Microbiology Syllabus of TNPSC

Paper - I

Unit - I : History of Microbiology
Concept of origin of life - abiogenesis - biogenesis - Spontaneous genesation theory. Contribution by Luis Pasteur, S.A. Wakmann, Alexander Flemming, Robert koch, Winogradsky, Stanely, Iwenewsky, H.W.Conn, EswinSmith.

Unit - II : Methods in Microbiology
Sterilization - Discirfection; Isotation, Purification and preservation of Mecrobes, Principles of Staining of micro organisms, Microscopy: Light Phase contract, Epifluorescence and Election miscroscopy - Assay of antibiotics. Preparation of culture media.

Unit - III : Protists
Archaeobacteria, Procasyotic and Eucaryotic microorganisms and their differentiation. Evolution and classification of microorganisms, Protozoa, Algae,Fungi bacteria,Actinomycotes, Rickettside, Mycoplasma and virsuses. Modern approches to taxonomy.

Unit - IV : Mosphyology and cycology
cycology of microfial cell- comparision of the cytological features of different groups of microorganisms - chemical nature of cell wall. protoplasm, nucleus, granular materials and other inclusions of microbial cells.

Unit - V : Physiology of Microorganisms
Growth and metabolism - growth phases, kinetics and influence of environmental parameters, nutritional groupings, metabolism of Carbohydrates, Nitrogen, Lipids, and nucleic acids, Electron transport, Microbial enzymes and regulation.

Unit - VI : Principles of immunotechnology
Antigen and antibody reactions, hypersenitivity, hybridoma, monoclonal serological techniques. Host microbe interaction - virulent factors - pathogenicity - infection - resistance.

Unit - VII : Advanced Techniques
Principles and Application of Gel filtraction, ion exchange and affinity, high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) as chromatography (GC) Electrophoresis, Electrofocussing, ultracentrifiogation ELISA technique Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Radioactive isotopes autoradiography.

Unit - VIII : Microbial genetics
mutations and variations genetics of Neurospora, Aspergillus and Saceharomyces hetero caryosis parasexuality genetics of bacteria and bacteriophages, plasmids episomes and tronsposans Transformation, Transduction Conjugation, Gentic Improvement of microorganisms, geneclouing and modern R - DNA- techniques to Improve biotechnologically important microorganisms.

Unit - IX : Microbial ecology
principles and their application to microbial ecosystems. Methods of studying Microbial ecosystem. Iterrelationship of microorganisms - biological equillibrium.

Unit - X : Statistics
elementary principles of statistics, mean, mods and medion, chisquare, correlation and regressions, analysis of variance. Statistical methods in biologicalresearch-use of Duncan's multiplication range test.

Paper - II
(Applied Microbiology)


Unit - I : Industrial Microbiology
Production of ethanol and alcoholic beverages, Organic acids, Polysaccharids, Aminoacids - Vitamins - enzymes growth regulators, antibiotics fermentation techniques, continuous cultivation of microorganisms, patents terms and regulations. Microbial leaching of ores.

Unit - II : Agricultural Microbiology
Distribution of microorganisms, organic matter decomposition - Microbiology and biochemistry. Biofertilizers Biological Nitrogen fixation, nitrification denitrification and microbial transofrmation of iron, sulphur and Phosphorus Ecto and Endo mycorrhizal association in plants and their significance, Microbial pesiticides - Microbial degradation of pesticides.

Unit - III : Biomass conversion
Production of biomass with respect to microbial energy conversion-Ethanol from biomass, Biogas Technology - Use of biomass for methaneogenesis - Biogas plants. hydrogen fuel from microbes.

Unit - IV : Plant microbiology
Concept of phyllosphere, rhizosphere and spermosphere, modification of rhizosphere effect, R.S, ratio, root exudates and their influence on plant growth and microbial community.

Unit - V : Environmental Microbiology
Microbiology of water andAir- Microbial assessment of water quality, safe disposal of sewage and industrial effluents. Waste water treatement and pollution control. Management of organic wastes: Utilization of agricultural wastes throughmicrobial degradation. Microbial composting, disposal of municipal, domestic and industrial wastes through microbial processes. Recycling of sewage water, Microbial deodorization and decolouration of effluents.

Unit - VI : Food Microbiology
Role of microbes in preparation of sauer- Kraut, bread and pickles. Preservation of food, sources of spoilage of food, food infection, food toxicity, and control of food borne microorganisms, food adultration and legislation. Microbes as food Single cell protein production, Mushroom production.

Unit - VII : Dairy Bacteriology
Microbiology of milk - Pathogenic bacteria in milk - Spoilage of fresh milk and milk products - Prevention. Preservation of milk and milk products - production of fermented Dairy products.

Unit - VIII : Microbiology of Fibres
Microbial retting of fibres - Jute - flax - coir, Biodeterioration of cotton - jute, preventon of damage of fibres.

Unit - IX : Microbial diseases and their control
Plant diseases :- Damping off, rots and wilts, mildews, smuts and rusts and leaf spots. Animal diseases :- Anthrax foot and mouth disease - Bovine - Rinderpest Human diseases:- Tuber culosis - leprosy - tetanus - Diptheria, Typhoid - cholera - HIV's.

Unit - X : Microbial Biotechnology
Developments in microbial biotechnology and Genetic manipulation - recombinant DNA technology - techniques Applications of biotechnology - production of antibioties, enzymes, Insulin, growth hormones - interferons - monoclonal antibodies.