Unit MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
- Course
- Biotechnology
- Study-unit Code
- 55005806
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2021
- Offered
- 2022/23
- Learning activities
- Caratterizzante
- Area
- Discipline biotecnologiche comuni
- Academic discipline
- BIO/11
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY - Canale A
| Code | 55005806 |
|---|---|
| CFU | 6 |
| Teacher | Manlio Di Cristina |
| Teachers |
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| Hours |
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| Learning activities | Caratterizzante |
| Area | Discipline biotecnologiche comuni |
| Academic discipline | BIO/11 |
| Type of study-unit | Obbligatorio (Required) |
| Language of instruction | Italian |
| Contents | The aim of the course is to provide concepts about acid nucleic and protein structures and problems related to acid nucleic analysis by classical methods (isolation, purification and structural and functional property studies. During the course the students will acquire knowledge about analytical and preparative techniques used in molecular biology studies and practical and theoretical expertise on the isolation and analysis of DNA and RNA molecules. |
| Reference texts | J.D.Watson, T.A.Baker,S.P.Bell,A.G.Gann, M.Levine, R.Losick: Biologia Molecolare del Gene, Ed. Zanichelli B. Lewin: Il Gene X, Ed.Zanichelli |
| Educational objectives | Biotechnology competence - understanding and knowledge of: i) the structure and biological properties of either virus or bacteria, including genetic modified organisms; ii) molecular basis of transmission and expression of genomes; iii) molecular methods of analysis; iv) techniques of genomic manipulation. Capability to apply knowledge and understanding of: methods of genomic manipulation of cells and animal and plant organisms. |
| Prerequisites | Basic knowledge in the field of organic chemistry, biology, biochemistry and spectrophotometry represent a prerequisite for student planing to follow the course with profit |
| Teaching methods | Lectures, seminars |
| Other information | Attending classes: Recommended but not compulsory |
| Learning verification modality | The exam consists in written and oral examination. The written examinations are designed at evaluating the student's knowledge and understanding of the topics proposed, the ability to work in laboratory and to solve problems. The written exam consists in thirty multiple-choice questions followed by two essays to evaluate the ability to communicate in written form. The students will integrate the written exam with oral examination provided he will obtain at least the minimum mark 18/30. |
| Extended program | The structure of the double helix of DNA. Mechanisms of DNA repair Mechanisms of DNA recombination. Structure and function of bacterial RNA polymerase. Regulation of transcription in prokaryotes. Structure and function of eukaryotic RNA polymerase. Study of eukaryotic promoters and transcription units. The regulation of transcription in eukaryotes. The maturation of transcripts and splicing. Ribozymes and RNA interference. Protein synthesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Recombinant DNA technology: methods of extraction and analysis of nucleic acids Plasmid vectors, phage, cosmids, vectors for specialized applications; Construction, cloning and selection of recombinant DNA. The products of recombinant DNA technology. |
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY - Canale B
| Code | 55005806 |
|---|---|
| CFU | 6 |
| Teacher | Lorena Urbanelli |
| Teachers |
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| Hours |
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| Learning activities | Caratterizzante |
| Area | Discipline biotecnologiche comuni |
| Academic discipline | BIO/11 |
| Type of study-unit | Obbligatorio (Required) |
| Language of instruction | Italian |
| Contents | The aim of the course is to illustrate students the mail topics related to the flux of genetic information from gene to protein, including an analysis at molecular level of the genetic information flux from gene to protein, through an analysis at molecular level of genome maintenance (replication, repair) and expression (transcription and its regulation, translation). In addition, the course has the objective to explain the essential of recombinant DNA methodology and cloning |
| Reference texts | J.D. Watson, T.A. Baker,S.P.Bell, A.G.Gann, M. Levine, R. Losick: Biologia Molecolare del Gene 7a Zanichelli F. Amaldi, P. Benedetti, G. Pesole, P. Plevani Biologia Molecolare, 3° ed., Casa Editrice Ambrosiana G. Capranico, E. Martegani, G. Musci, G. Raugei, T. Russo, N. Zambrano, V. Zappavigna, Biologia Molecolare, EDISES |
| Educational objectives | Students will study nucleic acid structure and the mechanics of replication, repair, transcription, and translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. A central goal is understanding gene expression at all levels, and the structure-function relationships of nucleic acids and proteins. Techniques in molecular biology will be examined in as necessary to understand concepts. The main aim of the course is to gain insight into: - Structure/activity relation of nucleic acids (DNA/RNA): differences and similarities in their interaction with proteins; - Genome maintenance processes in terms of enzymatic aspects of DNA replication, origins and ends of replication in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; - DNA repair in the maintenance of genome and global DNA damage response; - Constitutive and regulative aspects of transcription in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; - Transcript maturation in eukaryotes; - Constitutive and regulative aspects of translation in prokaryotes and the discovery of the genetic code; - The concept of recombinant DNA and tools for basic DNA manipulation: restriction enzymes and plasmid vectors The main skills will be: - To recognize the structural and regulatory relevance of sequences involved in replication, transcription and translation; - To design a simple experiment of molecular cloning into plasmid vectors using restriction enzymes |
| Prerequisites | A prerequisite of the course are basic notions on the eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell organization (General Biology), and on structure/function relationship of the main classes of macromolecules (Biochemistry) |
| Teaching methods | The course is based on i) lessons with slides, ii) videos on specific lesson topics to improve the structural understanding of micromole mechanism of action, iii) test with multiple choice and open questions on course topics, iv) simulation of the written test. |
| Other information | For the teaching calendar (lessons date, timetable and place), please check the Biotechnology degree website in dcbb.unipg.it |
| Learning verification modality | The final examination will consist in a written test on all topics (40 min, 30 multiple choice questions) to assess the basic comprehension of the course topics and an oral examination for students with a sufficient evaluation in it (18/30), in order to discuss the critical points emerged. Students that will not reach a sufficient evaluation in the written part (18/30) may discuss the critical points during the oral examination or with the teacher by appointment Should exam face-to-face not allowed, final examination will be carried out via an online platform according to the decision of the University Students with disabilities or DSA may consult the webpage www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa |
| Extended program | DNA structure; nucleotides and double helix stability. A, B and Z isomers. DNA denaturation kinetics and topology. RNA structure. Structure and function of DNA and RNA binding proteins. DNA organization within eukaryotic nuclei; euchromatin and heterochromatin Nucleosomes and post-translational modification of histones DNA replication: DNA polymerase structure and the replicative fork organization DNA replication initiation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes Mutations and mutagens Replication-associated DNA repair (MMR), and post-replicative DNA repair (BER e NER) Double strand break repair; homologous recombination Cell cycle and DNA damage global response The transcription in prokaryotes: promoter and RNA polymerase structure, formation of initiation and elongation complexes. The termination of transcription. The transcription of eukaryotes: the structure of RNA polymerases I, II, III and of their promoters mRNA maturation and splicing, tRNA and rRNA processing Protein synthesis; ribosome and tRNA structure, the formation of the initiation, elongation and termination complexes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes The genetic code and the loading of aminoacid on tRNA by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase The regulation of transcription in prokaryotes: constitutive and regulative control. Examples of regulative control: the structure of lactose and tryptophan operons The regulation of transcription in eukaryotes: transcription factors activation and chromatin modification Signal transduction and transcription factors activation. Examples of transcription factors activation: the steroid receptors, signalling cascades. |