General Genetic

Code:

B164

Acronym:

B164

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Biology

Instance: 2013/2014 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Biology
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Geology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:AST	2	Plano de Estudos a partir de 2008	3	-	7,5	-
L:CC	0	Plano de estudos de 2008 até 2013/14	3	-	7,5	-
L:F	3	Plano de estudos a partir de 2008	2	-	7,5	-
			3
L:G	4	P.E - estudantes com 1ª matricula anterior a 09/10	3	-	7,5	-
		P.E - estudantes com 1ª matricula em 09/10	3	-	7,5	-
L:M	0	Plano de estudos a partir de 2009	3	-	7,5	-
L:Q	19	Plano de estudos Oficial	3	-	7,5	-

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Learning of the main topics of genetics including patterns of inheritance and mendelian analysis, chromosome theory of inheritance, molecular genetics, population genetics and quantitative genetics, with particular focus on the application of the genetic tools and theoretical concepts.

Learning outcomes and competences

General skills in the understanding of the different fields of genetics and their applications.

Working method

Presencial

Program

 

1.Introduction to the course. Main objectives. Historical revision on the main concepts and theories of heredity.

2. Mendelian analysis. Mendel experiments; monohybrid and dihybrid crosses. Mendel's laws. Multiple alleles; variations on dominance.

3. The chromosome theory of heredity. Sex chromosomes and sex linkage. Sex linked inheritance.

4. Autosomes and sex chromosomes. Sex determinism in different species. 

5. Pedigree analysis and modes of inheritance: autosomic or heterosomic, dominant or recessive. Character transmission probabilities.

6. Chromosome basis of heredity. Exceptions to the expected mendelian proportions. Meiotic nondisjunction. Mendelian genetics and life cycles.

7. Genetic linkage. Recombination. Recombination frequency and linkage maps.

8. Interaction between alleles. Variations on dominance; incomplete dominance, codominance. Multiple allelism. Test for allelism.

9. Gene interaction. Pleiotropy and epistasy. Complementation and supression. Modified phenotypic ratios produced by gene interaction. Penetrance and expressivity.

10. Gene mutation. Somatic versus germinal mutation. Mutant types; mutation detection. Mutation breeding. 

11. Chromosome mutations. The topography of chromosomes. Types of changes in chromosomal structure. Changes in number; aberrant euploidy; monoploids and polyploids. Aneuploidy.

12. Chromosomes changes and breeding. Allopolyploids. Amphidiploids. Production of monoploids. Polyploidy in animals. 

13. Molecular basis of genetics. DNA: the genetic material. The structure and replication of DNA. DNA and the gene. Types of DNA and RNA.  Gene expression, RNA processing, translation, the genetic code.

 

14.  Mechanisms of gene regulation. Transcriptional regulation in prokaryotes. Positive and negative regulation. The operon system. Transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes. Transcriptional  activator proteins. Enhancers and silencers. Promoter regions. Epigenetic mechanisms. Alternative splicing.

15. Gene-protein relationships. The one-gene-one-enzyme hypothesis. Relationship between gene mutation and altered proteins. Detecting protein variation by electrophoresis.

 

16. Genomics and proteomics. DNA cloning, recombinant DNA, vectors. Cloning strategies. The use of reverse transcriptase: cDNA and RT-PCR. Cloning of large fragments. Sequencing of genomes and transcriptomes. Mapping.

 

17. Transgenic organims. Transgenic individuals in animals and plants. Genetic engineering. Applications.

18. Genetic markers. Methods for detection of genetic variation. Applications of genetic markers.

19. Population genetics. Genetic polymorphism and gene frequencies. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Changes in allelic frequencies: genetic drift, mutation, migration and selection. Inbreeding and assortative mating.

20. Selection. Natural selection and artificial selection. Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection.

21. Genetic concepts and tools in the study of evolution. Phylogeny and molecular systematics. Population history and phylogeography.

22. Application of genetic tools. Forensic genetics and genetic identification. Conservation genetics.

23. Quantitative genetics. Quantitative characters. Genotypes and phenotypic distribution. Norm of reaction. The hereditability of a trait. Quantification of hereditability. Analysis of genetic variances. Marker gene segregation and QTL's. Selection differential and selection response.

Mandatory literature

Hartl Daniel L.; Genetics. ISBN: 9780763715113
Griffiths Anthony J. F. 070; An introduction to genetic analysis. ISBN: 0-7167-2604-1

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical classes and pratical classes for resolution of problems.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	60,00
Teste	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Frequência das aulas	85,00
Total:	85,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance of 2/3 of practical classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final Exam composed of a theory test (12/20) and a practical test (8/20).

Students could make the practical part of the evaluation in two intercalar tests during the semester.