Unit BIODIVERSITY AND PLANT EVOLUTION
- Course
- Agricultural and environmental biotechnology
- Study-unit Code
- A002226
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Egizia Falistocco
- Teachers
-
- Egizia Falistocco
- Hours
- 54 ore - Egizia Falistocco
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2021
- Offered
- 2021/22
- Learning activities
- Caratterizzante
- Area
- Discipline biotecnologiche generali
- Academic discipline
- AGR/07
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- English
- Contents
- Evolution, biodiversity and adaptation. Classification of the living forms: systematics and taxonomy. The concepts of species. Cytogenetics for understanding the origin of diversity and the role of chromosomes in the evolution of the living beings. Genome and chromosome evolution. Mechanisms of speciation. Chromosome number variations. Cytotypes. Meiotic mutants. Polyploidy and dyspoidy. Particular evolutionary events: domestication. Origin of animal domestication. The principal domestic animals. Origin of cultivated species. Centres of origin. Agrobiodiversity. Gene pools.
- Reference texts
- Falistocco E. – 1998 – Citogenetica vegetale – Patron editore, Bologna.
Thompson J.D. – 2005 – Plant evolution in the Mediterranean - Oxford University Press.
SmarttJ. & Simmonds N.W. – 1995 – Evolution of crop plants – Longman Scientific and Technical, UK
Barcaccia G. & Falcinelli M. – 2005 – Genetica e genomica – Liguori Editore, Napoli – (Vol. II Cap.12).
Jauhar P.P. – 1996 - Methods of genome analysis in plants – CRC Press, New York – Cap. 3, 10, 11.
Malossini F. – 2001 – La domesticazione degli animali – Atti Acc. Rov. Agiati serie VIII, Vol. I B.
Papers provided by the teacher. - Educational objectives
- The main objective of this course is to provide knowledge of chromosome organization and the role and function of chromosomes in the process of heredity. The students should demonstrate to understand interconnections between chromosomes and evolutionary processes. Furthermore the knowledge of the main advanced technologies on cytogenetics.
- Prerequisites
- In order to be able to understand the subjects treated during the course the student is required to have basic knowledge on Botany and Genetics. Is also useful for the student to know the use of the main tools of a cyogentetic laboratory such as microscope and stereomicroscope.
- Teaching methods
- Theoretical lessons and practical training.
- Other information
- Knowledge of English.
- Learning verification modality
- The oral test consists on an interview of 30-40 min. Great importance will be given to the ability of the student to treat scientific topics using appropriate language.
- Extended program
- Relationships between biodiversity and evolution. Earth is home to a tremendous diversity. Distribution of biodiversity on the face of the earth: biosphere, biome, ecosystem, biocenosis, biotope, habitat. the need to order the living forms. different concepts of species. Cytogenetics for understanding biodiversity and evolution. The role of Cytogenetics for evolutionary studies. The genome structure. C-value and genome size. Type of DNA repeats. Satellite DNA. Structure and function of the eukaryotic chromosome. Banding techniques. The role of meiotic mutants in plant evolution. Numerical variants of chromosomes. Polyploidy and dysploidy. Application of in situ hybridization techniques: FISH and GISH. The molecular cytogenetics for the study of biodiversity, phylogeny and evolution. The origins of the agriculture. Plant and animal domestication. The concept of Vavilov of centres of origin of cultivated plants. . Agrobiodiversity.
Practicals will be held in the laboratory of Cytogenetics. Practicals will consist also in the study of scientific articles.