Biology of Development

Code:

BIOL3007

Acronym:

BIOL3007

Level:

300

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Biology

Instance: 2017/2018 - 2S

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

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:B	39	Official Study Plan	3	-	6	48	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

This course represents a systems approach to plant development, organized on the basis of life-cycles events (embryogenesis, seedling development and flowering) and organ systems (root and shoot apices). It focuses on the mechanisms regulating plant growth, development and morphogenesis. Emphasis will be on pattern formation at cellular, tissue, and organ levels. Therefore, the course focuses on the study of plant structure and development by integrating recent advances in Genetics and Molecular Biology and describes molecular processes that underlie key plant developmental responses to environmental signals. The developmental processes of plant cell signalling to development (eg., cell cycle, differentiation, programmed cell death) is used in comparision with mechanisms  regulating similar processes in other biological model cells (eg, animals).

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the course, students should be able to describe the internal structures of the various organs of model organisms, the genes involved in organ formation, recognise and describe the developmental stages. Describe the mechanism behind the transition from vegetative to reproductive development in plants and the interplay between genes and environment, as well as integrate anatomy knowledge with molecular biology discoveries.
The student must also be able to compare the plant developmental biology with other biological models, namely animals (for example to compare mecanisms of signalling controlling processes of cell cycle, cell death and /or cell differentiation).

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

.

Program

Module 1. Concept of development. Growth, differentiation and morphogenesis. Principles of pattern formation. Features unique to plant development. Positional information and cell fate in plant development. Cell cycle in plants; control of cell cycle. Cell polarity, cell division and development; unequal cell divisions and differentiation. Embryogenesis in land plants. Embryogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Molecular and genetic mechanisms of embryo development. Pattern formation in embryogenesis. Apical-basal axis and radial axis. Postembryonic development. Apical meristems and organ formation. The origin of the primary root during embryogenesis. The control of patterning and morphogenesis during root development.
Shoot meristem formation in vegetative development; shoot apical meristem organization - layers and zones. Organ formation at the vegetative shoot meristem. Shoot apical meristem mutants and functioning of the shoot apical meristem. Transition from vegetative to flowering development in Arabidopis. Flower development; molecular genetics and the ABC model. Identification of floral homeotic genes. Cadastral functions of homeotic genes. Molecular functions of MADS box genes. Sex determination. Ovule development. 

Module 2. Comparative studies of cellular processes associated to the development of different biological models: signaling and signal transduction regulating: a) cell cycle in plant cells vs. animal cells; programmed death (PCD) in plant vs animal cells. Examples of regulatory cascades associated with cell differentiation in plant cells and in animal cells. Markers for evaluating dynamics of cell cycle and PCD in plant and animal models (eg, TUNEL, ANNEXIN-V, caspases/caspase like pathways).

Mandatory literature

Howell, S. ; Molecular genetics of plant development, Cambridge University Press, 1998
000072949. ISBN: 0-521-58784-0

Complementary Bibliography

Gilbert Scott F. 1949-; Developmental biology. ISBN: 978-0-87893-243-6

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical lectures supported by multi-media aids and practical laboratory work.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	90,00
Trabalho laboratorial	10,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	40,00
Frequência das aulas	40,00
Trabalho laboratorial	20,00
Total:	100,00

Eligibility for exams

Enrollment in University courses requires regular class attendance as well as careful preparation. Therefore, students are expected to attend all their scheduled classes.
However, absences are allowed to a maximum of 25% of their possible classes. That is, if students attend less than 75% of their possible classes they are excluded from final assessment.

Calculation formula of final grade

Theoretical

      Written Exam covering Theoretical subjects (T), 20 points;

 

Practical Laboratory Work

       Presentation and discussion of a practical laboratory work (P) graded to 2,0 points;

       Written Exam covering Lab works (TP), 18 points;

FINAL GRADING = [2T+(P+TP)]/3

Minimum value in each component, 8 points

Students can chose between 2 partial examinations and a final exam.

Examinations or Special Assignments

.

Internship work/project

.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Theoretical

Written Exam covering Theoretical subjects (T), 20 points;

 

Practical Laboratory Work

Written Exam covering Lab works (TP), 20 points;

 

FINAL GRADING = (2T+TP)/3

Minimum value in each component, 8 points

Classification improvement

Theoretical

Written Exam covering Theoretical subjects (T), 20 points;

 

Practical Laboratory Work

Written Exam covering Lab works (TP), 20 points;

FINAL GRADING = (2T+TP)/3

Minimum value in each component, 8 points

Observations

This course is aimed at Biology students who have already taken molecular biology and genetics in order to apply the concepts in these areas to the developmental biology.