Laboratory Course in Marine Molecular Microbiology1
| Numbering Code | G-AGR04 5DC42 EJ81 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ Year-round |
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| Number of Credits | 6 | Course Type | Experiment |
| Target Year | Target Student | ||
| Language | Japanese | Day/Period | |
| Instructor name |
YOSHIDA TAKASHI (Graduate School of Agriculture Professor) KAMIKAWA RYOUMA (Graduate School of Agriculture Associate Professor) |
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| Outline and Purpose of the Course |
Microorganisms are ubiquitously and abundantly present in all aquatic ecosystems represented by fresh waters and marine waters from coastal to oceanic waters as well as surface to deep sea waters. Some of them favors even extreme aquatic habitats. Further, viruses coexisting with them exceed in number. Interaction between microorganisms and viruses has considerable impact on the aquatic biogeochemical cycles. This course emphasizes research on ecology and physiology, biochemistry, omics and application of aquatic microorganisms and viruses to the study of their roles in global nutrient cycling and their evolution and construction of a platform towards production of oil independent energy and new materials. |
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| Course Goals |
1. Learn the methods used to investigate the ocean, lakes, marshes, and high-temperature extreme environments and the techniques for sampling environmental microbes; 2. Gain proficiency in the techniques used to isolate and cultivate microbes and viruses that are particularly difficult to cultivate; 3. Learn cutting-edge molecular identification technologies and microbial bioinformatics for microbes, and be able to assess the impact of microbes on the environment; 4. Master the methods of functional analysis of enzymes derived from valuable microbial genes and the methods of biochemical analysis of genetically modified proteins; 5. Develop the ability to work on research themes independently and continuously. |
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| Schedule and Contents |
(1) Ecological studies on aquatic microbes (four weeks) Students will learn experimental methods related to marine microbial ecology, such as field sampling methods for microbial research, nucleic acid extraction methods, and microbial activity measurement techniques. (2) Isolation and cultivation of aquatic microbes and physiological research (four weeks) Students will learn the methods of isolating and growing unculturable environmental microbes such as anaerobes, hyperthermophiles and micro algae, as well as the techniques for conducting physiological experiments on the isolates. (3) Research related to molecular phylogenetic analysis and molecular identification methods (four weeks) Students will learn how to conduct the molecular phylogenetic analysis of microbes using specific genes and the analysis of a large volume of environmental DNA samples using a next-generation sequencer. (4) Molecular biochemical research of aquatic microbes (three weeks) Students will learn the methods for functional annotation of gene arrangement using bioinformatics and the methods for biochemical analysis of gene products. |
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| Evaluation Methods and Policy | Evaluation will be based on the reports and their presentations at interim report sessions to be held four times a year. Refer to '2019 Guide to Degree Programs' for attainment levels of evaluation. | ||
| Course Requirements | Knowledge of microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and microbial ecology is required. | ||
| Study outside of Class (preparation and review) | Experiment reference books and original research papers will be assigned for reading depending on the students’ research progress. | ||
