Microbiology 3880 - Spring 2026 Lecture Notes

Microbiology 3880 - Spring 2026

Course Requirements

  • Primary Textbook:

    • Smartwork (5)

    • MICRO: An Evolving Science by Joan Slonczewski, John Foster, Erik Zinser

Course Policies

Important Policies:

  • Honor Code: Adherence to GSU Academic Honesty policy is required.

  • Disruptive Student Policy: Students must behave respectfully and not disrupt lectures.

Course Delivery:

  • iCollege and Remote Work: Use iCollege for announcements, videos, communication, and grades.

  • Lecture Videos: Review lecture videos before attending class (Flipped Class model).

Assistance and Communication:

  • Office Hours: Available via WebEx and in-person.

  • Activities and Case Studies: Comprehensive engagement in-class activities and case studies is expected.

  • Drop-in sessions available with the TA Caroline Taylor (ctaylor96@gsu.edu) and Dr. Parks (steris1@gsu.edu).

Exams and Assignments

Important Dates:

  • Syllabus Quiz Due: 01/21/2026

  • Module Exams:

    • Exam 1: 02/04/2026

    • Exam 2: 02/25/2026

    • Exam 3: 03/11/2026

    • Exam 4: 04/01/2026

    • Exam 5: 04/22/2026

    • Final Exam: 05/04/2026, 10:45 AM - 1:15 PM

  • Spotlight Project Assignment Due Dates:

    • 02/22/2026

    • 03/08/2026

    • 04/12/2026

Chapter 1: Microbial Life - Origin and Discovery

Key Themes:

  • Definition of a Microbe: An organism that requires a microscope to be seen.

  • Origins of Microbiology: Historical progress in understanding microbial life, including the contributions of early scientists.

  • Evolution of Cells: Discuss the transition from prokaryotes to eukaryotes and the domain classification system.

  • Pioneers in Microbiology: Focus on key figures such as Leeuwenhoek, Hooke, Pasteur, and Koch.

  • Comparison of Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes: Contrast structural differences, cellular functions, and registered domains.

Microbial Diversity and Historical Impact:

  • Microbial Ubiquity: Microbes are found in various environments and play critical roles in ecosystems.

  • Historical Contributions: Microbes influenced food production, disease outbreaks, and historical events.

    • Notable Cases:

    • Bubonic plague (Yersinia pestis)

    • Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)

    • AIDS (HIV)

    • COVID-19 pandemic.

Microscopy: Understanding Microbial Structures

  • Microscope Inventions: Contribution of Robert Hooke and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in early microscopy.

  • Spontaneous Generation Theory: Refuted by experiments conducted by Francesco Redi, Lazzaro Spallanzani, and Louis Pasteur.

  • Germ Theory of Disease: Established by Robert Koch and his Postulates, laying the groundwork for medical microbiology.

Koch’s Postulates:

  1. The microbe must be found in all cases of the disease but absent from healthy individuals.

  2. The microbe should be isolated and grown in pure culture.

  3. When introduced into a healthy host, the microbe should cause the disease.

  4. The same microbe must be re-isolated from the newly diseased host.

Microbial Ecology and the Environment

  • Global Nutrient Cycling: Microbes are essential in cycling carbon and nitrogen in ecosystems.

  • Endosymbionts: Certain microbes, like rhizobia, form symbiotic relationships, aiding nutrient uptake in plants.

  • Winogradsky Column: A method for studying microbial diversity and enrichment in natural habitats.

The Microbial Family Tree

  • Domains of Life: Classification system emphasizing Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya based on rRNA sequences.

  • Evolutionary Relationships: Chart the descent from the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) to modern organisms.

Advances Post-1900 in Microbial Science

  • Microbial Genetics: Key discoveries (e.g., Griffith's transformation, Avery's identification of DNA) advanced genetic understanding.

  • Electron Microscopy: Revolutionized the field by enabling visualization of structures at the cellular level.

  • Milestones in Molecular Biology: Franklin’s work on DNA structure, leading to Watson and Crick’s double helix model.

Chapter 2: Microscopy

  • Review of microscopy types (light, electron, atomic).

  • Importance of refraction and magnification.

  • Techniques for viewing microbes, including staining methods to enhance visualization.

Subsequent Chapters:

Chapters 3-6 Overview

  • Cell Structures and Functions: Differentiating between Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, structure impacting permeability and transport.

  • Microbial Growth and Maintenance: Discusses nutrient acquisition, energy storage, and responses to environmental stresses.

  • Viral Classification and Impact: Understanding viral structures, infection pathways, and implications for health.

ELVIS Case Study and Other Case Studies

  • Unique scenarios presented for examination and implications on microbial applications in biotechnology.

Summary of Exam Information

  • Emphasis on major lecture topics for exam preparation, covering historical microbiologists, methods of studying microbes, cell structures, microbial nutrition, and viral infections.

Practical Applications and Exercises

  • Engaging in practical experiments, case studies, and active discussions during course sessions.