Week 5
Topic : Microbial Interaction

This week, I learned about microbial interactions which may be parasitism, one organism benefits at the cost of another; mutualism, both organisms benefit; commensalism, one organism benefits at no cost or benefit to the other; or amensalism, one species is inhibited or completely obliterated and one is unaffected. Mycorrhizae, protozoan-termite relationship and zooxanthellae are examples of the mutualistic interaction.

Mycorrhizae can be described as a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a plant. Due to the fact that this is a symbiotic relationship, both the fungus and the plant benefit from this interaction. The mycorrhizae aid the plant with growth, yield, improved fitness, increase the root absorption area of nutrients, while the fungus receives carbon from the associated plant. Endomycorrhizae and ectomycorrhizae are the two main types of mycorrhizae that produce the same overall results, but with different fungal characteristics.

In protozoa-termite relationship, the termite provide food for protozoa while protozoa digests cellulose in wood particles and provide nutrients for termite. The symbioses in the termite gut are often beneficial to both partners and so are called a mutualistic relationship. 

Species within Aphidoidea have established mutualistic relationships with the obligate intracellular endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola to overcome nutritional deficiency of such unbalanced diets. Buchnera are grown within specialized cells known as bacteriocytes. They produce nutrients (essential amino acids) that are not synthesized by insects or obtained sufficiently from plant saps. In return, aphids provide Buchnera with other nutrients required to survive. 

Pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) living with their endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola. 

This topic is very interesting as I get to know the various interactions between two or more different species of organisms. Who would have thought that the interaction of microbes not only cause one organism benefits at the cost of another but can benefit both organism or one organism benefits at no cost or benefit to the other.

During the class on Thursday (26 March 2015), we were given a task to find materials that related to the topic microbial interactions. Every person is required to find and share with class members through padlet.

This is an article that I found about the role of bacteria and mycorrhiza in plant sulfur supply.

Week 4
Topic : Microbial Nutrition

Nutrients are necessary for microbial growth and play a vital role in the proper cultivation of microorganisms in the laboratory and for proper growth in their natural environments. In regard to required nutrients for proper growth, there are often limiting factors involved. The limiting factor or limiting nutrient effects and controls growth. When all requirements are present, microorganisms will thrive. In circumstances where there are lack of specific requirements, the growth process is affected.

Microbial nutrition summary.

Lecture on Monday (16 March 2015) began with the topic of microbial nutrition. We learn about water activity, nutrient, pH and temperature effects on growth of microorganisms. Then, the lecture was continued with the topic Distribution of Microorganism. From this topic I learnt about the factors affecting the microbial distribution and able to distinguish the microbes according to the categories. 

We finished these topics on Monday because these topics will come out on test 1 microbial ecology. The test was held on Thursday (19 March 2015) located in BK1.4. This test takes about an hour.

After the test, which only takes about an hour, Dr. wan has explain more clearly about our SCL which include, Life Without Microbes, Thinglink, Flipped classroom and Infographics. 

Week 3
Topic : Microbial groups

As for the introduction, microorganism or microbes play a very important role in our lives. Some microbes cause disease but the majority are completely harmless. In fact we couldn't live without them, but they could live without us. These microscopic organisms play a key role in maintaining life on earth, fixing gases and breaking down dead plant and animal matter into simpler substances that are used at the beginning of the food chain. Biotechnologists can also exploit the activities of microbes to benefit humans, such as in the production of medicines, enzymes and food. They are also used to breakdown sewage and other toxic wastes into safe matter. This process is called bioremediation.

There are three major forms of life; eucaryotes, procaryotes and viruses. Fungi, slime/water molds, algae and protozoa are classified as eucaryotic microbes. 

Fungi

Algae

Protozoa

Bacteria are classified into 5 groups according to their basic shapes: spherical (cocci), rod (bacilli), spiral (spirilla), comma (vibrios) or corkscrew (spirochaetes). They can exist as single cells, in pairs, chains or clusters.

Viruses are the smallest of all the microbes.  The virus particle attaches to the host cell before penetrating it. The virus then uses the host cell’s machinery to replicate its own genetic material. Once replication has been completed the virus particles leave the host by either budding or bursting out of the cell (lysis).

