Course Overview
Microbial Physiology
11:680:481
Spring Semester
Meeting times TBD
Meeting Location TBD
Contact Information
Instructor: Dr. Jeff Boyd
Lipman Hall, Room 122
jeffboyd@sebs.rutgers.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Course Description
Microbial physiology is a 3 credit course with two 1 hour 20 minute lectures each week. The course is taught by one instructor whom is faculty in the department of Biochemistry and Microbiology.
Microbial Physiology is an intensive course with the goal of integrating biochemistry and genetics to enhance the understanding of the microbial cell and the robust and diverse nature of life. This course is intended to be a capstone class for the microbiology major. It will provide the instructor with the opportunity to re-address the learning goals of the microbiology major and address general scientific misconceptions before student graduation. This course is targeted to “advanced” juniors or seniors majoring in microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, and related fields, as well as graduate students.
Microbial physiology is a broad subject area and this course will attempt to provide a balance between the breadth of subjects addressed and the depth at which the subjects are discussed. The course has three overarching topics: 1. central metabolism and energy conservation, 2. macromolecular biogenesis and function and, 3. integration of metabolic events. The introductory lectures will address metabolic functions that are common to most organisms. The lectures will then progress to address metabolic functions that are the “exception to rule” to highlight the diversity of the microbial world. Students will learn about current events in the subject of microbial physiology and modern techniques used to examine metabolism. They will also learn about how the metabolic potential of micro-organisms has been harnessed to address problems facing society. Active teaching techniques, such as think-pair-share questions will be employed throughout the semester to aid in discussions, help improve student retention, assess student learning, and address common scientific misconceptions.
After completing this class, students will have the theoretical background and understanding of microbial physiology that is necessary to conduct microbiological laboratory research or attend professional school. It will also enhance the student’s ability to engage the public on microbiology issues.
Prerequisites
Biochemistry course: (11:115:403, 11:115:301, 01:694:301, or 01:694:407)
General Microbiology 11:680:390
Textbook and Course Material
Lecture slides will be posted on Sakai prior to the initiation of the semester and should be used alongside lectured notes as a study guild. Lecture notes may be subject to change before the lecture itself, but he changes, if any, will not be drastic. A textbook is not required for this course, but student may wish to purchase The Physiology and Biochemistry and Prokaryotes forth addition by David White to aid in studying.
Basis for Evaluation
| Criteria | Credits |
|---|---|
| Two exams | 200 |
| One final exam | 150 |
| Problem sets | 50 |
| Participation | 50 |
| Total 450 points (plus 14 possible extra credit points) | |
Overall Learning Goal
Students are expected to gain a fundamental understanding of the organization and metabolism of microbial cells to further comprehend the robust and diverse nature of life.
Learning Goals for Microbiology Physiology
After completion of the lecture component of the course, successful students will:
- Demonstrate an understanding of cellular superstructure and the functional components of cells.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how organisms build and maintain a proton motive force.
- Comprehend the how cells metabolize the nutrients necessary for life including carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus.
- Appreciate how biochemical pathways and processes are integrated into a network, which provides robustness to life.
- Comprehend how cellular physiology is altered by interactions between microbes and the environment.
- Appreciate that the diversity of life is driven by the metabolic diversity of microbes.
Lecture Topics
| Topics |
|---|
| What is life? |
| Microbial Cell Structure/Function |
| Thermodynamics and oxidation/reduction reactions |
| Chemiomostic theory and chemical energy |
| Fermentation |
| Photosynthesis |
| Cellular respiration |
| Bacterial Genetics |
| Overview of central metabolism and the 12 essential precursors |
| Glycolysis |
| Pentose phosphate pathway |
| TCA cycle |
| Nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur assimilation |
| Nitrogen cycle |
| Sulfur cycle |
| Acetogenesis |
| Methanogenesis |
| One carbon metabolism |
| Syntrophy |
| Locomotion |
| Environmental sensing and response |
| Cell-to-cell communication |
Final Exam/Paper Date and Time
Online Final exam Schedule: finalexams.rutgers.edu
Academic Integrity
Read the university's policy on Academic Integrity . The principles of academic integrity require that a student:
- properly acknowledge and cite all use of the ideas, results, or words of others.
- properly acknowledge all contributors to a given piece of work.
- make sure that all work submitted as his or her own in a course or other academic activity is produced without the aid of impermissible materials or impermissible collaboration.
- obtain all data or results by ethical means and report them accurately without suppressing any results inconsistent with his or her interpretation or conclusions.
- treat all other students in an ethical manner, respecting their integrity and right to pursue their educational goals without interference. This requires that a student neither facilitate academic dishonesty by others nor obstruct their academic progress.
- uphold the canons of the ethical or professional code of the profession for which he or she is preparing.
Adherence to these principles is necessary in order to ensure that:
- everyone is given proper credit for his or her ideas, words, results, and other scholarly accomplishments.
- all student work is fairly evaluated and no student has an inappropriate advantage over others.
- the academic and ethical development of all students is fostered.
- the reputation of the University for integrity in its teaching, research, and scholarship is maintained and enhanced.
Failure to uphold these principles of academic integrity threatens both the reputation of the University and the value of the degrees awarded to its students. Every member of the University community therefore bears a responsibility for ensuring that the highest standards of academic integrity are upheld.
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