Learning objectives
Educational objectives of the course are:
- knowledge and understanding of the main strategies and molecular genetics techniques used for the study of genes and genomes, for the recombinant production, for forensic analysis.
- the ability to apply knowledge to solve specific problems in the field of study
Prerequisites
knowledge of Genetics, Genetic engineering and Biochemistry
Course unit content
Molecular genetics techniques and their applications. Molecular analysis of genes and their products. Analysis of genomes. Molecular genetics for recombinant biotechnology.Forensic genetics.
Full programme
Techniques of Molecular Genetics. Restriction endonuclease. Ligase. Vectors. Transformation and transfection. Separation and analysis of DNA molecules (density gradient centrifugation, gel electrophoresis, electron microscopy). PCR. Sequencing.
Gene cloning. Cloning strategies: function insertion, complementation of mutation, colony hybridization. Construction and analysis of libraries of DNA and cDNA. From the sequence to the gene, from gene to protein, from the protein to the gene function. The Northern blot analysis. Southern blot. Homologous genes and gene families.
From genes to genomes. The genome projects (sequencing and analysis of genomes). Functions of the genome. The reverse genetics. The gene knock out.
Molecular genetics for recombinant biotechnology. Producing organisms (bacteria, yeasts, mammalian cells). Production strategies.
The forensic genetics. DNA polymorphisms. Techniques of Analysis. Interpretation of results. Issues of law and ethics.
Bibliography
• Principi di Genetica, D.P. Snustad e M.J. Simmons, terza edizione, EDISES
• Genetica, B.A. Pierce, Zanichelli
• Genetica Fondamenti, P.J. Russel, EDISES
• Genetica, principi di analisi formale. Griffiths et al, settima edizione italiana, Zanichelli
• Concetti di Genetica, Klug et al, ottava edizione, Pearson Ed
• Forensic DNA typing. Biology, Technology, and Genetics of STR Markers John M Butler, Second Edition, ELSEVIER Academic Press
• La prova del DNA per la ricerca della verità. Aspetti giuridici, biologici e probabilistici Ricci Previderè Fattorini Corradi Giuffrè Editore
Teaching methods
The course consists of lectures in which the topics of the program are presented. Each topic will be presented in experimental form, with an atempt to answer the following questions: what was the reason for the experiment, how was it carried out, what result did it led to and what is the significance of the results? The course will be supported by theoretical exercises aimed at stimulating the ability to apply the knowledge.
Assessment methods and criteria
Final assessment includes a written examination designed to assess, on the basis of answers to a series of questions, the knowledge of the program and the ability to apply knowledge to solve specific problems.
Other information
Class schedule, course materials and exam sessions are available at the website http://scienzebiologiche.unipr.it
