Molecular microbiology and genetics of microorganisms

General strategies adopted by bacteria for sensing, transducing and giving the proper response to external signals will be presented through the discussion of specific examples, such as the global reprogramming of gene expression caused by different stresses (i.e. DNA damage, heat shock). Cell to cell communication in microbial communities and interactions between bacteria and eukaryotic cells or organisms (such as pathogenic bacteria-human host interactions) will be discussed. Particular emphasis will be put throughout the course on molecular mechanisms underlying cell responses and on the experimental approaches that have been applied to their study.