Course CodeBSC209Fee CodeS3Duration (approx)100 hoursQualificationTo obtain formal documentation the optional exam(s) must be completed which will incur an additional fee of £30. Alternatively, a letter of completion may be requested. Microbiology Course Microbiology is an increasingly important area of science; not only because of its obvious significance to human health, but also its significance to environmental management, veterinary care, farming and horticulture. Anyone who has an interest in horticulture can benefit from a deeper understanding of microbiology. Microorganisms are critical to so much of what happens in our gardens and on our farms. Microbes help plants absorb nutrients, they enrich our soils, they enable us to make compost and they help us clean up toxins that would otherwise build up in the environment. This course will help you to better manage soils, plant growth, pests and diseases and much more. After studying microbiology, your perspective of what is going on in your garden or farm will change forever -and for the better. Lesson Structure There are 8 lessons in this course: Scope and Nature of Microbiology Why study microorganisms Bacteria Actinomycetes Fungi Viruses Other multicellular microscopic organisms - nematodes, mites Microscopes Types - light, electron and helium ion microscopes Types of light microscope - stereoscope, compound microscope, confocal microscope Electron microscopy - scanning election microscope, transmission electron microscope Helium ion microscope Preparing samples for microscopy Case study - diagnosis of plant disease Selecting pathogen for verification Preparation of pathogens Culture methods and isolation techniques Inoculation Cultures Types of culture - pure, mixed, contaminated Types of glassware Sterilisation Autoclaves Arnold steam sterilisation Dry heat sterilisation Disinfection Filtration sterilisation Low temperature sterilisation Radiation What is used in media Types of media - synthetic, complex, enrichment, selective, differential etc Common examples - MacConkey's agar, Mannitol salt agar Preparing agar plates Streak plate method Pour plate method Staining Maintaining cultures Aseptic technique Preserved cultures Factors affecting microbial growth -pH, temperature, oxygen, moisture, pressure, vitamins, radiation, carbon, nitrogen, etc Stages in development of a plant disease Virus replication cycle The microbiology laboratory Setting up a simple home laboratory Starting out Microbial Taxonomy What is taxonomy - varying opinions Morphology Prokaryotes and eukaryotes Bacteria - Eubacteriales, Pseudomonadales, Clamidobacteriales, Spirochaetales, etc Archaea - Crenarchaeota, Euryarchaeota, Korarchaeota Viruses - ICTV, Baltimore classification Fungi -Oomycotes, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Deuteromycota Others - Helminths,Arthropods Good and bad microorganisms Good things that microorganisms do Bacteria Viruses Virus structure Anatomy of a virion - nucleic acids, capsid, capsomeres, envelopes The infected cell Virus reproduction The infectious cycle Attachment Penetration Un-coating Replication Assembly Release Virus taxonomy Animal viruses Prototype classification Viral diseases Crystallisation of viruses Transmission - body fluid, vector Viral diseases in humans Control and treatments - vaccines, drugs, hygiene Case Study - human swine flu Viral disease in plants - including different specific examples Viral diseases in animals - including different specific examples Other Microbes Fungus biology Case study - candida Protists Plant like protists - Euglenophytes, Chrysophytes, Diatoms, Dinoflagellates Fungus like protists Animal like protists -Amoeba (pseudopods), Flagellates, Ciliates, Sporozoa Helminths Immunology Types of immunity - Acquired Immunity, Active Immunity, Passive Immunity Antitoxins Agglutinins Precipitans Antigens Antibodies Titre Antiserum Immunisation -Sub-unit vaccines, Inactivated vaccines, Live, attenuated vaccines, Toxoid vaccines, Conjugate vaccines General immune response Recognition of self or non self Specificity Heterogeneity Memory Herd immunity Immunological disorders Autoimmune disease Applied Applications Agriculture and horticulture applications Mycorrhizae -Ectomycorrhizae, Endomycorrhizae, Ectendomycorrhiza Soil biological management Nitrogen cycle - Ammonification,Nitrification, Denitrification, Nitrogen Fixation, Immobilisation Improving soil biology Rhizobium Bacteria and Soil Fertility The Rhizobium Bacteria Microbiology and Plant Pathology How Bacteria, Fungi and other Microorganisms Infect Plants Life Cycle of Nematodes Fungi The Role of Insects in the Spread of Disease Food Technology Applications Food microbiology - yeast, algae Microbes - food spoilage factors pH, water, oxygen, food structure Reducing food spoilage Environmental Applications Water disposal Environmental cleanup Reducing greenhouse gases Biological pesticides Water analysis Industrial Microbiology - production, mining Pharmaceuticals Drug therapies Antibiotics, vaccines Obtaining steroids from microorganisms Microbes in Humans Hospital acquired infections Infection control MRSAs Virology Animal/Human interactions -zoonoses Microbiological health management in animals HOW THIS COURSE HELPS? This course can be a first step toward becoming a microbiologist. It may also be a step toward being a better farmer, food processor, health or veterinary professional or horticulturist. Microbes need to be managed in a variety of situations including: Human and animal body - deterring or killing pathogenic microbes (diseases), encouraging/maintaining beneficial organisms (probiotics). Soil – soil health in agriculture and horticulture is dependent upon balance/presence of certain microbes - e.g. mycorrhizae and rhizobia. In plant tissue to prevent or deter disease. Scientific research/laboratory and pathology testing. Commerce - e.g. brewing, wine making, mushroom production; production of medicines/health products, bread etc. Bio remediation e.g. microbes used to manage oil spills, pollution, degrading of organic compounds etc.