INTEGRATED COURSE ON BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND VEGETABLE BIOLOGY - Molecular Biology and Plant Biology
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Students should have a basic knowledge of plant biology, genetic and molecular biology
The final exam is an oral exam on at least two topics among those presented during lectures. A further question will concern the experimental strategies discussed during the course
The following criteria will be used to verify the knowledge and skills acquired:
1) the understanding of the covered topics;
2) the ability to interconnect the acquired knowledge;
3) the completeness of the acquired knowledge;
4) the use of a proper terminology;
The active participation in the classroom during the course (questions, comments)
This course aims to provide an overview of the fundamental molecular mechanisms governing the growth, development and stress response of the plants.
At the end of the course, the student should reach the ability to:
• Analyze and critically evaluate sets of experimental data in genetics and molecular biology aiming to the isolation and the study of gene expression in the model plant Arabidopsis.
• Explain the function of the key genes involved in cell differentiation, and plant development from embryogenesis to reproductive phase.
• Describe the perception and signaling of hormones.
• Describe the molecular mechanisms involved in the plant response to abiotic stresses.
• Nuclear genome: levels of organization, size, polyploidy, repeats, transposons. Arabidopsis thaliana: a model plant for plant molecular analysis. Plastid and mitochondrial genomes. Genome interactions (6h)
• Regulation of plant gene expression: cis and trans elements, microRNA. Epigenetics. (4h)
• An overview of some methods for the study of gene expression: overexpression and gene inactivation (RNA antisense and RNA interference). Classical and insertional mutagenesis. Gene tagging, promoter trapping, enhancer trapping, activating tagging. Reverse genetics: isolation of an insertional mutant in the gene of interest (6h)
• Gene regulation during development: embryogenesis, vegetative growth and flower induction, flower development (12h).
• Plant-growth regulators: perception, signal transduction pathways and physiological effects of auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, ethylene, abscisic acid and brassinosteroids.(12h)
• Plant molecular response to abiotic stresses: cold and heat stress, water stress and flooding. (8h)
• Smith et al., Biologia delle piante Ed. Zanichelli
• Taiz L. and Zeiger E. Fisiologia vegetale Ed. PICCIN
• Buchanan, Gruissem, Jones, Biochimica e Biologia molecolare delle piante, Zanichelli
• The topics covered will be explained with the help of powerpoint presentations, which will be provided to the students through the e.learning platform
Class lectures 48 h
Powerpoint presentations will be used during lectures.
To arrange an appointment via mail: candida.vannini@uninsubria.it