Microbial Life in Extreme Conditions

3 ECTS credits
80 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4007447FNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester

2nd semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

English

Faculty

Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences

Department

Bio-Engineering Sciences

Educational team

Eveline Peeters (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

13 contact hours Lecture
26 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

In this course different extremes of physical (temperature, pressure) and geochemical (salt concentration, pH) conditions, or combinations thereof, that lead to the development of specifically adapted microbial life forms (extremophiles, poly-extremophiles) are discussed. The students get an overview of the diversity of extreme biotopes and their inhabitants, of the energy producing reactions that they use. This all is also discussed in the context of exobiology. Adaptation to cell walls and membranes, the proton motive force and transport mechanisms are unraveled. Other topics include the stability and activity of macromolecules (proteins, nucleic acids) under diverse extreme conditions and the thermolability of small metabolites. Diverse adaptation strategies are analyzed. Finally, examples of biotechnological applications based on the utilization of extremophilic microorganisms or components thereof are discussed.

For the Selfstudy part the student chooses a theme related to microbial extremophily and works this out on basis of recent literature and brings the result of this work as a powerpoint presentation for the colleagues students and the titular.

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Uitgewerkte cursus en figuren, Canvas
Handbook (Recommended) : Archaea, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cavicchioli, ASM Press, Washington, D.C., 9781555813918, 2007
Handbook (Recommended) : Brock Biology of Microorganisms, Madigan, Martinko, Parker, 15de, Prentice Hall, Pearson Education International, 9781292404790, 2021
Handbook (Recommended) : Physiology and Biochemistry of Extremophiles, Gerday - Glansdorff, ASM Press, Washington, D.C., 9781555814229, 2007

Additional info

Text and a copy of all the figures used during the course can be downloaded as pdf files from the learning platform.

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

The students must be able to explain which parameters may be strongly limiting for the development of microbial life, which organisms are best adapted to thrive optimally in specific niches of extremes of physical and geochemical parameters, which cellular/molecular adaptations are required to thrive in particular extreme conditions. They should also be able to explain what are the physico-chemical bases of particular types of adaptations.

Students must be able to consult the literature and to give an oral presentation on a specific topic directly related to extremophily, prepared on the basis of recent research papers.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Oral presentation with a relative weight of 5 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

Note: Presentation (powerpoint presentation of max. 20 min) concerning a chosen topic related to extremophily and prepared on basis of recent research papers.
Oral theoretical exam with a relative weight of 5 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

Note: Open questions (knowledge and application of knowledge) concerning topics delt with in the lectures. Global insight is of utmost importance.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The chosen topic and the research papers used for the preparation of the oral presentation (powerpoint presentation of max. 20 minutes) of a specific topic related to extremophily can, but must not necessarily, be communicated to the examinator.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context