Seminar №1

Theme: MORPHOLOGY, PHYSIOLOGY AND GENETICS OF

MICROORGANISMS. BACTERIOPHAGE
Learning objective
1. Medical microbiology: purpose and task, communication with other medical
sciences.
2. The origination and development of microbiology. The role of local scientists
and microbiologists in the development of world science.
3. General characteristics of microorganisms and their roles in the earth's
environments.
4. Microbiology laboratory. Tools of the microbiology laboratory. Rules of work in
the microbiology laboratory.
5. Methods of studying microorganisms (microscopic method, bacteriological
method, experimental biological method, serologic method, cutaneous allergic
method, of molecular genetic method).
6. Microscopic method. Magnification and microscope design. Variations on the
optical microscope. Technique of immersion in oil.
7. The ability to perceive stain. Preparing specimens for optical microscopes. The
simple staining methods.
8. Bacterial morphology. Bacterial shape, arrangements and sizes. Classification of
bacteria by shapes.
9. Taxonomy: organizing, classifying and naming microorganisms.
10. Prokaryotic cell structure. Permanent and non-permanent structures of
prokaryotic cells.
11. Permanent structures of prokaryotic cells: cell wall, cytoplasmic membrane,
nucleoid, ribosomes, cytoplasm, mesosomes. The chemical composition and
functions. Methods of detection.
12. Structure of the cell wall. The chemical composition and functions of the cell
wall.
13. The main differences between Gram-positive cell wall and Gram-negative cell
envelope. Features of the morphological organization of protoplasts, spheroplasts
and L-forms of bacteria.
14. Gram’s method as the method to reveal the structure of the cell wall. Procedure
and mechanism of Gram’s staining. Practical value of Gram’s staining.
15. Non-permanent structures of prokaryotic cells: capsules and loose slime,
Flagella, Pili and fimbriae, spores, intracellular inclusions, plasmids. The chemical
composition and functions. Methods of detection.
16. To study of motile microorganisms by wet-mount and hanging drop technique.
17. Complete methods of staining of the non-permanent structures of prokaryotic
cells.
18. Comparing eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Differences and main
characteristics of the prokaryote and eukaryote.
19. Bacteria of unique morphology and biology: Actinomycetes, Spirochaetes,
Rickettsia, Chlamydia, Mycoplasmas.
20. The characteristic taxonomic position of Actinomycetes. Biological
characteristics of the Actinomycetes. Infections by Actinomycetes.
21. The characteristic taxonomic position of Spirochetes. Morphology and
ultrastructure of Spirochetes. Classification of Spirochaetes. Differences between
structures of Treponema, Borrelia and Leptospira.
22. The characteristic taxonomic position of obligate parasitic bacteria: the
Rickettsia and Chlamydia. Biological characteristics of the Rickettsia and
Chlamydia: morphology, ultrastructure and classification.
23. Biological characteristics of the Mycoplasmas. Bacteria that have lost their cell
walls – L-forms.
24. The Kingdom of the Fungi. Organization of microscopic fungi. Reproductive
strategies and spore formation. Fungal classification.
25. Fungal identification and cultivation.
26. Chemical analysis of cell contents.
27. Pathways of bioenergetics. The metabolism of microbes: catabolism and
anabolism. Biosynthesis and the crossing pathways of metabolism.
28. Microbial nutrition. Forms, sources and functions of essential nutrients.
Classification of nutritional types.
29. Transport: movement of substances across the cell membrane. Diffusion and
molecular motion.
30.Nutrient media: foundations of culturing. Types of nutrient media. Physical
states of nutrient media. Chemical content of nutrient media. Nutrient media to suit
every function.
31. The bacteriological method: inoculation, growth, and identification of cultures.
Differentiate between a pure culture, subculture, mixed culture and contaminated
culture. Inoculation: growth and identification of cultures. Isolation techniques.
Identification techniques.
32. Enzymes: catalyzing the chemical reactions of life. Enzyme specificity and
efficiency. Naming enzymes.
33. Identification techniques of pure culture: a) growth on nutrient medium; b)
biochemical tests and bacterial identification.
34. Physical methods used to control microbial growth.
35. Catabolism: an overview of nutrient breakdown and energy release. Energy
strategies in microorganisms. Aerobic respiration. Anaerobic respiration.The
importance of fermentation.
36. Anaerobic growth media and methods.
37. The growth and reproduction of bacteria.
38. Chemical methods of microbial control. Principles of effective disinfection.
Evaluating a disinfectant. Types of disinfectants.
39. Introduction to genetics and genes: unlocking the secrets of heredity. Structure
and function of the genetic material.
40. Mutation: change in the genetic material. Types of mutations. Causes of
mutations. Categories of mutations. Repair of mutations. Positive and negative
effects of mutations
41. Genetic transfer and recombination.
42. Transformation in bacteria: the mechanism and phases; Griffith’s original
transformation experiment.
43. Conjugation in bacteria: the mechanism, phase; strains F +, F -, Hfr.
44. Transduction in bacteria: the mechanism of common specific and abortive
transduction; its significance.
45. Plasmids and transposons. The groups of plasmids and their function.
Transposable elements. Differences between IS-elements, transposons and
plasmids.
46. Tools and techniques of DNA technology.
47. Classification of phages. Differentiation of bacteriophages on the basis of
genetic material.
48. Composition of bacteriophages. Morphology of bacteriophage.
49. Differentiation of bacteriophages on the basis of their life cycle. The
replication of a bacteriophage: lytic cycle, lysogenic cycle.
50. Lysogenic (temperate) bacteriophages. What is meant by lysogeny, prophage
and lysogenic? Lysogeny.
51. Significance of bacteriophages. Applications of bacteriophage therapy.
Possible problems in the applications of bacteriophages. Improvement of
bacteriophages. Bacteriophages in therapy and prophylactics of bacterial diseases.