Unit MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
- Course
- Agricultural and environmental sciences
- Study-unit Code
- 80504006
- Curriculum
- Biotecnologie
- Teacher
- Alessandro Datti
- Teachers
-
- Alessandro Datti
- Hours
- 54 ore - Alessandro Datti
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2021
- Offered
- 2022/23
- Learning activities
- Affine/integrativa
- Area
- Attività formative affini o integrative
- Academic discipline
- BIO/10
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- This undergraduate program teaches key concepts in Molecular Biology, including i) basic chemical and biological principles to understand how living organisms function at a molecular level; ii) integration between Genetics and Biochemistry; iii) in-depth analysis of mechanistic events related to major cellular processes; and iv) technological and methodological innovation, and current objectives of research in agricultural science. Topics are not presented as standalone matters, rather, are discussed in a dynamic context to show conceptual and practical connections between distinct areas of study, such as Genomics, Transcriptomics and Proteomics. This course is offered to students with a good undergraduate training in Biochemistry and Genetics. Students are expected to gain necessary knowledge and critical perspectives to successfully tackle more advanced courses in Life Sciences and Biotechnology.
- Reference texts
- Biotecnologie Molecolari - (Terry A. Brown) - Second Italian Edition - Zanichelli (2017)
Biologia Molecolare - (Francesco Amaldi, Piero Benedetti, Graziano Pesole, Paolo Plevani) - Third Edition - Zanichelli (2018)
Molecular Biology – Third Edition (David P. Clark, Nanette J. Pazdernik, Michelle McGehee) - Elsevier (2018) (English text)
Biologia Molecolare - principi e tecniche (Michael M Cox, Jennifer A. Doudna, Michael O'Donnell) - Zanichelli (2013) - Educational objectives
- i) Theoretical knowledge of relevant topics in Molecular Biology, and the ability to critically analyze, synthesize, and integrate related concepts and notions;
ii) Basic understanding of common methods and experimental procedures employed in molecular studies, including the ability to assess advantages and limitations of specific assays and techniques;
iii) Acquisition of suitable communication skills. - Prerequisites
- Prerequisites for Molecular Biology include basic knowledge of both Biochemistry and Genetics, particularly with regard to topics such as i) structural and functional organization of the cell; ii) structure and function of nucleic acids and proteins; iii) enzyme kinetics; and iv) bioenergetics and cell metabolism, DNA replication and transcription, and RNA translation. To acquire suitable competencies, students must have successfully completed the following two courses: i) Plant Breeding and Genetics (year 1); and ii) Biochemistry (year 2).
- Teaching methods
- In-class lectures (52 hours) will cover the entire course material. A few hours (5-10% of the total) will be dedicated to interactive discussions with students on selected topics.
A few weeks after the end of the course, students capable of presenting and discussing not less than 50% of the course topics, will be offered the opportunity to participate in simulated exams. - Other information
- Class attendance is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended.
- Learning verification modality
- Oral exam, consisting of a 60 min interview. Students will initially present one or two general topics (e.g. Genomics, Recombinant proteins, Control of gene expression etc.) to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and attention to details, ability to integrate and critically evaluate different theories and subject areas (if applicable), and adequate skills towards the contextual application of information in basic and applied research. Students will subsequently be challenged with a few (4-6) questions related to any of the course’s subjects.
Student Assessment: marks will combine the student performance in relation to overall knowledge in Molecular Biology (50%), ability to integrate principles and theories with translational prospects (30%), and communication skills (20%).
Information about support programs for students with disabilities can be found under http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa - Extended program
- Omics-related sciences (Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics): essential elements, methods of investigation and overall objectives, and biotechnological applications in agricultural science. Holistic approach to science and high-throughput techniques. DNA sequencing in biomedical and agricultural science. Biological impact and diagnostic significance of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Haplotypes. Essentials of Metagenomics, Comparative Genomics and Functional Genomics. Epigenetics. Structure of nucleic acids. DNA methylation. Genomic organization in Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. Repeated sequences, satellite DNA, minisatellites, VNTR. Non-coding DNA. Pseudogenes. Transposons. Mitochondrial and Chloroplast DNA. Supercoiled DNA in Bacteria. DNA condensation in Eukaryotes: histones, nucleosomes, chromatin remodeling. Mutations. Classes of RNA molecules and corresponding functions. Proteins: structure, functions, post-translational modifications, and degradation/turnover. Essentials of enzyme kinetics. Mechanistic aspects of gene transcription and protein synthesis. Regulation of transcription. Post-transcriptional control of gene expression: mRNA degradation and modification, regulatory proteins, antisense RNA, modification of ribosomal proteins, Riboswitches. RNA interference by siRNA. Origin and functional role of microRNA. Use of siRNA and microRNA in functional genomics. CRISPR-Cas9 technology and its biotech application in agricultural science. Description and analysis of experimental methods in Molecular Biology: restriction enzymes and the manipulation of nucleic acids. DNA sequencing: Sanger method, pyrosequencing and basic description of other second generation technologies such as Illumina and Ion-Torrent. Cloning vectors (plasmids, lambda phage, YAC and BAC artificial chromosomes) and gene cloning. Cloning by subtractive hybridization. Expression vectors, production, purification and characterization of recombinant proteins. Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and production of transgenic plants. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): experimental setup and quality control. Variants of PCR and related applications: inverse PCR, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA, RT-PCR, differential display, site-directed mutagenesis). Use of fluorescent probes in PCR. Analysis of gene expression: Northern blotting, Real-time RT-PCR, DNA microarrays, RNA-Seq technology). Promoter analysis: primer extension technique and gene reporter assays. DNA-Protein interactions (EMSA technique, DNA footprinting, and ChIP-on-chip technology). Protein analysis: chromatographic and electrophoretic (SDS-PAGE) methods. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Immunological techniques and the use of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. ELISA and Western blotting techniques. Basic description of Mass Spectrometry.