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MICR40080

Academic Year 2025/2026

Microbial Natural Product Biosynthesis (MICR40080)

Subject:
Microbiology
College:
Science
School:
Biomolecular & Biomed Science
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Patrick Caffrey
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Natural products are obtained from plants, micro-organisms and other life forms. Many of these compounds are biologically active and have important medical uses. Well-known examples include antibiotics (e. g. penicillins, vancomycin, erythromycin and tetracyclines), anticancer drugs (e. g. doxorubicin, taxol and epothilone) and immunosuppressants (e. g. cyclosporine and rapamycin). This course covers biosynthesis of natural products in micro-organisms. The main focus is on polyketides and non-ribosomal peptides, with some discussion of alkaloids and terpenes. The enzymes that catalyse assembly of polyketide and peptide chains are described in detail. Late modifications of core structures such as glycosylation and halogenation are also explained. The course then covers genetic manipulation of producer micro-organisms to engineer the biosynthesis of new compounds. This is important for drug discovery and for addressing the problem of drug resistance in infectious disease and cancer.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to: (1) explain the reactions of fatty acid and polyketide biosynthesis; (2) describe the major classes of polyketide synthase (type I modular, type I iterative, type II and type III) and give examples of their product compounds; (3) give examples of how manipulation of polyketide synthase genes can lead to biosynthesis of new structures; (4) explain the reactions catalysed by non-ribosomal peptide synthetases; (5) explain glycosylation and halogenation as late modifications of polyketide and peptide core structures; (6) explain how knowledge of natural product biosynthesis can be exploited in biotechnology.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

10
Specified Learning Activities

32
Autonomous Student Learning

70
Total

112

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures; active/task-based learning; peer and group work; lectures; enquiry & problem-based learning.


Generative AI: You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your engagement with AI stops when you begin to create your submission. Your submissions should therefore be authored entirely by yourself and should show how you have developed and refined these ideas. You should keep a comprehensive record of all outputs generated by AI, and may be required to document these as part of the activities, or present them on demand. An appropriate AI tool may be used to correct grammatical errors and improve the language of text you alone have authored. You must not allow the AI tool to alter the sense of any text, offer a critique of or modify any arguments.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
Natural Product Synthesis (INDM40080)


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): Students are required to compose essay-type answers to 2 out of 4 questions on the lecture content of the module. End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No
50
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Students are divided into small groups and assigned a problem on a main topic from the module. They present their solution as a 10-minute oral presentation during class time. Week 6 Graded No
12.5
 Yes
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Students are divided into small groups and assigned a second problem on a different main topic from the module. They present their solution as a 10-minute oral presentation during class time. Week 7 Graded No
12.5
 Yes
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Students are given an individual problem-type assignment based on the lecture content of the module. The answer is uploaded to Brightspace. Week 8 Graded No
12.5
 Yes
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Students are given a second individual problem-type assignment based on the lecture content of the module. The answer is uploaded to Brightspace. Week 9 Graded No
12.5
 Yes

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Dr Luke Johnson Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Cormac Murphy Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 24, 25, 26, 29 Fri 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 24, 25, 26, 29 Mon 14:00 - 14:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 24, 25, 26, 29 Tues 11:00 - 11:50
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