Yeast; fungi; bacilli; actinomycetes. Methods: growth, enrichment, screening and improvement. Technology of industrial processes. Production of metabolites. Practical activity: application of microorganisms.
S. Donadio, G. Marino “Biotecnologie microbiche”, 2008, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano.
M. Manzoni “Microbiologia industriale”, 2006, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano.
C. Ratlegde, B. Kristiansen “Biotecnologie di base”, 2004, Zanichelli, Bologna.
Learning Objectives
Knowledge acquired:
Most relevant groups of microorganisms involved in industrial biotechnology: biology and taxonomy of fungi, bacilli and actinomycetes. Theory of selection and improvement of microorganisms for production of enzymes, metabolites. Technology of industrial ferementation processes. Application of microorganisms in bioremediation processes and production of biofuels
Competence acquired
Planning strategies for the genetic and functional improvement of microorganisms aiming at the production of molecules useful in the industry. Planning the functional steps af an industrial plant.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course):
Handling bacterial cultures for the selection of traits useful in the industry: production of biofuels and bioremediation of environmental pollution.
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 150
Hours reserved to private study and other indivual formative activities:
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 40
Contact hours for: Laboratory (hours): 12
Contact hours for: Laboratory-field/practice (hours):
Seminars (hours): 4
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab:
Recommended for lectures; required for lab
Teaching tools
The instruments and facilities at DISPAA specific for practical lessons are used.
Type of Assessment
Exam modality: Oral examination including laboratory activity
Course program
Lectures: History of microbial biotechnologies. Louis Pasteur, from bread an wine wine fermentations to vaccination. Comparative analysis of biotechnologically relevant microorganisms, bacteria: Escherichia coli, Streptomyces, Bacillus; Yeasts: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris, Filamentous fungi, algae. Molecular mechanisms of primary metabolites production, antibiotics, biotrasformation, recombinant proteins, adjuvants, vaccines. Yeasts as “cell factories”. High throughput screening technologies, fermentation, extraction, process improvement. Evaluation of parameters linking physiological metabolism and improvement of production of metabolites of interest via “microbial metabolic engeneering”. Genetic Engeneering, molecular biology, plasmids, expression vectors, restriction enzymes, “genome wide forward and reverse genetics”. Crispr Cas and genome manipulation. Construction of OGM for heterologous gene expression and secretion and production of enzymes, metabolites, bioproducts. Use of bacteria for “bioremediation”. Microorganisms as drugs, probiotics, prebiotics, faecal transplant, phage therapy. Metagenomics approaches to study host microbe interaction and develop personalized drug and probiotics therapy. Microorganisms as immunomodulants. Synthetic Biology and the future of microbial biotechnologies. Systems Biology and microbial engenering.
Laboratory experience: Growth, microscopic observation and isolation of Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cloning of a PCR product in a “shuttle vector” for S.cerevisiae, setting of an experimental fermentation.