UIB Universitat de les Illes Balears Master in Microbiology COURSE DESCRIPTION 2006-2007 Academic Year Technical information Course Course title: Biotechnical Applications of Microorganisms Course code: a cumplimentar por el Centro de Tecnologías de la Información Type of course: Optional Level of course: Postgraduate Year of study: First Semester: First Timetable: See the timetable for the Master in Microbiology programme Language of instruction: Spanish/Catalan, reading comprehension skills in English required Lecturers Supervising lecturer Name: Dr. Jorge Lalucat Contact: jlalucat@uib.es Other lecturers Name: Name: Name: Name: Contact: Contact: Contact: Contact: Prerequisites: A solid background (at the bachelor’s degree level) in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, cellular biology, microbiology, plant-animal physiology and chemistry Number of ECTS credits 7 Number of classroom hours: 46 Independent study hours: 129 Description: Microbiological processes of industrial interest. Frequently used microorganisms. Obtaining energy and primary and secondary metabolites of biotechnological interest. New products and applications. Biotransformations. Bioremediation. Course competences Specific: E8- Become familiar with the microbiology applications traditionally used in industry as well as their use in combination with molecular genetics in biotechnology E11- Learn microbiological handling techniques applied to industry Generic: G1- Acquire an integrated view of microorganisms, their biological properties and their roles and applications in the fields of ecology, health, industry, agriculture and biotechnology G2- To enhance prior knowledge of microbiology and the elements involved in developing and/or applying ideas at the research level as well as in other areas Course contents 1. Historical development. Biotechnological products. Industrial microbiology. The economics of biotechnological processes. Determinants of economic competitiveness. Perlman’s laws. Patents. 2. Industrially used microorganisms. Isolation. Genetic improvements. Conservation ("run down"): lyophilization and freezing. Global esquema of a fermentation process. 3. Microorganism cultivation. Culture medium formulation: nutrients needed for microorganisms. Industrial media: water, carbon and energy source; nitrogen source; growth factors. Addition of precursors and metabolic regulators. Other conditioning factors (pH, temperature and osmotic pressure) 4. Aerobic fermentations. Demand and provision of oxygen. The effect of limiting oxygen. The Thomson equation. Efficacy of aeration and its measure. Agitation. Influence of anti-foamants. Oxygenation in different culture receptacles. 5. Sterilisation: Heat. Kinetics of thermal death. Decimal reduction time. Z value. Activation energy. Sterilisation criteria: dry heat and moist heat. Continuous sterilisation and by charging. Pasteurisation. UHT. Chemical substances. Radiations. Filtration. Monitoring sterilisation. 6. Fermentation process. Liquid, semisolid and solid phase cultures. Air-lift. Bioreactors. Inoculum preparation. Fermentation kinetics. Bacterial growth in yeasts and moulds. Growth measure. Data collection and monitoring. 7. Growth kinetics and product formation. Growth rate according to nutrient concentration (affinity with the substratum). Growth in complex media. Relationship between growth and chemical and physical culture conditions. 8. Continuous cultures and their applications. Balance of nutrients. Product formation in continuous cultures. Performance. Volumetric productivity. Continuous culture versus discontinuous culture. Behaviour according to substratum constraints. Theoretical situation versus a real situation. Variation in cell composition. Selection in continuous cultures. Mutation. 9. Culture processing. Product recovery. Flocculation. Filtration. Centrifugation. Cell rupture. Purification and concentration. Waste treatment. DBO and DQO. Economic aspects. 10. Energy and Biotechnology. Conversion of products to alcohol from yeasts and Zymomonas (gasohol). Methanogenic bacteria (biogas). Preparation of prime materials. Transforming light into hydrogen and electricity. 11. Production of primary metabolites. Organic solvents. Glycerol from yeast. Acetonebutanol fermentation (Clostridium). 12. Organic acids. Citric acid: superproducing Aspergillus niger cells. Lactic acid: homolactic and heterolactic fermentation; Lactobacillus, Streptococcus and Bifidobacterium. Acetic acid; vinegar production (Acetobacter and Gluconobacter). Acetogenic bacteria. Gluconic acid and derivatives. Incomplete oxidations. 