PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Basic notions on biochemistry, plant biology, molecular biology are necessary.
The reached levels of knowledge and understanding of the topics covered by the course will be evaluated by an oral exam. Moreover, the ability to discuss the key concepts using an adequate scientific terminology will be considered for the final evaluation. The evaluation is expressed in thirtieths (minimum rate 18/30).
Students are expected to achieve the skill to understand:
1. principles and practices of in vitro plant tissue culture and stable or transient transformation;
2. how these techniques can be used both for study plant biology and for crop breeding;
3. the issues and challenges in the area of plant biotechnology.
Moreover, the students will acquire conscious judgment independence and skills to present data and opinion in this field.
The following topics will be addressed:
1. Plant tissues culture (8 h, learning outcome 1)
Plant cell totipotency. Dedifferentiation and morphogenesis (organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis). Plant tissue culture: media and plant growth regulators, sterilization, callus and cell cultures, organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. Protoplast culture and fusion. Somatic hybridization. Protoplasts. Somaclonal variation. Micropropagation.
2. Plant genetic transformation (24 h, learning outcomes 1,2)
Agrobacterium-plant interaction; Ti plasmid; T-DNA transfer; cointegrate and binary vectors; Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer; direct gene transfer; selectable markers and technologies for marker-free plants; chloroplast transformation; Plant viral vectors. Advanced methodologies: cisgenesis, intragenesis; Genome editing: Zinc Finger Nucleases, TALEN, CRISPR/Cas.
3. The present and future challenge of agriculture (4h, learning outcome 3)
Plant domestication. The green revolution. The issues and challenges of plant biotechnology. Transgenic plant for pest resistance.
Rosa Rao e Antonietta Leone, Biotecnologie e genomica delle piante. Idelson-Gnocchi, 2014.
Slides of the lectures and scientific publications will be provided.
The course consists of lectures activities. Slide presentations will be used.
To talk with the professor, students have previously to ask a date by e-mail. The teacher will answers only to the e-mails signed and coming from: domain@studenti.uninsubria.it.