regulation.
The student will be able to use basic methods of microbiology and apply the cultural skills acquired in advanced courses.
Critical and judgmental skills, and ability of students to communicate what they have learned, are mostly developed through laboratory activities and discussion of the results obtained.
The microbiological culture acquired through this course will provide the student with the skills to study microbiology even in a completely autonomous way.
The student will be able to use basic methods of microbiology and apply the cultural skills acquired in advanced courses.
Critical and judgmental skills, and ability of students to communicate what they have learned, are mostly developed through laboratory activities and discussion of the results obtained.
The microbiological culture acquired through this course will provide the student with the skills to study microbiology even in a completely autonomous way.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Surname A-K
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Characteristics of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms, morphology of bacteria and eumycetes
Nutritional requisites of prokaryotes and culture methods; identification with 16S rRNA and molecular taxonomy
Bacterial growth and direct / indirect methods for assessing growth
Growth control: antibiotics
Cytology: membrane, cell wall, cytoplasm
Structural and biochemical differences between Bacteria / Archea
Structural and biochemical differences between Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria
Sporulation
The fundamental biological processes in Bacteria: DNA replication, transcription, translation cell wall biosynthesis
Mechanisms of gene regulation in response to nutritive availability: cAMP, ppGpp
Two-component regulation systems: regulation of flagellar motility
Microbial genetics: gene transfer: conjugation transformation, mobile genetic elements, transduction
Elements of virology: bacteriophages, examples of animal viruses (retrovirus, RNA viruses), mechanisms of infection and interaction with host cells
Antibiotics: mechanisms of action and resistance
Microbial metabolism: aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, fermentation
Oxygenic and anoxic photosynthesis, assimilation of CO2
Nitrogen Fixing
Mycete classification, life cycle, nutrition
Biogeochemical cycles (C, N, P, S)
Laboratory activities (8 hours total)
Plating and isolation of pure cultures of microorganisms. Selective growth conditions (anaerobiosis, minimal and differential terrain). Microscopy: observation of live cells, Gram staining. Antibiotic susceptibility tests.
Nutritional requisites of prokaryotes and culture methods; identification with 16S rRNA and molecular taxonomy
Bacterial growth and direct / indirect methods for assessing growth
Growth control: antibiotics
Cytology: membrane, cell wall, cytoplasm
Structural and biochemical differences between Bacteria / Archea
Structural and biochemical differences between Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria
Sporulation
The fundamental biological processes in Bacteria: DNA replication, transcription, translation cell wall biosynthesis
Mechanisms of gene regulation in response to nutritive availability: cAMP, ppGpp
Two-component regulation systems: regulation of flagellar motility
Microbial genetics: gene transfer: conjugation transformation, mobile genetic elements, transduction
Elements of virology: bacteriophages, examples of animal viruses (retrovirus, RNA viruses), mechanisms of infection and interaction with host cells
Antibiotics: mechanisms of action and resistance
Microbial metabolism: aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, fermentation
Oxygenic and anoxic photosynthesis, assimilation of CO2
Nitrogen Fixing
Mycete classification, life cycle, nutrition
Biogeochemical cycles (C, N, P, S)
Laboratory activities (8 hours total)
Plating and isolation of pure cultures of microorganisms. Selective growth conditions (anaerobiosis, minimal and differential terrain). Microscopy: observation of live cells, Gram staining. Antibiotic susceptibility tests.
Prerequisites for admission
Good basic knowledge of General Biology, Genetics
Teaching methods
frontal lectures (see programme below for details)
Laboratory classes (see programme below for details)
Laboratory classes (see programme below for details)
Teaching Resources
Textbooks (in alternative):
Dehò G. et al. Biologia dei microrganismi. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana (available in Italian only)
Madigan and Martinko; Brock, Biology of Microorganisms (available in Italian and English)
Powerpoint presentations available on the MyAriel website are only meant to complement the lectures and are NOT a substitute for the textbook.
