BB2140 Industrial and Environmental Microbiology 12.0 credits

Metabolism and physiology in industrial microorganisms: the metabolic basis for bioprocesses.  Physiological stress responses. Quorum sensing. Secondary metabolism. Environmental microbiology  with applications: extremophile microorganisms. Composting and biological soil sanitation. Xenobiotics. Anaerobic metabolism. Microbial energy transformations: methane and ethanol. Environmental cycle. Food microbiology: fermented food. Methods to limit microbial activity through sterilization, conservation, and disinfection. Individual literature assignments which will be written and presented in English. The subject for the literature assignment is individually chosen. It can be chosen from suggestions from the teacher or from one’s own interest.

The course gives theoretical knowledge about the metabolic foundations for usage of microorganisms in technical processes and for the understanding of the microbial activity in nature and microbial researched problems.  Deeper insight in the chosen topics can be attained through individual work. 

After passing the course, the student should be able to:

• describe those mechanisms which regulate the cell’s metabolism in relationship to the changes in the environment
• explain how the cell’s metabolism is affected by environmental changes and identify the consequences of this for the cell and for biotechnological production of recombinant proteins and cellular metabolites, and (in occasional cases) suggest measures to improve the production
• categorize the different types of microbial energy metabolism and describe the interaction between these in the biogeochemical cycles in nature, and identify relevant types of metabolism for a given biotechnological process
• describe the principles for soil sanitation and composting, discern possible problems and suggest measures to mitigate them
• describe the most common chemical reactions involved in decomposition of food and how the physiological-chemical environment affects the development of microflora and the chemical decomposition reactions
• describe the most common food-controlled pathogens’ properties, spreading and role in different types of food 
• describe the different conservation and disinfection methods and their mechanisms
• describe the microbial and enzymatic reactions involved in the manufacturing of fermented food
• mention the most common microbiological analysis methods which are used in food control

BB1030 Microbiology or BB2100 Microbiology, General Course and BB1090 Biochemistry, Theory or BB2050 Biochemistry, Theory.

Brock: Biology of Microorganisms;

S. -O. Enfors and L. Häggström: Bioprocess Technology. Fundamentals and Applications, KTH 2000; S. -O. Enfors: Livsmedelsmikrobiologi (compendium).

Remaining literature will be announced at the course start.

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

• SEM1 - Seminars, 4.5 credits, grading scale: P, F
• TEN1 - Examination, 6.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
• TEN2 - Examination, 1.5 credits, grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

Written examination (TEN1; 6,0 credits, grading scale A-F). Home work (TEN2; 1,5 credits, grading scale Pass/Fail). Literature task written and presented orally in English (SEM1; 4,5 credits, grading scale Pass/Fail). Students have a duty to attend practices and literature seminars.

Gen Larsson

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

Homepage of the course www.biotech.kth.se/courses/gru/courselist/BB2140