General Microbiology - MB140P88E
Title: General Microbiology
Czech title: Základy mikrobiologie
Guaranteed by: Department of Genetics and Microbiology (31-140)
Faculty: Faculty of Science
Actual: from 2024
Semester: summer
E-Credits: 3
Examination process: summer s.:written
Hours per week, examination: summer s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
Capacity: unlimited
Min. number of students: 5
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
State of the course: taught
Language: English
Level: basic
Note: priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
Guarantor: RNDr. Petra Lišková, Ph.D.
Teacher(s): RNDr. Petra Lišková, Ph.D.
Opinion survey results    E-learning course
Annotation -
The lecture covers the following topics: bacterial cell structure, cell growth and division, population growth and
metabolic diversity. The student will also get acquainted with microbial interactions with humans, normal human
microflora, pathogenicity and virulence and basics of diagnostic microbiology and antimicrobial therapy.
Last update: Lišková Petra, RNDr., Ph.D. (27.10.2023)
Literature -

Brock Biology of Microorganisms, Madigan, Martinko, Stahl, Clark (Eds.), 13th Edition, 2012, Pearson

Last update: Lišková Petra, RNDr., Ph.D. (27.10.2023)
Syllabus

1. Microorganisms and microbiology • basic properties of the cell, evolution of life, three domains of organisms, the environment of microorganisms and their role in it, microorganisms and man, history of microbiology – discovery of microorganisms, theory of self-reproduction, Pasteur, Koch

2. Cell • techniques for observing microorganisms – microscopy, principle, Gram stain, structure of a prokaryotic cell: cell wall, membrane, membrane transport, cytoplasm, nucleus, ribosomes, cell inclusions, flagella, pili, fimbriae, capsules, gas vacuoles, magnetosomes, movement bacteria, endospore, sporulation

3. Molecular microbiology, evolution and system of microorganisms • bacterial genetics: bacterial genome: chromosome, plasmids, horizontal transfer of genetic information: principle of transformation, transduction, conjugation, transposition, principle of cloning, mutation, principle of selection, restriction endonucleases • evolution of microorganisms, three domains organisms. Peculiarities of the systematics of microorganisms, prokaryotic species, genosystematics, phylogenetics, characteristics of the main systematic groups of eubacteria and archaebacteria.

4. Nutrition and metabolism • chemical composition of the cell, elements and nutrients, cultivation of microorganisms, nutrient media, organisms according to the type of energy metabolism and carbon sources, basic metabolic pathways and principles: free energy, redox potential, activation energy, glycolysis, Krebs cycle, transporters of reducing equivalents, ATP, diversity of energy metabolisms – fermentation (types of fermentation, fate of pyruvate), aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration (respiration of nitrate, sulfate and sulphur, respiration of CO2 – methanogenesis), chemolithotrophy (oxidation of hydrogen, reduction of sulfur compounds, iron compounds, nitrification), phototrophy, fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, comparison of the performance of individual types of metabolism

5. Bacterial cell growth • cell growth and division – cell cycle, binary division, divisome, cytoskeleton, peptidoglycan synthesis • bacterial population growth, growth curve (growth phase, growth rate, growth yield), growth monitoring methods, continuous bacterial cultivation

6. Bacteria and the environment • the effect of temperature, pH, water activity, osmotic pressure, radiation on the growth of microorganisms, the relationship of microorganisms to oxygen • prevention of the growth of microorganisms: physical and chemical methods (sterilization, disinfection, antisepsis) • the environment of bacteria, symbiosis between microorganisms, plants and mammals as the natural habitat of microorganisms

7. Interaction of microorganisms with humans • physiological settlement of the human body: skin, oral cavity, gastrointestinal, respiratory and urogenital tract • pathogenicity and virulence of microorganisms, virulence factors, colonization and invasion, bacterial toxins and superantigens • non-specific and specific immunity, inflammation, types of vaccines

8. Infectious diseases caused by bacteria and viruses • antimicrobial substances according to the site of intervention, resistance mechanisms • methods of transmission of pathogens, the main causes of bacterial and viral diseases, toxicoses, nosocomial infections • Clinical diagnosis of microorganisms • introduction to clinical diagnostic methods

Last update: Lišková Petra, RNDr., Ph.D. (17.01.2026)
Learning outcomes

A successful graduate of the Microbiology course:

  • explains the position of microbiology within the biological sciences and summarizes the main milestones in the development of microbiology

  • distinguishes the three domains of life, describes the structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial cells, including the main cell structures and their importance for vital cell functions

  • characterizes the bacterial genome, describes the mechanisms of replication and horizontal transfer of genetic information, mutations and their importance in the evolution and adaptation of microorganisms

  • clarifies the principles of nutrition of microorganisms along with the basic conditions for cultivating microorganisms

  • describes the influence of physical and chemical environmental factors on the growth of microorganisms and the principles of physical and chemical control of microbial growth, explains the mechanism of action of basic groups of antimicrobial substances

  • describes the types of energy metabolism of microorganisms and basic metabolic pathways

  • describes the most important groups of bacteria, their representatives and the method of nutrition

  • explains the principles of growth of bacterial cells and populations, interprets the growth curve of bacterial populations

  • characterizes typical habitats and roles of microorganisms in various environments, including symbiotic relationships with plants and animals including humans, describes the physiological microbiota

  • describes the main modes of transmission of bacterial infections and their importance for public health, principles of pathogenicity, virulence and action of bacterial toxins

  • describes diseases caused by bacterial pathogens and basic diagnostic methods of microbial pathogens

  • clarifies the importance of nonspecific and specific immunity, principles of vaccination

  • understands the importance of rational use of antimicrobial substances and prevention of resistance

Last update: Lišková Petra, RNDr., Ph.D. (17.01.2026)