ARBA MINCH UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF NATURAL AND COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
MSc PROGRAMME IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
COURSE OUTLINE
Course Title: Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology Course Code: Biot. 642
Credit Hours: 3
Instructor: Samson Tizazu (PhD)
Lecture: 3 Hours/week
Email: samtiz161@gmail.com
Phone: +251920987320
i.
Course Description: Industrial microbiology and biotechnology refers to all processes
that utilize microorganisms to produce industrial products. It is the discipline, which
deals with the use of microorganisms or their products in large scale (Industrial level).
This course deals with Microorganisms Commonly Used in Industrial Microbiology and
Biotechnology; Industrial Media and the Nutrition of Industrial Microorganisms; Sources
of Microorganisms Used in Biotechnology and Strain Improvement; Basic Operations in
Industrial Fermentations; Alcohol Based Fermentation Industries; Use of Whole cells for
Food Related Purposes like Single Cell Protein (SCP), Yeast Production, Production of
Microbial Insecticides, Production of Fermented Foods; Production of Metabolites as
Bulk Chemicals and Commodities of Medical Importance; and Treatment of Wastes in
Industry.
ii.
Course Objectives: At the end of the course the students will be able to:
 Know the different aspects of microbiology and Biotechnology in industry;
 Understand the microorganisms used in Biotechnology;
 Prepare media for culturing industrial microorganisms;
 Understanding the role of reactors or fermenters in microbial Biotechnology;
 Understanding the production of various chemicals and compounds in microbial
Biotechnology;
 Understanding the production of metabolites for medical industry.
iii.
Course content
1. Introduction: Scope of Biotechnology and
Industrial Microbiology
2. Microorganisms Commonly Used in
Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology
 Basic Nature of Cells of Living Things
 Classification of Living Things: Three
Domains of Living Things

Taxonomic Grouping of Micro-organisms
Important in Industrial Microbiology and
Biotechnology
 Characteristics Important in Microbes Used
in Industrial Microbiology and
Biotechnology
3. Industrial Media and the Nutrition of
Industrial Microorganisms
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
The Basic Nutrient Requirements of
Industrial Media
 Criteria for the Choice of Raw Materials
Used in Industrial Media
 Some Raw Materials Used in Preparing
Industrial Media
4. Screening for Productive Strains and Strain
Improvement in Biotechnological Organisms
 Sources of Microorganisms Used in
Biotechnology
 Strain Improvement
5. Basic Operations in Industrial Fermentations
 Fermentors and Fermentor Operation
 Extraction of Fermentation Products
 Sterility in Industrial Microbiology
6. Alcohol Based Fermentation Industries
 Production of Beer
 Production of Wines and Spirits
 Production of Vinegar
7. Use of Whole cells for Food Related Purposes
 Single Cell Protein (SCP)
 Yeast Production
 Production of Microbial Insecticides
 Production of Fermented Foods
8. Production of Metabolites as Bulk Chemicals
 Production of Organic Acids and Industrial
Alcohol
 Production of Amino Acids by
Fermentation
9. Production of Commodities of Medical
Importance
 Production of Antibiotics and Anti-Tumor
Agents
 Production of Ergot Alkaloids
 Vaccines
 Drug Discovery in Microbial Metabolites
10. Waste Disposal
Treatment of Wastes in Industry
References
Alexander N.Glazer and Hiroshi Nikaido. 1998. Microbial Biotechnology. W.H.Freeman and
Co., USA
Modern Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology: Nduka Okafur (Ed): Science Publishers,
NH, USA, 2007.
Edward A. Brige. 1992. Modern Microbiology – Principles and application, WMC Brown
Publishers, USA.
Gerard J, Tortora, Berdell R, Funke, Christine, Case L. 2001. Microbiology – An introduction,
Benjamin cummings, USA.
Stanbury PF, Whitaker. 1995. Principles of fermentation technology, Pergamon Press, Oxford.
Zhou J, Thomson DK, Xu Y, Tiedje JM. 2004. Microbial functional Genomics, J. Wiley and
Sons publishers.
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