Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student must be able to:
 
- Identify the metabolic capacities of a given bacteria based on its donor and its electronic acceptors.
- Know the main enzymes involved in the studied pathways
- Know the functional and structural characteristics regulating bacterial metabolism (e.g. carboxysomes, heterocysts, etc.).
- Know examples of symbiotic metabolic interactions.
- Know the methods to study microbial metabolism and communities and propose which ones to use given scientific questions.
- Know the features of the main microbial ecosystems and how to study them.
 

Goals

Provide an overview of the wide metabolic diversity of bacteria in the context of their environment and methods for studying bacterial metabolism and microbial ecosystems. 
Be capable of identifying the metabolic pathways of a given (natural or hypothetical) microorganism from output of experiments.
 Propose methods to study bacterial metabolism and communities.
Design a simple ecosystem.
 

Content

Nutritional Types
Phototrophy
Autotrophy
Nitrogen fixation
Chemotrophy
Fermentation
Anaerobic respiration
Acetogenesis
Methanotrophy
Synthrophy
Methods for studying bacterial metabolism
Methods for studying microbial communities
Microbial ecosystems
 

Table of contents

Functional Diversity of bacteria

Nutritional Types

Phototrophy

Autotrophy

Nitrogen fixation

Chemotrophy

Fermentation

Anaerobic respiration

Acetogenesis

Methanotrophy

Synthrophy

Methods for studying bacterial metabolism

Microbial Ecosystems

Methods for studying microbial communities

Microbial ecosystems

 

Teaching methods

The course is given in the form of (1) lectures, (2) article readings and (3) practical sessions.

Assessment method

Assessment will be continuous:

  • Oral exam at the last class session (50%): The oral discussion may focus on a problem or on one or two scientific articles. It involves analyzing the metabolism of a hypothetical bacterium based on metabolic pathways and/or statements, recognizing intracellular structures and/or enzymes involved in key steps of metabolic pathways, proposing methods to study a given ecosystem, or explaining the metabolic basis of symbiotic interactions between microorganisms. A selection of problems or articles will be provided to students two weeks before the oral exam.
  • Practical work (TP) (30%): Discussions and reports completed during lab sessions.
  • Participation in in-class discussions of scientific articles (15%).
  • Class participation (5%).

There are no exams during the June or August sessions.

The oral exam consists of a discussion on the metabolism of a bacterium, based on metabolic pathways and/or statements, as well as recognition of intracellular structures and/or enzymes involved in key steps of metabolic pathways, proposing methods to study a given ecosystem, or explaining the metabolic basis of symbiotic interactions between microorganisms. Alternatively, the oral exam may focus on one or two scientific articles related to one or more chapters covered during the course.

Students will be provided with a selection of problems or articles two weeks before the oral exam.

All assessments allow access to the textbook and notes, but no Internet access is permitted.

Sources, references and any support material

Brock Biology of Microorganisms

Language of instruction

English
Training Study programme Block Credits Mandatory
Bachelor in Biology Standard 0 3
Bachelor in Biology Standard 3 3