COURSE SYLLABUS
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
MOLECULAR AND MICROBIOLOGY DEPT.
BIOL 715
Microbial Physiology
Spring 2014
Bull Run Hall, PW campus
PROFESSOR
Name: Popov, Serguei
Office phone: 703 993 4713
Office location: PW Discovery Hall, Room 182
Office hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Email address: spopov@gmu.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A. Prerequisites
An undergraduate lecture/lab course in microbiology, and a course in biochemistry.
B. Course description from the university catalog
Comprehensive study of the functioning of microbial cells, with emphasis on pathogens.
Growth, transport, cell-to-cell signaling, biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, and
secondary metabolites will be stressed.
C. Course objectives
To introduce the student to basic concepts of the functioning of bacteria, stressing
pathogenic bacteria. The relationship of cell structure to function and the role of that
function in pathogenicity will be stressed. Lectures will cover a topic to give students an
understanding of the particular topic. A timely, pertinent paper will be discussed
following each lecture topic, emphasizing to the student current research in that particular
area of microbial physiology.
NATURE OF COURSE DELIVERY
Lectures, student presentations and discussions of papers on the lecture topics (~30
minutes). Every student will be assigned an article and the presentation date very early in
the semester (by no later than the end of Week 2).
LEARNER OUTCOMES
By the conclusion of this course, the students should be able to:
 Formulate a comprehensive definition of microbial physiology
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Appreciate the diversity and unity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic modes of
metabolism.
Understand a grounding in microbial genetics, and how this underpins the
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physiological function of microorganisms.
Understand how environmental signals are sensed, and the mechanisms used to
respond to these signals.
Describe how microorganisms transport substances into and out of their interiors.
Detail the macromolecules required for cell synthesis and growth as well as the
central metabolites required by bacteria to synthesize these macromolecules.
Describe biosynthetic processes by which small molecules are integrated into
macromolecules.
Explain how microorganisms generate energy via substrate-level phosphorylation
and electron transport.
Describe how environmental factors (including pH, temperature, antimicrobial
chemicals, and environmental pollutants) impact microbial growth, metabolism,
and physiology.
REQUIRED TEXTS
White, D. 2006. The Physiology and Biochemistry of Prokaryotes. 3rd edition.
Oxford University Press. New York, NY. (The 2nd edition will suffice for nearly
all topics covered in this course.)
Supplemental:
Brock, T. D., M. T. Madigan, J. M. Martinko, and J. Parker. 2003. Biology of
Microorganisms. 10th Edition. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Caldwell, D. R. 2000. Microbial Physiology and Metabolism. Star Publishing
Company. Belmont, CA.
Moat, A. and J. W. Foster. 1995. Microbial Physiology. 3rd Edition. John Wiley
and Sons. New York, NY.
Nicholls, D. G. and S. J. Ferguson. 2002. Bioenergetics 3. Academic Press.
Boston, MA.
Snyder, L. and W. Champness. 1997. Molecular Genetics of Bacteria. ASM Press.
Washington, DC.
Stryer, L. 1995. Biochemistry. 4th Edition. W. H. Freeman and Company. New
York, NY.
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE
Date
Week 1
Topic
Structure and function, Growth and cell
division
Papers assigned to students
Chapter
Week 2
Membrane bioenergetics
Paper 1 presentation
3
Week 3
Electron transport, photosynthesis
Paper 2 presentation
4, 5
Week 4
Regulation of metabolic pathways
Paper 3 presentation
6
Week 5
Central metabolic pathways. I
Paper 4 presentation
8
Week 6
Online Quiz
Central metabolic pathways. II
Paper 5 presentation
1, 2
8
Week 7
Metabolism of biomolecules. Macromolecular
synthesis.
Paper 6 presentation
9, 10
Week 8
Fermentations
Paper 7 presentation
14
Week 9
Bacterial adhesion and biofilms
Paper 10 presentation
Week 10
Solute transport
Paper 11 presentation
16
Week 11
Protein export and secretion
Paper 12 presentation
17
Week 12
Cell-to-cell signaling
Paper 13 presentation
18
Week 13
Bacterial stress response
Paper 14 presentation
18
Week 14
Final exam
19
The number of presentations will be adjusted according to the class size.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS, PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT, AND
EVALUATION CRITERIA
A. Requirements
 Students are required to buy and read the textbook: White, David. 2006. The
Physiology and Biochemistry of Prokaryotes, 3d ed. Oxford Press, New York.
 Students are expected to read the papers listed on the syllabus before class,
and be prepared to discuss them following the lecture. Each paper will be
presented by a student. Each student will prepare a summary of the paper
presented and a written question to the presenter on the subject of the paper,
and submit it to the professor before class.
 Summaries must not exceed 100 words and must include a full citation using
the following form:
Author's last name, Author's first initial(s). Year published. Title of article.
Title of journal (abbreviated). Journal volume: Journal page number(s).
For example:
Moeck GS and Letellier L. 2001. Characterization of in vitro interactions
between a truncated TonB protein from Escherichia coli and the outer
membrane receptors FhuA and FepA. J. Bacteriol. 183: 2755-2764.
(Note the journal name abbreviation).
B. Performance-based assessments
Students will take a mid-term online multiple-choice quiz and a cumulative
final exam.
C. Criteria for evaluation
 Summaries will be evaluated on the basis of: accuracy and completeness,
the format of the citation, and scientific merit of the question prepared for
the presenter.
 Presentations will be graded according to departmental guidelines.
IMPORTANT: Be creative and use whatever style of presentation you
believe is appropriate to convey key points to your classmates and to engage
them in discussion. Begin the discussion by reviewing key points from the
article to bring members of the class to some common ground. Use visual
aids (e.g. PowerPoint, overheads, chalkboard diagrams, etc.) to explain key
concepts. Encourage discussion both during and after your presentation.
Course exam may include questions from your article, so be sure to do a
thorough job of explaining the paper to your classmates. Thus, you are
responsible not only for your success in the class, but also for the success of
your classmates! Your performance will be evaluated by the instructor based
on your level of organization, the clarity of your explanations, your ability to
extract the key point(s) of the article, and the level of student participation in
your discussion.
D. Grading scale
Mid-term quiz
Final exam
Class presentation
Paper summaries
Attendance
20%
50%
10%
10%
10%
A+ = >95%, A = >90%, A - = >85%, B+ = >80%, B = >75%, B- =>70%, C =
>65%, F = <65%
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE STATEMENT OF EXPECTATIONS
All students must abide by the following:
Students are expected to exhibit professional behavior and dispositions. See current
university catalog for a listing of student rights and responsibilities.
Students must follow the guidelines of the University Honor Code. See
http://www.gmu.edu/catalog/apolicies/#Anchor12 for the full honor code.
Students must agree to abide by the university policy for Responsible Use of Computing.
See http://www.gmu.edu/facstaff/policy/newpolicy/1301gen.html.
Click on responsible Use of Computing Policy at the bottom of the screen.
Students with disabilities who seek accommodations in a course must be registered with the
GMU Disability Resource Center (DRC) and inform the instructor, in writing, at the
beginning of the semester. See http://www.gmu.edu/student/drc/ or call 703-993-2474 to
access the DRC.