MOLECULAR GENETICS
cod. 06485

Academic year 2012/13
3° year of course - First semester
Professor
Academic discipline
Genetica (BIO/18)
Field
A scelta dello studente
Type of training activity
Student's choice
24 hours
of face-to-face activities
3 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in - - -

Learning objectives

The course aims to present the basic concept of molecular genetics and show how they are developded from observation and experimentation. The objective of the emphasis on experimental data analysis and on problem is to develop critical skills as well as to impart information.

Prerequisites

Genetics, Molecular Biology, 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.

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

Snustad Simmons Principi di Genetica - Ed Edises

Teaching methods

Each topic will be presented in experimental form, with an atempt to answer the folowing 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? assessement is by written exam, on the basis of replies to a series of questions set to assess knowledge and logic skills.

Assessment methods and criteria

Written examination

Other information

Class schedule, course materials and exam sessions are available at the website http://scienzebiologiche.unipr.it