1. Definition and scope of microbiology
2. Biogenesis and a biogenesis theory. Contributions by Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek and Louis Pasteur
1. Contributions of John Tyndall, Joseph Lister, Edward Jenner, Robert Koch, Alexander Fleming and Waksman. Germ theory of fermentation and disease
4. Microscopy; principles – resolving power and magnification. Light microscopy
5. Different types of microscopes - UV, dark field, phase contrast and fluorescence
6. Electron microscopes; atomic and confocal scanning laser microscopy
7. Staining techniques - principle and types of stains ‐ staining techniques- simple, negative,
differential and structural staining methods
8. Sterilization – principle – physical agents and chemical methods
9. Isolation and enrichment culture techniques; preservation techniques
10. Evolutionary relationship - position of microbes in living world – concepts and
developments in classification of microorganisms
11. Groups of microorganisms ‐ prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Archaea – ecology; differences
amongarchaea, eubacteria and eukaryotes
12. Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology – outline only. Economic importance of
bacteria
13. Bacteria- size, shape, structure and arrangement of cells
14. Bacteria - external and internal structures in bacteria and their functionality
15. Morphology and classification of fungi and economic importance
16. Morphology and classification of algae and economic importance
17. Viruses and their properties; bacteriophages – lytic and lysogenic and temperate phages
18. Mid Semester Examination
19. Reproduction in bacteria ‐ population growth and growth phases – generation time and
specific growth rate
20. Batch and continuous culture – chemostat and turbidostat; synchronous culture. Diauxic
growth curve.
21. Conditions for growth ‐ temperature requirements ‐ aerobes and anaerobes – other factors
influencing growth; methods of assessment of growth.
22. Nutritional types of bacteria. Metabolic diversity in microbes.
23. Aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration
24. Fermentative mode of respiration
25. Oxygenic and anoxygenic mode of photosynthesis
26. Energy generation by substrate level phosphorylation, oxidative and photo
phosphorylation
27. Genetic elements in bacteria – structure and functions of bacterial chromosome and
plasmid and transposons
28. Mutation in bacteria – principles and types. Mutagens – physical, chemical and biological
29. Genetic recombination – competency ‐ transformation
30. Genetic recombination by Conjugation – concept of Hfr
31. Genetic recombination by Transduction – generalized and specialized
32. Microorganisms as tools in genetic engineering
33. Immunology – principles – specific and non‐specific defense
34. Antigen – antibody reactions – vaccines ‐ applications
1. Safety in Microbiology laboratory. Microscopes – handling light microscope
2. Micrometry‐measurement of microorganisms
3. Aseptic techniques – working with equipment and apparatus
4. Preparation of growth media for bacteria, yeast, molds and actinobacteria
5. Isolation of microorganisms by serial dilution and plating technique
6. Purification of bacteria and actinobacteria
7. Purification of yeasts and molds
8. Preservation of bacteria, fungi and actinobacteria
9. Staining techniques ‐ positive and negative staining
10. Differential staining ‐ Gram staining
11. Turbidometric assessment of growth of bacteria
12. Morphological characteristics of bacteria and actinobacteria
13. Biochemical characteristics of bacteria and actinobacteria
14. Identification of yeasts, molds and algae - morphological characterization
15. Isolation of bacteriophages
16. Isolation of bacterial mutants by UV iiradiation / chemical mutagenesis
17. Practical Examination