Molecular Genetics

Code:

MV124

Acronym:

GM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Basic Sciences

Instance: 2018/2019 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Molecular Biology
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Masters Degree in Veterinary Medicine

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIMV	64	Official Study Plan	1	-	4,5	56	121,5

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

To learn about: The struture and resplication fo the genetic material and its organization within the nucleous - the organization of genes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes - the irnformation contained within the genome and how it is transcribed - what are the types of RNA molecules - the mechanisms of RNA processing - the basic and advance recombinant DNA techniques - the mechanisms of gene regulation in prokaryotes and eurkaryotes - viruses and oncogenes.

 

Learning outcomes and competences

The teoretical parte is designed so that the students become proficient at understanding the molecular mechanisms that gover biological organization and mantain species identity. The practical parte aims that student become proficent at isolating and studying DNA, manipulate it put back into bacteria.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Introduction 2. Structure and organization of DNA Discovery of the genetic material. Composition of DNA. Structure of DNA. Physical properties of DNA, denaturation and renaturation. Struture of the chromatin. The nuclear matrix and the scaffold models. Types of DNA sequence in the genome. Repeated and satellite sequences. 3. DNA replication The central dogama o molecular biology. Polymerization of DNA. General model for replication. Enzymes and factores. Other types of DNA replication. 4.Transcription Types of RNA. General structure of promoters. Transcription. The preinitiation complex. Initiation, elongation and termination. 5. The genetic code The genetic code, rules of the universal table and organization of codons. Alterations of the genetic code. 6. Translation The concept of Open reading frame. Structure of tRNAs. The model of wobble pairing. Initiation, elongation and termination. 7. Processing of RNAs General model of processing RNAs. Intron and exon sequences. Small nuclear ribonuclear particles. Processamento de RNAs. Intrões e exões. Processing tRNAs, mRNAs, RNA in the mitochrondria. RNA editing. 8. DNA recombinant techniques Restriction enzymes. Vectors for cloning. Restriction maps. Radioisotopes and DNA labelling. Genomic, cDNA and expression libraries. Chromosome walking and organizing the genome. DNA sequencing. Southern blot. Northern blot. Western blot. Primer extension. In situ hybridization. Analysis of promoter sequences. Protein DNA interactions. DNA and protein data bases. Generation of transgenic organisms. Conditional expression. 9. Alteration of the DNA Mutations. Structural and point mutations. Induction and spontaneous mutations. Transition and transvection. Frameshift, nonsence, missence. Silence, neutral.  Intragenic and extragenic suppression. DNA repair. Fotoreactivação. Nucleotide excition repair. “mismatch”. Recombinacional or pos-replication repair. SOS genes in bacteria. 10. Recombination Homologous recombination and site specific recombination. 11. Regulation of gene expression in procariots General model of regulation. Work of Jacob e Monod on lac operon. Represors and activators. Arabinoseand triptophasn operons.  Regulation of termination. The phage lamba as a model for gene regulation 12. Regulation of gene expression in eucariots. Levels of regulation and signals involved. General organization of eucariotic promoters. Experimental analysis of promoters. Transcription factors classes and mode of DNA binding. Examples of regulation during Transcription, processing of, transport, stability and translation of mRNAs. Regulation of Galactose genes in yeast. The Stress response and global organization the b-globin promoterThe role the nuclear matrix in gene regulation, chromatin remodelling and metilation. 13.Virus Classification and genome structure. Replication strategies and retroviruses. Gag, pol and env proteins. The identification of viral oncogenes.

Mandatory literature

Watson James D. 070; Molecular biology of the gene. ISBN: 978-0-321-50781-5
Krebs Jocelyn E.; Lewin.s Genes X. ISBN: 978-0-7637-7992-4
Russell Peter J.; iGenetics. ISBN: 0-321-31207-4

Complementary Bibliography

Alberts Bruce; Molecular biology of the cell. ISBN: 978-0-8153-4105-5
Quintas et al.; Bioquímica - Organização Molecular da Vida , Lidel, 2008. ISBN: 9789727574315
Videira Arnaldo 340; Engenharia genética. ISBN: 972-757-163-8
Lodish Harvey 070; Molecular cell biology. ISBN: 978-0-7167-7601-7

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical claases: oral presentation completemeted with power point. All contents are avaliable online. Practical classes. Experimental protocols available online. Discussion and analysis of results.

keywords

Health sciences
General programmes > Basic programmes
General programmes > Basic programmes
Natural sciences

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	65,50
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Total:	121,50

Eligibility for exams

3/4 pratical classes

Calculation formula of final grade

The evaluation comprises a written final test which include both the teoretical parte and the practical parte. The test will have 80% questions related to the theoretical parte and 20% related to the pratical parte.