Unit I. Introduction
Definition and scope of Microbiology. Milestones in Microbiology; biogenesis and abiogenesis theory; contributions of Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, Louis Pasteur, John Tyndall, Robert Koch, Edward Jenner, Joseph Lister, Alexander Fleming and Waksman. Germ theory of diseases and fermentation.
Unit II. Microbiological Techniques
General principles of light microscopy ‐ magnification, resolving power and numerical aperture. Different types of light and electron microscopes; three dimensional imaging - Atomic force and Confocal scanning laser microscopy. Staining techniques - principle and types of stains; simple, negative, differential and structural staining. Sterilization and disinfection techniques; principles and methods of sterilization ‐ physical methods – heat, filters and radiation; chemical methods. Isolation, enrichment and purification techniques of bacteria, yeast, moulds and actinobacteria. Preservation of microbial cultures.
Unit III. Microbial World
Evolutionary relationship among the living organisms. Whittaker’s five kingdom concept of living organism and Carl Woese systems. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Three domains of life – similarities and differences; Modern approach to the bacterial systematics. Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. Bacteria - bacterial size, shape and arrangement; bacterial cell structure and function .Morphology of fungi and algae. General properties of viruses: different types; overview of bacteriophages; morphology of bacteriophages: Lytic and lysogenic cycles; lytic and temperate phages.
Unit IV. Microbial Growth and Metabolism
Bacterial growth- population growth- growth cycles of population; environment on growth – temperature, oxygen, pH and salts; nutritional classification – chemoautotrophy and photo autotroph. Energy generation in bacteria. Aerobic and anaerobic respiration and fermentation in bacteria.
Unit V. Microbial Genetics and Immunology
Central dogma of life. Genetic elements of bacteria; bacterial chromosomal DNA, plasmids, IS elements and transposons; Mutation ‐ types and mutagens. Genetic recombinations; transformation, transduction and conjugation. Genetic engineering – an introduction. Basic concepts of immunology – antigen – antibody reactions and vaccines.
Microbiological safety in the laboratory; introduction to microbiology laboratory and its equipments. Microscopes- handling with microscope. Micrometry. Methods of sterilization and equipments used for sterilization. Nutritional media and their preparations. Enumeration of microbial population - bacteria, fungi and actinobacteria. Methods of purification and preservation of microbial cultures. Staining and microscopic observations; simple and differential staining ‐ spore staining. Measurement of bacterial growth. Identification of microorganisms - morphological identification of yeasts, moulds and algae. Identification- cultural, physiological and biochemical tests for bacteria and actinobacteria. Isolation of bacteriophages. Isolation of mutants employing physical or chemical mutagens.