Department of Microbiology

Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana

Micro 103
General Microbiology (2+1)
Semester I, 2022-23

Name of Instructors- Dr. (Ms.) Pratibha Vyas and Dr. (Mrs.) Gagandeep Kaur

Course Contents
Theory:- Evolution and scope of microbiology; History of microbiology; Microbial classification,
nomenclature and identification; Taxonomic groups; General methods of classifying bacteria;
Microscopy and microscopes: Smears and staining; Morphology and fine structure of bacteria;
Cultivation of bacteria, nutritional requirements; Nutritional classification of bacteria; Phototrophs,
chemotrophs, autotrophs and heterotrophs; Obligate parasites; Bacteriological media, Growth of bacteria,
Reproduction of bacteria; Introduction to fungi, algae and protozoa and virus, Microbiology of water and
food Nutrient transport phenomenon: Passive diffusion, facilitated diffusion; Group translocation, active
transport. Metabolism in bacteria –ATP generation Microbial genetics; Bacterial recombination; Bacterial
conjugation, transduction; Bacterial transformation; Mutations: Types of mutations, mutagenesis;
Mutation rate, repair of mutations; Phenotypes of bacterial mutants; Designation of bacterial mutants;
Destruction of microorganisms: Physical agents and chemical agents; Chemotherapeutic agents and
chemotherapy; Characteristics of antibiotics; Mode of action of antibiotics; Pure culture: Methods of
isolation of pure cultures; Maintenance and preservation of pure cultures; Culture collections.

THEORY SCHEDULE
S. No. Topic No. of
Lectures
1 Definition and scope of Microbiology 1
2 History of Microbiology 1
3 Nomenclature and methods of classifying bacteria 2
4 Microbial identification and taxonomic groups 1
5 Microscopy and microscopes 2
6 Methods and types of staining (Simple, Gram, Negative, Endospore, Capsular and 1
Flagellar staining)
7 Bacteria- morphology and fine structure 2
8 Nutritional requirements and bacteriological media, pure culture and methods of 3
isolation of pure cultures. Maintenance and preservation of pure cultures. Culture
collections
9 Growth and reproduction of bacteria 2
10 Phototrophs, chemotrophs, autotrophs and heterotrophs Obligate parasites 2
11 Introduction to fungi, algae and protozoa and virus 2
12 Microbiology of water and food w.r.t contaminants 2
13 Nutrient transport phenomenon- passive diffusion, facilitated diffusion, group 2
translocation and active transport.
14 Metabolism in bacteria –ATP generation 1
15 Microbial genetics- bacterial recombination, bacterial conjugation, transduction and 2
transformation;
16 Genetic variation: bacterial mutants and their designation 1
17 Types of mutations, mutation rate and repair of mutations 2
18 Destruction of microorganisms- physical agents and chemical agents 1
19 Characteristics of chemotherapeutic agents and chemotherapy 1
20 Types of antibiotics and their mode of action 1
Total 32
Practical:- Microscopy; Micrometry; Cleaning and sterilization of glassware and acquainting
with equipment used in microbiology; Preparation of nutrient agar media and techniques of
inoculation; Staining methods (monochrome staining, gram staining, negative staining, capsule-
staining, flagella staining and endospore staining); Pure culture techniques (streak plate/pour
plate/spread plate); Identification procedures (morphology and cultural characteristics); Growth
characteristics of fungi: Determination of microbial numbers, direct plate count, generation time;
Factors influencing growth: pH, temperature, growth curves for bacteria.

PRACTICAL SCHEDULE

S. No Practical exercise No. of

practical
1 Acquainting with equipment used in microbiology- cleaning and 2
sterilization of glassware
2 Microscopy 1
3 Staining methods (monochrome staining, gram staining, negative staining, 1
capsule-staining, flagella staining and endospore staining)
4 Micrometry 1
5 Preparation of nutrient agar media 3
6 Techniques of inoculation- Pure culture techniques (streak plate/pour 3
plate/spread plate);
7 Identification procedures (morphology and cultural characteristics) 1
8 Growth characteristics of fungi 1
9 Growth of bacteria and determination of generation time 1
10 Factors influencing growth: pH, temperature 2

Suggested Reading-
● Microbiology: An Introduction by Gerard J. Tortora, Berdell R. Funke, Christine L. Case.
2014. 12th Ed. Prentice-Hall, NY, USA.
● Prescott’s Microbiology by Johanne M. Willey, Linda M. Sherwood and Christopher J.
Woolverton. 2013. 9th Ed. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, NY, USA.
● Microbiology by Michael J. Pelczar Jr., E.C.S. Chan and Noel R. Krieg. 1998. 5 th Ed.
Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi.
● Introduction to Microbiology by P.Tauro, K.K. Kapoor, K.S. Yadav. 2002 New Age
International (P) Limited Publications, New Delhi, India
● Microbiology 1999 PD Sharma Rastogi Publications, Meerut, India
● Microbiology-Fundamentals and Applications by SS Purohit 2001 Agrobios, New Delhi
● A Textbook of Microbiology by RC Dubey and DK Maheshwari 2013. S Chand
Publishing, New Delhi
● Manual in Basic Microbiology by GS Kocher and PP Johl. 2013. Department of
Microbiology, PAU, Ludhiana
● Laboratory Manual of Microbiology and Biotechnology by K.R. Aneja. MedTech, New
Delhi