Unit BIOTECHNOLOGIES APPLIED TO THE AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
- Course
- Agricultural and environmental sciences
- Study-unit Code
- 80045015
- Curriculum
- Biotecnologie
- Teacher
- Emidio Albertini
- CFU
- 15
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2019
- Offered
- 2021/22
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa integrata
MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
| Code | 80122206 |
|---|---|
| CFU | 6 |
| Teacher | Emidio Albertini |
| Teachers |
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| Hours |
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| Learning activities | Caratterizzante |
| Area | Discipline della produzione vegetale |
| Academic discipline | AGR/16 |
| Type of study-unit | Obbligatorio (Required) |
| Language of instruction | Italian |
| Contents | Metabolic regulation, Elements of virology, Bacterial genetics, Molecular systematics and microbial evolution and metagenomes Main microorganisms of biotechnological interest and main biotechnological productions associated with them. |
| Reference texts | Biotecnologie microbiche. Eds: Stefano Donadio e Gennaro Marino - Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Brock – Biologia dei microrganismi - M.T. Madigan, J.M. Martinko & J. Parker - Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. |
| Educational objectives | Provide students with the knowledge of principal topics concerning molecular biology and their application to microbial level. Provide students with the capabilities to work with microbial DNA and conduct and evaluate simple program for microbial phylogeny |
| Prerequisites | In order to understand and interpret critically the covered topics, good preparation in general microbiology (basic techniques of microbiology) and genetic is required |
| Teaching methods | Teaching methods: frontal lectures, laboratory exercises, student seminars. Teaching and learning support: video screenings of lessons, teaching material distributed by the teacher, texts recommended for study, papers selected by the teacher Methods of learning (in addition to the frequency of teaching activities): reading and personal study on reference texts, reading and personal study on material suggested by the teacher, laboratory practice, realization and presentation of individual reports or small working groups on topics and specific projects. |
| Other information | none |
| Learning verification modality | The exam consists on an oral test of approximately 30 minutes, aimed at assessing the level of knowledge and understanding of the topics of the course and the ability to link them. The oral examination will also allow to verify the student's communication skills and the technical language skills in relation to the discussed topics |
| Extended program | Metabolic regulation (DNA binding proteins and transcription regulation by positive and negative control) Elements of virology (virus growth, quantification and replication, viral diversity) Bacterial genetics (mutation and recombination, genetic exchange between prokaryotes, bacterial genetics and gene cloning, the bacterial chromosome) Molecular systematics and microbial evolution (microbial taxonomy and phylogeny) and metagenomes Main microorganisms of biotechnological interest (Escherichia coli, Streptomyces, Bacillus, yeasts, filamentous fungi) and main biotechnological productions associated with them. |
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY
| Code | 80080909 |
|---|---|
| CFU | 9 |
| Teacher | Emidio Albertini |
| Teachers |
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| Hours |
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| Learning activities | Base |
| Area | Discipline biologiche |
| Academic discipline | AGR/07 |
| Type of study-unit | Obbligatorio (Required) |
| Language of instruction | Italian |
| Contents | Basic knowledge for the understanding on the main biotechnology applied to plants and animals of economic interest and for the agrobiodiversity conservation. Traditional and Molecular Plant breeding. |
| Reference texts | Lorenzetti et al. Miglioramento genetico delle piante agrarie. Mew Business Media/Edagricole |
| Educational objectives | This course is fundamental and will give the students who attend the curriculum in biotechnology, the needed basis on molecular genetics.In general, the main objective of the course is to provide students the basis to address the study of molecular genetics and the courses of the Master Degree in Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology.The main knowledge gained will be:- Insights replication transcription and translation- Gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes- Elements of techniques for molecular markers development (Southern Blot, PCR and sequencing)- General aspects of mutagenesis and insertional mutagenesis- Construction of linkage maps and Marker assisted selection- Transgenesis and GM plants- Sexual reproduction and gametogenesis in higher mammals; characters linked, influenced and limited to sex in farm animals.The main skills gained will be:- Evaluate the strategy to be adopted in case you find yourself having to solve a legal problem related to varietal characterization and/or varietal theft.- Assess the optimal methodology for planning a Marker assisted selection program in a seed industry.- Be able to characterize the function of a gene by studying its expression/inactivation. |
| Prerequisites | Genetics |
| Teaching methods | The course is organized as follows:- Lectures on all topics of the course (as reported in the program)- Classroom exercises focused on the solution of problems on meiosis and mitosis, three-points test, linkage mapping.- Lab practices on: isolation of genomic DNA, perform a PCR and a molecular marker technique, growing and characterize a T-DNA mutant. |
| Other information | Teaching materials provided by the teacher.Laboratories. Lab experiments about the characterization of a T-DNA line; isolation of genomic DNA genomico; electrophoresis and PCR amplification of genomic DNA.Classrom excercises on: meiosis, three points test, linkage mapping. |
| Learning verification modality | Oral examiniation. Report on the lab activities. |
| Extended program | Recap of meiosis and mitosis; sporogenesis and gametogenesis in plants; allogamy, selfing, vegetative propagation and their significance in biotechnology. Population structure of self- and cross- pollinated species. Breeding for improving yield and quality of crop plants.Genetic recombination, genetic distances, the two-point test, linkage groups; three-points test; concept of genetic interference; construction of genetic maps. Assignment of linkage group to a particular chromosome.DNA sequencing: classical methods and new generation systems. Strategies for sequencing a genome. Bioinformatic analysis and genome annotation. Identification of the variations in the DNA sequence: from morphological to molecular markers. Transcriptome analysis. Use of mutants to study function of a gene.Genetic transformation of plants. Indirect and direct methods. Chloroplast transformation. Transgenic plants in plant breeding. Improving the quality of economically important food and industrial plants. Genetically modified plants and food safety. Plants as bioreactors for the production of molecules of industrial interest. Molecular traceability of the food chain. Genetically modified plants and society.Elements of animal genetics and to genetic improvement in farm animals: selection and crossing. Animal biotechnology as an operational tool for genetic improvement. |