Dehò G. et al. Biologia dei microrganismi. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana (available in Italian only)
Madigan and Martinko; Brock, Biology of Microorganisms (available in Italian and English)
Powerpoint presentations available on the MyAriel website are only meant to complement the lectures and are NOT a substitute for the textbook.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final exam is structured as follows:
1) Verification of the ability to apply the basic knowledge acquired in the laboratory classes (drawing a bacterial growth curve on semilogarithmic paper).
2) Two open questions aimed at testing the knowledge of general concepts discussed in the lectures (e.g., basic biological processes in bacteria, gene regulation, energy metabolism).
3) Four open questions concerning more specific aspects discussed in the lectures
1) Verification of the ability to apply the basic knowledge acquired in the laboratory classes (drawing a bacterial growth curve on semilogarithmic paper).
2) Two open questions aimed at testing the knowledge of general concepts discussed in the lectures (e.g., basic biological processes in bacteria, gene regulation, energy metabolism).
3) Four open questions concerning more specific aspects discussed in the lectures
AGR/16 - AGRICULTURAL MICROBIOLOGY - University credits: 4
BIO/19 - MICROBIOLOGY - University credits: 5
BIO/19 - MICROBIOLOGY - University credits: 5
Exercises: 8 hours
Tutorials: 8 hours
Lessons: 64 hours
Tutorials: 8 hours
Lessons: 64 hours
Professors:
Landini Paolo, Rossi Elio
Shifts:
Professor:
Landini Paolo
Turno 1
Professor:
Landini PaoloTurno 2
Professor:
Rossi ElioTurno 3
Professor:
Rossi ElioSurname L-Z
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Prokaryote/eukaryote difference, morphology of bacteria and mycetes
Nutritional categories, cultural methods, methods for microbial identification and molecular taxonomy
Bacterial growth, methods for microbial cultivation, direct/indirect growth evaluation methods
Growth control: antibiotics, action and resistance mechanisms
Prokaryote cytology: membrane, wall, cytoplasm; Bacteria/archaea; gram positive/negative
Spore formers and sporogenesis
Bacterial genetic material, DNA replication, mutations, natural selection, mutagens
Fundamental prokaryote processes: transcription, traduction, duplication
Mechanisms of gene regulation
bacterial genetics: horizontal gene exchange, transformation, conjugation, mobile genetic elements, transduction
virology: bacteriophages, interaction with host cell
microbial metabolism: aerobic and anaerobic respiration, fermentation, chemolitotrophy
oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthesis
metabolism of CO2 and N2 fixation
Mycetes: classification, growth cycle, nutrition
Element cycles (C, N, P, S)
Symbiosis between microorganisms and between microorganism and eukaryotic hosts; microbiomes
Nutritional categories, cultural methods, methods for microbial identification and molecular taxonomy
Bacterial growth, methods for microbial cultivation, direct/indirect growth evaluation methods
Growth control: antibiotics, action and resistance mechanisms
Prokaryote cytology: membrane, wall, cytoplasm; Bacteria/archaea; gram positive/negative
Spore formers and sporogenesis
Bacterial genetic material, DNA replication, mutations, natural selection, mutagens
Fundamental prokaryote processes: transcription, traduction, duplication
Mechanisms of gene regulation
bacterial genetics: horizontal gene exchange, transformation, conjugation, mobile genetic elements, transduction
virology: bacteriophages, interaction with host cell
microbial metabolism: aerobic and anaerobic respiration, fermentation, chemolitotrophy
oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthesis
metabolism of CO2 and N2 fixation
Mycetes: classification, growth cycle, nutrition
Element cycles (C, N, P, S)
Symbiosis between microorganisms and between microorganism and eukaryotic hosts; microbiomes
Prerequisites for admission
Good knowledge in general and cellular biology, Genetics
Teaching methods
The course consists of 32 theoretical lectures (64 hours) covering the main topics of general microbiology, and 4 practical sessions (16 hours).
Two of the practical sessions will take place in the laboratory and are aimed at providing hands-on training in biological laboratory safety and in basic techniques for the enumeration, identification, and phenotypic and functional characterization of microorganisms.
