Unit APPLIED BIOLOGY

Course
School of dental medicine
Study-unit Code
GP003671
Curriculum
In all curricula
Teacher
Vincenzo Nicola Talesa
Teachers
  • Vincenzo Nicola Talesa
Hours
  • 54 ore - Vincenzo Nicola Talesa
CFU
9
Course Regulation
Coorte 2023
Offered
2023/24
Learning activities
Base
Area
Discipline generali per la formazione dell'odontoiatra
Academic discipline
BIO/13
Type of study-unit
Obbligatorio (Required)
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa monodisciplinare
Language of instruction
Italian
Contents
The basis of biological organization. Chemical basis and molecular organization of life. Structure and function of the plasma membrane. Cell wall and extracellular matrix: structure, function and interaction of cells with the extracellular environment and of the cells between them. Cellular communication and signal transduction. Cytoplasmic membrane systems: structure, function and membrane traffic. Cellular respiration and mitochondria. Cytoskeleton and cell motility. The cancer. Organization of the eukaryotic genome. Gene expression and its regulation. DNA replication and repair. Gene mutations. Cell cycle and its regulation. Genetics elements. Elements of molecular biology methodologies.
Reference texts
1) Giacomo DE LEO, Silvia FASANO, Enrico GINELLI - BIOLOGIA E GENETICA, EdiSES
2) GERALD KARP - BIOLOGIA CELLULARE E MOLECOLARE CONCETTI ED ESPERIMENTI, EdiSES
Educational objectives
The aim of the course is the integrated study of the cell and living organisms, with particular regard to the basic mechanisms involved in the following processes: expression, duplication and transmission of genetic information, cell proliferation. Knowledge of the biotechnological applications concerning the above processes, of the most advanced biological technologies, including recombinant technologies and the use of transgenic animals, is essential for achieving the objective.
Prerequisites
High school level knowledge of: Biology, Chemistry and Physics
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons
Learning verification modality
Integrated written test (Module 1, held by Prof. Vincenzo Nicola Talesa and Module 2, held by Prof. Cinzia Antognelli) composed of 60 single answer questions among the 4 present, broken down as follows: 45 Biology questions (Module 1) and 15 questions of Genetics (Module 2). 1 point is awarded for each correct answer, points are not deducted for incorrect or unanswered questions. The time available is 60 minutes. The outcome is unique in thirtieths.

For information on support services for students with disabilities and / or DSA visit the page http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa
Extended program
Introduction to the study of cellular and molecular biology. The biological organization. Characteristics of living beings. The development of cell theory. Types of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The size of the cells and their components. Virus. Prions. The chemical basis of life and the molecular organization of life. Chemical bonds. Polar and non-polar molecules. The properties of water. Biological macromolecules: Proteins: composition, structure, protein domains, active sites. Regulation of the biological activity of proteins. Biological importance of the correct wrapping of proteins. Enzymes and metabolism. Structure and function of Carbohydrates, Lipids, Nucleic Acids. The plasma membrane: structure and function. Structure and function of integral proteins, peripheral and anchored to lipids. Lipids and membrane fluidity, membrane asymmetry. Membrane carbohydrates. Importance of glycocalyx. Dynamic nature of the membrane: mobility of lipids and proteins. Movement of substances through the membrane: simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport. Membrane potentials. Cell wall and extracellular matrix: structure and function. Role of the extarcellular matrix in the interaction between cells and the extracellular environment. Interaction of cells with other cells. Cellular communication: cellular signaling and signal transduction. Biological role of cell communication and characteristics of signaling systems. Types of signals: autocrine, paracrine, endocrine, neuronal, contact. Types of receptors: receptors connected to ion channels, G protein coupled receptors, receptors with enzymatic activity. G protein coupled receptors: structure, G protein families, activation and deactivation cycle. Signal transduction. Effectors coupled to G proteins (Adenylate cyclase, Phospholipase, Ion channels). Glucose mobilization. Second messengers and signal amplification. Receptor desensitization. Enzymatic activity receptors: Tyrosine kinase receptors: signal activation and transduction. The Ras-MAP-kinase pathway. Insulin receptor signaling. Convergence, divergence and cross-dialogue between the different signaling pathways. Role of nitrogen oxide as second messenger. The endomembrane system: The Nucleus: structure and function. The nuclear envelope. The pore complex. The nucleolus. Chromatin and chromosomes. Epigenetics. Rough endoplasmic reticulum. Structure and function. The ribosomes. Biosynthetic pathway of the cell. The secretory pathway and the cytoplasmic pathway. Protein sorting. Addressing signals and receptors. Modifications of newly synthesized proteins in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. Glycosylation and quality control. Proteasome mediated degradation. