Complementary Plant Physiology

Code:

BIOL3014

Acronym:

BIOL3014

Level:

300

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Biology

Instance: 2018/2019 - 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	30	Official Study Plan	3	-	6	48	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The main objective of this Course is for the students to complement their knowledge about how plants work and how they respond to environmental stimuli. This optional course complements the knowledge gained at the Plant Physiology course, focusing on more peculiar aspects of plant physiology that are not addressed in the basic course. Since plants are complex organisms, this course explores aspects that make them unique, focusing especially on the biochemical and molecular processes involved in their growth, development and interactions with the environment. Plant biotechnology based on the genetic alteration of plants will also be addressed.

Learning outcomes and competences

The frequency of the course should allow students to have the competence and capacity to:
• Show knowledge on plant physiology
• Understand how different types of photosynthesis represent advantages in different environments
• Explain how plants use products resulting from photosynthesis
• Know the importance of lipids in plant physiology
• Understand how plants interact with biotic agents such as parasites, herbivores and other plants
• Understand the importance of the secondary metabolism to the plant and to humans
• To know the most used techniques in the transformation of superior plants, as well as the vegetal models most used in the area of Plant Physiology
• Understand how assimilations of Nitrogen and Sulfur are processed and how these relate to the Carbon metabolism
• Recognize the changes that occur during foliar senescence and which factors influence it
• Understand the relevance of the seed dormancy process and explain how germination occurs

Working method

Presencial

Program

Theoretical program:
Physiological and ecological considerations about photosynthesis. Allocation and distribution of photoassimilates within the plant. Importance of lipid metabolism in plant physiology. Plant responses to attack by biotic agents: parasites, herbivores and competing plants and parasitic plants. Brief notions about secondary metabolism and examples of the most relevant secondary metabolites. Introduction to the most common methodologies of genetic transformation of superior plants and reference to the most used model plants in plant physiology. Assimilation of Nitrogen and Sulfur and coordination of the assimilation of these nutrients with the Carbon metabolism. Seed dormancy and physiological and morphological factors that condition it. Breakdown of seed dormancy and associated factors. Seed germination and mobilization of stored reserves. Leaf senescence. Cytological and metabolic changes during senescence. Reprogramming of gene expression. Oxidative and energetic metabolism. Influence of the environment and hormonal interactions on the regulation of leaf senescence.

Practical program
Quantification of starch, sucrose, glucose and fructose in starch-accumulating plants and sucrose-accumulating plants at different times of the day. Visualization of green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression after foliar infiltration with Agrobacterium. Effect of growth regulators on seed germination. Regulation of alpha-amylase by gibberellic acid during the germination of barley seeds. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of protein content during leaf senescence. Test for seed viability evaluation. Evaluation of the activities of Reductase Nitrate and Glutamine Synthase.

Mandatory literature

Taiz Lincoln 340; Plant physiology and development. ISBN: 978-1-60535-255-8
Buchanan Bob B. 340; Biochemistry & molecular biology of plants. ISBN: 978-0-470-71421-8

Complementary Bibliography

Watson et al.; Recombinant DNA: genes and genomes, 2007. ISBN: 0-7167-2866-4
Robert N. Trigiano & D. Dennis J. Gray; Plant Development and Biotechnology, 2005. ISBN: 0-8493-1614-6

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical classes of expositive-interrogative nature supported in projections.
Practical classes that provide the acquisition of specific skills, namely those that result from the execution of practical laboratory work.

The scheduling of practical classes, as well as the set of procedures for each laboratory work, are available to students on the course website.

keywords

Natural sciences > Biological sciences > Botany > Phytopathology
Natural sciences > Biological sciences > Biology > Functional biology
Natural sciences > Biological sciences > Botany > Plant physiology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	83,00
Trabalho laboratorial	17,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	100,00
Frequência das aulas	42,00
Trabalho laboratorial	20,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

A student gains attendance if:
1. Having been regularly enrolled, do not exceed the limit of absences corresponding to 25% of the practical classes provided (https://sigarra.up.pt/up/LEGISLACAO_GERAL.ver_legislacao?p_nr=4025).
Practical classes of compulsory attendance.

Calculation formula of final grade

Students should choose a modality of knowledge assessment:
i) Final exam
OR
(ii) Frequencies

I. Final written exam (Theoretical component and Theoretical-Practical component)

- Theoretical examination (T), 20 val.

- Theoretical-practical exam (TP), 16 val.

- Presentation and discussion of a practical work, to be defined, carried out during practical classes (AP), 4 val.
Final Note - [2T + (TP + AP)] / 3


II.Frequencies

- 2 Theoretical evaluations (FT1 and FT2), each 20 val.
- Theoretical-practical exam (TP), 16 val.

- Presentation and discussion of a practical work during the practical classes (AP), 4 val.
 

- Final grade - [2 (mean FT1 + FT2) (TP + AP)] / 3

Minimum Notes: component T, 8 values
                         component TP, 6.5 values

The first frequency will be held in the middle of the semester. The second frequency will be held on the day of the normal period examination.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Presentation and discussion of assigned practical work (4 values).

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Distributed evaluation
OR
Final written exam

Classification improvement

To improve the final grade, the student needs to request a new exam, in accordance with the current legislation on the subject.

Evaluation Components:

Theoretical (T) (20 values) + Theoretical-practical (TP) (16 values);

Grade obtained with the presentation of practical work (P) (4 points).

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

Observations

There are no precedents.
Professor Coordinator:Paula Melo