Before the class started, we were ask to read first about microbial groups topic and summarize it using our own way. Then, we need to upload it in the LMS. 

We also share our work to the others class members in Blendspace. They really do a good job as most of them share interesting videos related to the topic. It is good to share our works and findings with the rest of class members in order to increase our knowledge. 

During the one hour class, we were asked to sit in groups and discuss about the topic. We need to summarize the topic using Popplet.

Lecture on Thursday began with the topic microbial group. After that, Dr. Wan make online quiz activity using Kahoot.it. It was really interesting and fun ! The quiz got timer and we need to answer within the time allocated. It is simple but we need to focus and answer the question very fast. Yet so, I really enjoyed this activity.

Topic 3 : Microbial Nutrition and Metabolism

As usual, we need to prepare before entering the class. There will be an individual task in Quizlet. We have to write 50 terms and their definition that related to the microbial nutrition and metabolism topic. 

After completing the 50-terms assignments, we were asked to do the test in Quizlet based on terms that have been written and upload the result in LMS. We also need to upload and share the 50 terms in the Blendspace. 

The following day (Friday), we have the replacement class for 2 hours. We continued the topic on microbial groups. After finishing this topic, we proceed with the microbial nutrition and metabolism topic. 

Before the class ended, Dr. Wan once again create online quiz based on the topic microbial nutrition and metabolism and surely makes everyone excited. I found that this activity very fun and exciting. :)

Introducing.... Microbial Ecology

Assalamualaikum.. 

Ever since I decided to take microbial ecology course, I was curious about what we are going to learn and the activities we are going to do. Especially when I found out that the lecturer who will teach this subject is Dr. Wan Zuhainis because she has lots of ideas for activities that will be conducted to attract students in this subject, next assist the students for better understand about this subject.

Week 1  (26 Februari 2015)

The first task given was to look for an article or journal from scientific journal publisher or website related to the topic on principle of microbial ecology and share with the other class members by uploading it in Edmodo. Each of us is need to comment on one or more article that may interest us.

This is the article that I found about principle of microbial ecology.

This article is interesting as it tell us about how the principle of microbial ecology being search through experiment and lot of research by microbiologists.

On the first day of class, we were briefed on the activities and SCL that will be carried out during this semester which include PoBL (life without microbes), infographic or newspaper, thinglink, flipped classroom and reflective journal. For life without microbe, flipped classroom, and infographics are held in groups while thinglink and reflective journal individually. Each group has six members and for the topic of life without microbes, my group (Group 2) has chosen the title about "Ruminant Free-microbes".

Interesting topic choosen by the others group.

Oh ya then, we were asked to discuss with the group members on the article that we found interesting and relevant to the topic of principle of microbial ecology, which has been shared in Edmodo. So, we have chosen the article titled "Principles of Microbial Ecology and Their Application to Xerostomia - Associated Opportunistic Infections of the Oral Cavity". This article is very interesting ! It tell us about the myriad bacterial interactions between innocuous and potentially pathogenic species that prevent the growth of sufficient number of bacteria to initiate the xerostomia. By using the principle of microbial ecology, it can prevent the particular disease prevalent in xerostomia patient. On top of that, this article is easy to understand.

Our view about the chosen article.

Week 2 (5 March 2015)

On the second week, which is actually our first lecture on the first topic which is Principle of Microbial Ecology. From this topic, I learn about the definition of ecology which is the study of relationships among organism and the environments, and between other organism. I also can list the hierarchy in ecology ( species > population > community > ecosystem > biosphere ). The main factor of distribution of organism is nutrient. From this lecture I got to know that microorganisms have two strategists which are r strategist and k strategist to remain survive. k strategist is the most stable because organism can adapt to the new environment and reproduce slower but r strategist growth rapidly and high reproduction.

Other than that, I also learn about two types of succession which are autogenic and allogenic. Autogenic is microorganism that alter the habitat to adapt in the environment and produce new population, for example biofilm. Allogenic is microorganism that change in environment.

In this topic, I also learn about the contribution factors leading to homeostasis. Homeostasis is the dynamic balance between process, materials and organisms in the ecosystem and biosphere. Homeostasis is measured by photosynthesis (P) and respiration (R). 
At the end of this lecture, I learnt about environmental change and ecological crisis.

This is the summary of principle of microbial ecology =)