526-301 Biotechnology 1: Microbial Genetics and Physiology

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Timetable:

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Objectives:

By the end of the subject students should be able to:

Understand:

• those fundamental principles of bacterial genetics and physiology that underlie current strategies and technologies driving new developments in biotechnology;

• the experimental basis for some of the current dogmas of molecular biology.

Appreciate:

• how scientists can modify microbial behaviour to facilitate their use in biotechnological processes.

Have developed:

• the skills necessary to Read and Comprehend scientific papers.

Describe:

• the ways in which microorganisms function and interact with their environment and regulate their metabolic processes to ensure their continued existence.

Content:

Structure and functions of the outer regions of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The means by which these organisms obtain their nutrients and convert and use available forms of light and chemical energy. The organisation and the control of expression of genetic material. The generation and selection of mutants and their applications. Natural and artificial systems for transferring genetic material from cell to cell and systems for cloning specific genes in both bacteria and simple eukaryotes.

Assessment: