MIC3011 - Molecular microbiology - 2018

This unit concentrates on specific aspects of bacterial molecular biology. Areas examined include the molecular biology of plasmids and genetic elements such as plasmids, transposons, integrons and pathogenicity islands, recombination and DNA repair mechanisms. The ability of bacteria to control gene expression in response to extracellular signals will also be examined, as well as the intracellular transport and secretion of macromolecules, and some aspects of bacterial genomics.

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

1. Describe the mechanisms of replication, maintenance and transfer of bacterial plasmids;
2. Explain the processes of recombination and DNA repair in bacterial cells;
3. Describe the molecular biology of transposons, integrons and pathogenicity islands;
4. Define the molecular aspects of transport, assembly and secretion in the bacterial cell;
5. Describe how bacteria regulate gene expression;
6. Develop skills in the molecular analysis of components and processes in the bacterial cell, including the use of bioinformatics to analyse bacterial genomic data;
7. Demonstrate the ability to execute laboratory experiments relevant to advanced molecular microbiology, as well as analyse and report experimental results by a scientific laboratory report and poster presentation.

Mid-semester test (45 mins): 10%

Examination (3 hours): 40% (Hurdle)

Practical class assessment: 50% (Hurdle)

This unit is subject to the Hurdle and Threshold Standards policiesHurdle and Threshold Standards policies (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/policies/assessment-policy-2017.html) of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences.

Three 1-hour lectures and one 3-hour laboratory class/tutorial per week

See also Unit timetable information

Biochemistry

Microbiology