The other two practical sessions will be classroom-based and will focus on the analysis of nucleotide sequence data for bacterial identification, as well as on the critical analysis of scientific literature related to microbial biotechnology.
All lectures will be conducted in person.
Interactive activities using the online tool Wooclap will be offered during class as a means of reviewing the main topics covered in the course.
As the topic of photosynthesis is also addressed in parallel within the Biology and Biochemistry courses, it will not be covered through an in-person lecture. Instead, students will be assigned online materials to study asynchronously (approximately 2 hours of total workload). Aspects specifically related to bacterial photosynthesis will subsequently be revisited through an in-person interactive activity.
Two of the practical sessions will take place in the laboratory and are aimed at providing hands-on training in biological laboratory safety and in basic techniques for the enumeration, identification, and phenotypic and functional characterization of microorganisms.
The other two practical sessions will be classroom-based and will focus on the analysis of nucleotide sequence data for bacterial identification, as well as on the critical analysis of scientific literature related to microbial biotechnology.
All lectures will be conducted in person.
Interactive activities using the online tool Wooclap will be offered during class as a means of reviewing the main topics covered in the course.
As the topic of photosynthesis is also addressed in parallel within the Biology and Biochemistry courses, it will not be covered through an in-person lecture. Instead, students will be assigned online materials to study asynchronously (approximately 2 hours of total workload). Aspects specifically related to bacterial photosynthesis will subsequently be revisited through an in-person interactive activity.
Teaching Resources
Dehò G. e Galli E. Biologia dei microrganismi. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
Slides showed during the lessons with video and bibliographic references to in-depth scientific articles will be available through the MyAriel web portal
Slides showed during the lessons with video and bibliographic references to in-depth scientific articles will be available through the MyAriel web portal
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination consists of three open-ended questions on specific topics selected from the entire course syllabus, including practical sessions, and is aimed at assessing the knowledge acquired. The use of appropriate scientific terminology forms part of the assessment.
The final grade will be calculated as a weighted average of the marks awarded to the individual questions, which carry different weights:
Question 1: 45%
Question 2: 45%
Question 3: 10% (this question will focus on a topic explored in greater depth during the practical sessions)
The examination will be conducted in written form. Students who submit a request before the examination date may take the exam in English.
A minimum of seven examination sessions per year will be published on SIFA.
Should the lecturer have reason to believe that an exam answer has been copied (e.g., from another student, from books/slides, or from AI tools), she reserves the right to summon the student for an additional oral question in order to verify their actual knowledge of the subject matter.
The final grade will be calculated as a weighted average of the marks awarded to the individual questions, which carry different weights:
Question 1: 45%
Question 2: 45%
Question 3: 10% (this question will focus on a topic explored in greater depth during the practical sessions)
The examination will be conducted in written form. Students who submit a request before the examination date may take the exam in English.
A minimum of seven examination sessions per year will be published on SIFA.
Should the lecturer have reason to believe that an exam answer has been copied (e.g., from another student, from books/slides, or from AI tools), she reserves the right to summon the student for an additional oral question in order to verify their actual knowledge of the subject matter.
AGR/16 - AGRICULTURAL MICROBIOLOGY - University credits: 4
BIO/19 - MICROBIOLOGY - University credits: 5
BIO/19 - MICROBIOLOGY - University credits: 5
Exercises: 8 hours
Tutorials: 8 hours
Lessons: 64 hours
Tutorials: 8 hours
Lessons: 64 hours
Professors:
Borin Sara, Rolli Eleonora
Shifts:
Professors:
Borin Sara, Rolli Eleonora
Turno 1
Professor:
Rolli EleonoraTurno 2
Professor:
Rolli EleonoraTurno 3
Professor:
Rolli EleonoraProfessor(s)
Reception:
everyday under appointment
office: via Mangiagalli 25, 3rd floor, Environmental Microbiology Section
Reception:
On appointment by e-mail
Via Celoria 26, Scientific buildings, 4th floor, Tower "B"