551-1421-00L The Mechanisms of Natural Transformation in Competent Gram-Negative Bacteria

Semester	Autumn Semester 2023
Lecturers	M. Hospenthal
Periodicity	yearly recurring course
Language of instruction	English
Comment	Number of participants limited to 5. The enrolment is done by the D-BIOL study administration.

Courses

Number	Title	Hours		Lecturers
551-1421-00 P	The Mechanisms of Natural Transformation in Competent Gram-Negative Bacteria Permission from lecturers required for all students. Block course in the 1st quarter of the autumn semester. The course will start with an introductory lecture on 19.09.2023 afternoon. Participants will be informed about the exact time and location via email.	100s hrs		M. Hospenthal

Catalogue data

Abstract

Students will carry out defined research projects related to the current research topics of the Hospenthal group. The topics will include protein expression of pilins and/or other competence proteins from Gram-negative bacteria, protein purification using affinity chromatography, crystallisation experiments and analysis of assembled pili by electron microscopy.

Learning objective

The course should enable students to understand concepts of protein expression, purification and the characterisation of biomolecular interactions. In addition, students will learn some basic principles of X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy.

Content

The students will be tutored in their experimental work by an experienced doctoral student. The course will also include a short lecture delivered by M. Hospenthal, providing the theoretical background for the experimental work. Throughout the course, students will receive exercises that further help to explain the theory of the practical work, as well as literature research tasks.

Participation in the following Hospenthal lab projects will be possible:
• Purification, biophysical characterisation and structure determination of pilins
• Purification, biophysical characterisation and structure determination of proteins and protein complexes involved in natural transformation.

Experimental work on this project involves:
• Cloning and mutagenesis
• Recombinant or endogenous protein production in E. coli or Legionella
• Protein purification by affinity chromatography (other chromatographic purification techniques will also be discussed)
• Protein crystallisation and crystal optimisation
• Visualisation of bacterial pili by electron microscopy (negative stain or cryo electron microscopy)
• DNA binding experiments
• Enzymatic activity measurements
• In silico structural analyses using PyMOL and Chimera

Literature

Any required reading of literature will be discussed at the beginning of the course.

Prerequisites / Notice

There are no special requirements for this course.

Competencies

Subject-specific Competencies	Concepts and Theories	assessed
	Techniques and Technologies	fostered
Method-specific Competencies	Analytical Competencies	fostered
	Decision-making	fostered
	Problem-solving	fostered
Social Competencies	Communication	fostered
	Cooperation and Teamwork	fostered
Personal Competencies	Critical Thinking	fostered
	Integrity and Work Ethics	fostered
	Self-awareness and Self-reflection	fostered
	Self-direction and Self-management	fostered

Performance assessment

Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course
ECTS credits	6 credits
Examiners	M. Hospenthal
Type	graded semester performance
Language of examination	English
Repetition	Repetition only possible after re-enrolling for the course unit.
Additional information on mode of examination	Students are obliged to be present throughout the block course. Cancellation: If you have to deregister from a course that has been assigned to you (just emergency reasons), please notify in written the course coordinator at least four weeks before the course starts, for courses in the 1st quarter, a cancellation period of one week applies. The study secretariat D-BIOL must also be informed (email CC to studies@biol.ethz.ch) so that the enrollment is deleted. Otherwise the course is considered as "failed".

Learning materials

No public learning materials available.
Only public learning materials are listed.

Groups

No information on groups available.

Restrictions

General

Permission from lecturers required for all students

Offered in

Programme	Section	Type
Biochemistry – Chemical Biology Bachelor	Block Courses in the 1st Quarter of the Semester	W
Biology Bachelor	Block Courses in 1st Quarter of the Semester	W