13. Amino acids. Obtention through fermentation: producer strains. Glutamic acid production: Corynebacterium glutamicum. Metabolic regulation and culture medium. Alteration of permeability. Production of l-lysine. Indirect methods. Transformation of precursors. Direct fermentation. Tryptophan production. Production of nucleotides and their use. 14. Production de enzymes and their uses. Obtaining superproducer mutants, example from the Bacillus genus. Proteases. Amylases, glucoamylases and glucosisomerases. Recombinant and fungal renin. Pectinases. Peniclinamidasa. 15. Agriculture and Biotechnology. Nitrogen fixing. Preparation of bacterial inoculants and their use in legumes: Rhizobium. Genetic engineering in nitrogen fixing. Biological monitoring. Pesticide-resistant plants. Use of mycorrhizae. Bio insecticide production: bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis) and viruses. The environment and treating waste. 16. Medicine and Biotechnology. Production of secondary metabolites: fungi and bacteria. Antibiotics: ß lactams, amino glycosides, tetracyclines, macrolides, anthracyclines, ansamycines. New products (interferon, growth hormone, molecular diagnosis. Vaccines and therapeutic agents. 17. Biotransformations. The role of Gluconobacter. Steroids. Unicellular protein (SCP): microalgae and bacteria. Regeneration of oxygen in closed ecological systems; hydrogen bacteria. 18. Biotechnology and materials. Recover of metals, lixiviates (Thiobacillus). Bio deterioration: metal corrosion. Production de biopolymers: biodegradable plastics (PHB and PHA). Production de polysaccharides and their use (dextranes, alginates, etc.). 19. Fermented food products. Dairy products: cheeses and yoghurts. Production of bacterial starters and their use. Meat products. Mallorcan sobrasada. Lactic antagonism. Health benefits of fermented products. Fermentation in silage: succession of bacterial communities. Seville-style olive fermentation. 20. Biotechnological processes for obtaining drinks. Beer and similar products. Wine and similar products. Genetic improvements in yeast strains. Bacterial malolactic fermentation. Cognacs and liqueurs. Fermentation of cocoa and coffee. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Methodology and student workload Teaching method: Classroom sessions Classroom/independent work: 20/20 E-learning: yes Type of group: whole group Teaching method: Laboratory Classroom/independent work: 15/15 E-learning: yes Type of group: pairs Teaching method: Group work presentations (seminars) Classroom/independent work: 4/8 E-learning: yes Type of group: groups of 2/3, whole group presentation Teaching method: Tutorials Classroom/independent work: 4/0 E-learning: no Type of group: groups of four Teaching method: Theoretical work Classroom/independent work: 0/30 E-learning: yes Type of group: groups of 2/3 Teaching method: Theoretical study Classroom/independent work: 0/46 E-learning: yes Type of group: individual 7. Teaching method: Practical study Classroom/independent work: 0/10 E-learning: yes Type of group: individual 8. Teaching method: Evaluation Classroom/independent work: 3/0 E-learning: no Type of group: individual Assessment instruments, criteria and learning agreement Assessment criteria: Knowledge of the microbiology applications traditionally used in industry as well as their use in combination with molecular genetics in known applications such as molecular biotechnology. Capacity to use microbiological handling techniques for industrial uses. Students must attend practical sessions and pass the final exam to earn a passing grade in the course. Assessment instruments: Final exam Group work presentations Presentation of a report on practical work Group work Practical lab work Lecture classes Grading criteria: Final exam: 50% Group work presentations: 15% Presentation of a report on practical work: 15% On-going assessment of group work: 10% On-going assessment of practical lab work: 5% On-going assessment of lecture classes: 5%. Assessment based on a learning agreement: No Independent study material and recommended reading Biotecnología: Tratado de Microbiology Industrial. Crueger y Crueger. Ed. Acribia (1993). Bioquimica i microbiologia industrials. A. Bordons. Univ. Rovira i Virgili. 2001. Bibliography, resources and annexes Biología de los Microorganismos de Brock. Madigan, Martinko, Parker. 10 edición. Prentice Hall (2004). Molecular Biotechnology. Principles and Applications. B. R. Glick and J .J. Pasternak. ASM Press (1994 and 3rd ed. 2003). Biotechnologie für Einsteiger.R. Rennenberg. Ed. Elsevier (2006). Link to the course teaching guide