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The course includes basic knowledge on industrial and environmental microbiology, on processes for the production of biofuels and of proteins and metabolites from recombinant organisms. Industrial microbiology (12 hours): microbial and industrial biotechnologies, the living organisms, common biological processes, cell morphology, structure of the bacterial cell, bacterial cell wall, sporulation, bacterial sexuality, nutritional categories and metabolism, environmental growth conditions, acetic acid bacteria, pseudomonads, zymomonads, agrobacteria, enterobacteria, lactic acid bacteria, bacilli, clostridia, corynebacteria, actimomycetes, archea, eukaryotic cells, yeast, filamentous fungi. Environmental microbiology (12 hours): carbon cycle, role of microorganisms in C cycle, degradation of plant and animal polymers, nitrogen cycle, role of microorganisms in N cycle, sulphur cycle, role of microorganisms in S cycle, phosphor cycle, positive and negative associations among microorganisms, thermophilic microorganisms, halophiles, alkalophiles, acidophiles and barophiles, biofilms, formation and composition of biofilms, biodiversity, cultured microorganisms, methods for studying biodiversity, genetic, genomic and metagenomic analysis. Biofuels (12 hours): Production of ethanol, ethanol producing yeasts and bacteria, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zymomonas mobilis, substrates for media and processes, batch and continuous cultivation processes – Production of methane, methane from microorganisms, biochemical issues, substrates for methane production, physiology of methanogenes, ecology of methanogenes, cytology of methanogenes, archea, applications – Production of hydrogen, microorganisms producing hydrogen, hydrogenase and nitrogenase enzymes, dark fermentation process, direct and indirect photoproduction, production of hydrogen from algae and bacteria, pilot processes – Production of biodiesel, fatty acids biosynthesis, process improvement, optimization of microbial growth, optimization of light capture, regulatory aspects of the metabolism. Recombinant biotechnology (12 hours): Mutagenesis, structure and function of the gene, spontaneous mutations, induced mutagenesis, genetic engineering, principles and methodologies, enzyme for the modification of nucleic acids, plasmid and vectors, cloning procedures and strategies, analysis of nucleic acids, bacterial and yeast expression vectors – Selected papers: Metabolic engineering, production of L-alanine, production of lactic acid in yeast, production of vitamin c in yeast – Recombinant protein and enzymes, chymosin production in yeast, gene dosage and production of heterologous proteins in yeast, heterologous proteins from plants and root exudates, heterologous proteins from mammals – Production of recombinant vaccines from yeast and plant, oral immunization with edible vaccines from plants - review selected by student.

Important requirement is the knowledge of basic organic chemistry (structure and properties of classes of molecules) and of biochemistry (structure and function of biological molecules and macromolecules). Useful prerequisite is the knowledge cell functioning and physiology.

• Bianchi - Chimica e biotecnologia delle fermentazioni industriali, Edizioni Nuova Cultura • Biavati e Sorlini – Microbiologia ambientale, CEA • Lesson notes • Papers from scientific literature

Teaching is based on frontal lessons.During the lessons, students will be invited to pose questions to the teacher, to answer to questions and give information about acquired knowledge on subjects related to the program. Slides shown during the lessons and recordings are available for downloading at the teacher web site, at the e-learning web site and/or google-drive. Frequency is strongly recommended to pass intermediate tests.

in presence

Learning is assessed by a final oral exam. Evaluation is based on the acquired knowledge and communication ability by correct use of language. Minimal key knowledge allows to pass the exam (18/30); extended knowledge, vocabulary and ability to connect and extend knowledge allow to pass the exam with laude. Intermediate oral tests will contribute to the final evaluation.

Course is based on frontal lessons.During the lessons, students will be invited to pose questions to the teacher, to answer to questions and give information about acquired knowledge on subjects related to the program. Slides shown during the lessons and recordings are available for downloading at the teacher web site, at the e-learning web site and/or google-drive. Frequency is strongly recommended to pass intermediate tests.