Study Programmes 2015-2016
MICR0004-1  
Complement of microbiology : bacterial pathogenicity
Duration :
15h Th
Number of credits :
Master in biochemistry and molecular and cell biology (120 ECTS)2
Lecturer :
Bernard Joris
Language(s) of instruction :
French language
Organisation and examination :
Teaching in the second semester
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Course contents :
SECTION I: Approaches to the study of bacterial pathogenesis
  • Microbes and disease: establishing a connection
  • Models for studying bacterial pathogenesis
  • Strategies for identifying bacterial pathogenicity genes
  • Genetics determinants of bacterial pathogenicity
SECTION II: Bacterial adherence: role of adhesins in the context of bacterial pathogenesis
  • Fimbrial adhesins: adhesive molecules on a "stalk"
  • Non-pilus (non fimbrial) adhesins
  • Biofilms: the story of microbial communities


SECTION III: Poisoning the host by toxins
  • Toxins damaging cellular membranes: paradigms and molecular features
  • Toxins acting on intracellular targets


SECTION IV: Cellular invasion by bacterial pathogens
  • Mechanism of bacterial entry into host cells
  • The bacterial life in a vacuole
  • The bacterial life in the cytosol


SECTION V: Bacterial evasion of host defences
  • Bacterial handling of host nutrients: the iron paradigm
  • Bacterial escape from the complement system
  • Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial peptides
  • Bacteria-induced host cell death


SECTION VI : Specific bacterial pathogens
  • Staphylococcus aureus: many types of staphylococcal infection
  • Escherichia coli : lmany types of infecton
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • Group A and Group B Streptococcus
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Learning outcomes of the course :
Successful completion of this course should enable students to:
  • demonstrate broad knowledge of the cellular and molecular bases of bacterial host pathogen interactions;
  • describe the principal mechanisms by which specific bacterial pathogens infect their hosts and cause disease.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
Courses of general bacteriology and of bacterial physiology and genetics
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
Face-to-face
Recommended or required readings :
Reference book Bacterial Pathogenesis. A molecular approach Brenda A. Wilson, Abigail A. Salyers and Dixie D. Whitt, Malcom E. Winkler Third edtion ISBN 978-1-55581-418-2
Assessment methods and criteria :
Oral exam
Work placement(s) :
Organizational remarks :
Contacts :
Joris Bernardbjoris@ulg.ac.be Tel: 04 3662954
Secretariat Julémont Fabienne 04 366 3341