Syllabus

Module 1: Microbial ultrastructure, growth & metabolism:
Ultrastructure of a bacterial cell: Cell wall, cell membrane, capsule, cytoplasmic inclusions, nuclear material, extranuclear genetic elements, ribosomes, endospore and cysts. Cultivation of bacteria – nutritional and physical requirements. Isolation, maintenance and preservation of the pure cultures. Bacterial growth – Growth curve, batch and continuous cultures, diauxic and synchronous growth. Enumeration of cells by direct and indirect methods.
Central and respiratory metabolism- Glycolysis (E-D Pathway) and gluconeogenesis. Phosphoketolase pathway, oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (HMP Shunt pathway), TCA cycle and reverse TCA cycle, glyoxalate cycle, EMP pathway. Pasteur effect and Harden Young effect. Oxidative and substrate level phosphorylation (ETC), Fermentation of carbohydrate, Eenergetics and regulation of bacterial metabolism.

Module 2: Medical microbiology and control:
Normal microflora of host, types of toxins (Exo, endo, entro) and their mode of actions; mechanisms of pathogenesis; host-parasite relationship, and entry of pathogens into the host.
Concept of sterilization and disinfection. Physical and chemical methods of control. Chemotherapeutics – mode of action of antibiotics, Penicillin, ampicillin, sulfonamide, vancomycin, streptomycine, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, antifungals, antiviral etc. Antibiotic resistance.

Module 3: Microbial biofilm and environmental microbiology:
Microbial biofilm: signaling, quorum sensing, regulation and applications. Biofilm biology and microbial biofilms in environmental set-ups. Role of microorganisms in the cycling of bioelements (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus); microbial degradation of organic and inorganic pollutants; Biofertilizers- Biological Nitrogen fixation- symbiotic and asymbiotic.

Module 4: Genome and Genome engineering:
Microbial DNA- replication, transcription and translation. Mutation and DNA repair, Types and molecular basis of mutation, mechanisms of DNA repair. Plasmids and Transposons. Gene transfer in bacteria. Lytic and lysogenic life cycles of bacteriophages. Operon systems for gene expressions in prokaryotes.
Vectors used in recombinant DNA technology. Restriction endonucleases, methyltransferase, ligase, polymerase, kinase, phosphatase, nuclease, transferase, reverse transcriptase, linkers, adapters. Polymerase chain reactions (PCR) and qRT- PCR (quantitative real time PCR). DNA sequencing.

1. To develop a comprehensive understanding of microbial ultrastructure, growth dynamics and metabolic pathways, including bacterial cell organization, cultivation methods, growth patterns and regulation of central and respiratory metabolism.

2. To impart knowledge of medical microbiology and microbial control strategies, including host-pathogen interactions, toxin biology, sterilization and disinfection methods, chemotherapeutic agents and antibiotic resistance mechanisms.

3. To provide understanding of microbial biofilms and environmental microbiology, including quorum sensing, bioelement cycling, biodegradation of pollutants and biological nitrogen fixation.

4. To introduce fundamental concepts of microbial genetics and genome engineering, including DNA replication, transcription, translation, mutation, gene transfer mechanisms and tools of recombinant DNA technology such as PCR and DNA sequencing.

CO1: Students will be able to explain bacterial ultrastructure, cultivation techniques, growth kinetics and major metabolic pathways including glycolysis, TCA cycle, fermentation and energy generation mechanisms.

CO2: Students will be able to describe mechanisms of pathogenesis, toxin action, sterilization and disinfection methods, modes of action of antibiotics and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance.

CO3: Students will be able to interpret biofilm formation processes, quorum sensing regulation, microbial roles in nutrient cycling, biodegradation and applications of biofertilizers.

CO4: Students will be able to explain microbial DNA replication, gene expression, mutation and DNA repair mechanisms, bacteriophage life cycles and apply molecular tools such as restriction enzymes, vectors, PCR and DNA sequencing in genome engineering.

M.J. Pelczar, E.C.S. Chan and N.R. Kreig, Microbiology, Tata McGraw Hill

R.Y. Stanier, J.L. Ingraham, M. L. Wheelis and P.R. Painter, General Microbiology, Macmillian

R.M. Atlas and R. Bartha, Microbial ecology, Pearson

L. Snyder and W. Champness, Molecular genetics of bacteria, ASM Press

T.A. Brown, Gene cloning and DNA analysis: An introduction, Blackwell Publishing

P.V. Vandenmark and B.L. Batzing , The microbes – An Introduction to their Nature and Importance, Benjamin Cummings

Tortora, Funke and Chase, Microbiology, Benjamin Cummings

Joanne M. Willey, Kathleen M. Sandman and Dorothy H. Wood, Microbiology, McGraw Hill

Michael Madigan, John Martinko, Paul Dunlap, David Clark, Brock biology of microorganisms, Pearson

S. R. Maloy, J.E. Cronan, Jr., D. Freifelder, Microbial genetics, Narosa Publishing House

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/microbiological-research

https://www.cell.com/trends/microbiology/home

https://www.nature.com/nrmicro/

https://link.springer.com/journal/12088

http://asm.org

https://microbiologysociety.org/event//annual-conference-2026.html

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/ncbi/conferences/ASM/ASM.html

https://fems-microbiology.org/opportunities/1st-international-conference-on-advancements-of-microbiology-the-relevance-of-microbes-in-tackling-threats-to-health-and-environment/