B030356 - GENETICS AND LABORATORY

Italian

Knolewdge acquired (at the end of the course):
Genetic terminology. Knowledge of basic genetics at cell, organism and population level. Understanding the role of gene regulation in viruses, bacteria and eukaryotes. Knowledge of molecular mechanisms responsible for genetic variability and evolution.

Competence acquired (at the end of the course):
Principles of genetic analysis: Mendel. Population genetics: allelic frequencies and evolution of populations. The flux of genetic information. Regulation of gene expression in Viruses, Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. Mechanisms responsible for the generation of genetic variability: mutations, recombination, horizontal gene transfer.

Skills acquired (at the end of the course):
The course provides the basic knowledge for the
the application of genetic methods to the understanding of biological and biochemical issues. Use of mutants and genetic crosses in model organisms. Usage of genetic models for studying the regulation of gene expression . Comprehension of the evolutionary processes and mechanisms and forces driving the evolution of (micro)organisms.

Structure of prokaryotic cell. Structure of eucaryotic cell. Mitosis. Meiosis. The genetic material. DNA replication. The flux of genetic information: transcription. The flux of genetic information: translation. The beginning of Genetics. Mutations. Bacterial genetics. Regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes. Regulation of gene expression in viruses. Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. Gene cloning. Population genetics.
Laboratory.

basic knowledge of chemistry and mathematics (high school level)

Lectures and practical classes

Exam modality: written
Duration: 1h
Type of questions: open and closed questions
Aim: verify knowledge and competences (problem solving)

Course Contents (detailed programme):

• Structure of prokaryotic cell
• Structure of eucaryotic cell
• Mitosis
• Meiosis
• The genetic material
o The Griffith experiment
o The Avery, MacLeod e McCarthy experiment
o The Hershey e Chase experiment
o The structure of DNA (Watson e Crick)
o The structure of viral chromosomes
o The structure of prokaryotic chromosomes
o The structure of eucaryotic chromosomes
• DNA replication
o The Meselson e Stahl experiment
o DNA replication in prokaryotes and eucaryotes
• The flux of genetic information: transcription
o Transcription in prokaryotes
? The tructure of prokaryotic genes
o Transcription in eucaryotes
? The tructure of eukaryotic genes: introns, exons, splicing.
• The flux of genetic information: translation
o The amino acids
o The structure of proteins
o The genetic code; codons and anticodons, ribosomal RNA ribosomale and transfer RNA
o The phases of translation: the beginning, elongation and termination
o Differences between prokariotes and eucariotes: the trascription- translation coupling in prokaryotic cells
• The beginning of Genetics
o The Mendel's Laws
• Mutations
o Different types of mutations
o Spontaneous mutations
o Mutations induced by physical and/or chemical agents
o The pyrimidine dimers and repair systems
o The origin of mutations: pre- and post-adaptive mutations; the fluctuation test and replica-plating
• Bacterial genetics
o Transduction (specialized and generalized)
o Transformation
o Conjugation
o Cell fusion
• Regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes
o The lac operon
o The trp operon
o Regulons
• Regulation of gene expression in viruses
o The bacteriophage lambda
• Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes
• Gene cloning
o Plasmids and restriction enzymes
• Population genetics

Laboratory

Textbooks:
Anthony J.F. Griffiths et al. Introduction to genetic analysis. 20th edition. Freeman and Co. Benjmamin-Cummings
Peter J. Russell Genetics. A molecular approach. 5thEdition

Students are received at the end of classes or upon request to alessio.mengoni@unifi.it
Office hours:
Upon request from Monday to Friday
Teaching tools: Additional teaching material will be provided during lectures and through the Moodle platform