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Structure and function. Importance of detoxification from xenobiotics. Golgi complex. Structure and function. Glycosylation in the Golgi complex. The movement of materials in the Golgi complex. Vesicular transport. Types of vesicles and types of transport. Addressing of the vesicles to a specific compartment. Lysosomes. Structure and function. Heterophagia and autophagy. Peroxisomes: Structure and function. Endocytic path: Generalized endocytosis. Receptor mediated endocytosis. Internalization of LDL and role in the formation of atheromas. Phagocytosis. Post translational intake of proteins by the nucleus, peroxisomes, mitochondria, chloroplasts. Mitochondria: structure and function. Mitochondrial membranes and the matrix. Cellular respiration. Synthesis of ATP. Cytoskeleton and cell motility: The structure and function of microtubules. Kinesin and dynein. The microtubule organization centers. Dynamism of microtubules. Eyelashes and flagella: structure and function. Intermediate filaments: types and functions. . Microfilaments, actin and myosin. Muscle contractility. Cancer: Characteristics of the neoplastic cell. Proto-oncogenes. Oncogenes. Tumor suppressor. Structural and functional organization of the eukaryotic genome. Complexity (repetitive DNA, concept of gene family, etc.) and stability (gene duplication, pseudogenes, transposable elements and their role in the evolution of the genome) of the eukaryotic genome. Genetic variability within human populations (polymorphisms). Regulatory sequences, DNA / protein interaction. Medical applications of genome analysis. Molecular basis of hereditary information. The chemical nature of the gene (Griffith and Hershey / Chase experiments). Gene expression: from transcription to translation. Transcription and maturation of RNAs in eukaryotes. The anatomy of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene. The relationship between genes and proteins. The mechanism of synthesis (transcription) of RNA in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The maturation process of primary transcripts, with particular regard to the modification of messenger RNAs in eukaryotes. Gene expression: from transcription to translation. Coding of gene expression (translation). Genetic code: decipherment and properties. Molecular system of translation. General characteristics and biological implications of translation. Molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of gene expression in bacteria (general) and in eukaryotes. Transcript level control. Role of transcription factors (trans factors) and DNA sites involved in transcriptional regulation (cis elements). Role of chromatin condensation, degree of DNA methylation and histone H3 acetylation with the expression of genes in eukaryotic cells. Role of small non-coding RNAs and RNA-induced silencing. Potential clinical applications of RNA interference. Molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. Post-transcriptional, translational and post-translational control. MicroRNA: a newly discovered network for post-transcriptional gene regulation and alternative splicing. Regulation of mRNA and protein stability. DNA replication and repair and their correlations with human pathologies and with cellular aging phenomena. Biological role of DNA replication, possible models, experiment that allowed to verify its veracity (Meselson and Stahl). Molecularly associated problems with semiconservative replication. Telomerase. Mistakes that can occur under physiological conditions during DNA metabolism, and main DNA repair mechanisms in eukaryotic cells. Gene mutations. Mutations by replacement, insertion or deletion of nucleotides, spontaneous and induced mutations. Chemical and physical mutagens. Know the single and double strand DNA damage repair systems. Genomic and chromosomal mutations (general). Cell cycle and its gene control. Apoptosis. Genes involved in the regulation of the cell cycle (tumor suppressors) or in the control of cell proliferation (proto-oncogenes). The role of cyclin-dependent kinases. Cell death mechanisms (necrosis and apoptosis). Phase M: mitosis or meiosis and cytokinesis. Gametogenesis. Haploidy and diploidy concept. Homologous chromosomes. Molecular mechanism of mitosis. Cytokinesis. Characteristics of sexual reproduction. Molecular mechanism of meiosis and its genetic consequences. Meiosis in human male and female gametogenesis.
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