Biologia Molecolare M - Z
Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: ANDREA MAGRI'Expected Learning Outcomes
The students will learn the basic concepts inherent in the nature of genetic material, the meaning of the flow of genetic information and the mechanisms that control its maintenance, the variability and regulation of gene expression. Students will also be able to discuss issues related to the structure of macromolecules that carry genetic information, the mechanisms that allow the maintenance of continuity and quality of genetic information and the main mechanisms of regulation of gene expression.
Course Structure
Frontal lessons and classroom exercises.
Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned.
Detailed Course Content
The structure of the DNA - tautomeric conformations of the bases - concepts of denaturation and hybridization - the conformations of the double helix - the topology of the DNA and the topoisomerases - the structure of the RNA - the formation of the secondary structures of the RNA - classes of RNA - the ribozymes.DNA organization in the cell - prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes: their organization, physical characteristics, genetic content and content in repetitive DNA - structural elements of chromosomes - nucleosome - histones - assembly of nucleosomes - molecular aspects of chromosomal duplication and segregation.DNA replication in prokaryotes and eukaryotes - bacterial and eukaryotic DNA polymerases - Beginning and end of replication phase - Mutations and repairs of DNA - Homologous recombination and its machinery at the molecular level - Adaptations of recombination to specialized situations: site-specific recombination - Transposons to DNA - Retro-transposons. Examples of transposition regulationTranscription - RNA polymerases - transcription in bacteria and eukaryotes - RNA maturation - splicing and its machinery - alternative splicing - RNA editing - genetic code - suppressor mutations - protein synthesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes - RNA classes involved in translation - ribosome - translation phases - translation regulation - dependent regulation of mRNA and protein stability. Regulation of gene expression - regulation of the beginning of transcription in prokaryotes: the operon model and the lambda phage - mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes - transcription factors - DNA-linked domains - signal transduction - regulation of chromatin structure - gene silencing - regulator RNA. Molecular biology techniques: electrophoresis of biological macromolecules - hybridization probes - gene cloning - libraries: genomics and DNA - PCR - Sequencing.
Textbook Information
Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli.
Zlataanova & van Holde, Biologia molecolare, ed. Zanichelli.
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struttura, conformazioni e topologia degli acidi nucleici | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 2 | Ribozimi | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 3 | Organizzazione del DNA nel genoma procariotico ed eucariotico | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 4 | Aspetti molecolari della duplicazione e della segregazione cromosomale | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 5 | DNA polimerasi nei procarioti e negli eucarioti | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 6 | Mutazioni e meccanismi molecolari di riparazione del DNA | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 7 | Macchinario molecolare della ricombinazione omologa e adattamenti a situazioni specializzate | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 8 | Trasposoni, retrotrasposoni con esempi di meccanismi di regolazione della trasposizione | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 9 | RNA, trascrizione nei procarioti e negli eucarioti e RNA | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 10 | Maturazione dell’RNA | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 11 | Splicing canonico e alternativo | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 12 | Editing dell’RNA | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 13 | Codice genetico | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 14 | Meccanismi molecolari della sintesi proteica dei procarioti e degli eucarioti | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 15 | Meccanismi di regolazione dell’espressione genica nei procarioti e negli eucarioti | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 16 | Dominii di legame al DNA | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 17 | Fattori di trascrizione | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 18 | Regolazione della struttura della cromatina | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 19 | Silenziamento genico | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |
| 20 | Principali tecniche di biologia molecolare: elettroforesi di macromolecole biologiche, ibridazione, clonaggio genico, PCR, sequenziamento | Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli |