Università Roma Tre

1. Evolution and systematic of microorganisms
Origin of bacteria; molecular phylogenesis; 16S rRNA gene and evolution; basis of microbial systematic
2. Metabolic diversity of microbes
Chemolitotrophy; fermentation; anaerobiosis; phototrophy
3. Functional diversity of microbes
Phototrophic and chemotrophic bacteria; bacteria in sulfur and nitrogen cycles
4. The principal phylogenesic groups of Bacteria
Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Ipertermofili
5. The principal phylogenetic groups of Archea
Phyla and evolution; Euryarchaeota;extremophiles
6. Methods in microbial ecology
Culture-based methods; functional analysis
Cultivation-independent techniques: microscope; genetic analysis; genome and metagenomic
7. Microbial ecosystems
Principles of ecology
Microbe environment: microbial interactions (Quorum sensing; Biofilm)
Terrestrial environment: soil
Aquatic environment: lakes, oceans
Extreme environments (deep sea; hydrothermal springs)
8. Microbial role in nutrient cycles
Carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, others
9. Symbiosis between microorganisms and between microorganisms and different organisms
Plants; rhizosphere; root nodules
Mammals; microbiome: bowel and rumen
10. Microorganisms in anthropized environments
Bioremediation of contaminated sites; water treatment; biocorrosion; mineral recovery from mines

Text book: Madigan et al., Brock Biology of microorganisms 14th edition