Microbial Genetics

The course has three aims: 1. to give you a theoretical understanding of microbial genetics 2. to teach you how to do genetics research in practice 3. to encourage you to think logically when analysing and solving scientific problems in genetics. The focus will be on the two most studied bacteria, Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, but examples from other bacteria and microorganisms will also be introduced. The topics covered include the central dogma (DNA replication, RNA transcription, Protein synthesis), the mechanisms used to control and regulate gene expression, and mechanisms for the preservation, mutation, and exchange of genetic information between organisms, including plasmid and bacteriophage genetics. The laboratory work introduces you to strain construction, selection and screening for mutants, and DNA sequence analysis in the computer lab.