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Academic Year 2003/2004

The Origins of Bacterial Diversity
BIOL 337 SP
Crosslistings:
BIOL 537

Wherever there is life, there are bacteria. Free-living bacteria are found in every environment that supports eukaryotes, and no animal or plant is known to be free of bacteria. There are most likely a billion or more species of bacteria, each living in its unique ecological niche. This course will explore the origins of bacterial biodiversity: how bacteria evolve to form new species that inhabit new ecological niches. We will focus on how the peculiarities of bacterial sex and genetics facilitate bacterial speciation. Topics will include the characteristics of bacterial sex, why barriers to genetic exchange are not necessary for speciation in bacteria, the great potential for formation of new bacterial species, the evolutionary role of genetic gifts from other species, and the use of genomics to identify ecologically distinct populations of bacteria.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

One paper.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Graduate students should enroll in Biology 537. Graduate students will be expected to present their research papers to the class.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: NONE    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: BIOL207 Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2004

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