Molecular Genetics
| Code: | MV124 | Acronym: | GM |
| Keywords | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Keyword |
| OFICIAL | Basic Sciences |
Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S (of 17-02-2025 to 13-06-2025) 
| 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 | 89 | Official Study Plan | 1 | - | 4,5 | 56 | 121,5 |
Teaching Staff - Responsibilities
| Teacher | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Maria Alexandra Marques Moreira |
Teaching - Hours
| Theoretical classes: | 2,00 |
| Laboratory Practice: | 2,00 |
| Type | Teacher | Classes | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theoretical classes | Totals | 1 | 2,00 |
| Maria Alexandra Marques Moreira | 2,00 | ||
| Laboratory Practice | Totals | 4 | 8,00 |
| Isabel Pereira de Castro | 7,357 | ||
| Maria Alexandra Marques Moreira | 0,643 |
Teaching language
Portuguese and englishObs.: As aulas e os exames serão dadas em Português OU Inglês, dependendo dos estudantes.
Objectives
To acquire knowledge about:
- the structure and replication of the genetic material and its organization
- the organization of genes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
- the information contained in the genome and how it is expressed, transcribed and translated
- the different types of RNA molecules that exist
- the mechanisms of RNA processing
- recombinant DNA techniques
- alterations and mutations that can occur in DNA
- recombination mechanisms
- regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes - viruses and oncogenes.
Learning outcomes and competences
From the theoretical part of this curricular unit students are expected to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in genetic and biological organization necessary for the correct establishment of the identity of organisms. On the practical part, students are expected to acquire knowledge of molecular biology techniques that enable them to purify genomic and plasmid DNA, to analyse it, to manipulate it, and to introduce plasmid DNA into bacteria, todesign PCR primers and perform it.
Working method
PresencialProgram
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. RNA Processing. General model of processing RNAs. Processing of tRNAs and rRNAs. Intron and exon sequences. Small nuclear ribonuclear particles. mRNA 5' capping, splicing and 3' end formation. 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, ChIP. DNA and protein data bases. Generation of transgenic organisms. Conditional expression.
9. Alterations of the DNA. Mutations. Structural and point mutations. Induction and spontaneous mutations. Transition and transvection. Frameshift, nonsense, missense. Silence, neutral. Intragenic and extragenic suppression. DNA repair. Foto-reactivation. Nucleotide excision repair, mismatch repair. Recombination or post-replication repair. SOS genes in bacteria.
10. Homologous recombination, non-homologous recombination, CRISPR-Cas9. Knock-out mice. Site specific recombination.
11. Regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes. General model of regulation. Work of Jacob e Monod on lac operon. Repressors and activators. Arabinose and tryptophan operons. Regulation of termination. The lambda bacteriophage as a model for gene regulation
12. Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. Levels of regulation and signals involved. General organization of eukaryotic 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 beta-globin promoter. The role the nuclear matrix in gene regulation, chromatin remodelling and methylation.
13. Virus Classification and genome structure. Replication strategies and retroviruses. Gag, pol and env proteins. Examples.
14. Oncogenes. The identification of viral oncogenes. Types of oncogenes. Mechanisms of tumour induction. Oncogene activation. Tumor supressor genes. Anti-oncogenes and their inactivation. Retinoblastoma and p53.
Practical classes:
The practical classes are related to the recombinant DNA methodologies.
1. Purification of Drosophila melanogaster genomic DNA
2. Purification of Escherichia coli Plasmid DNA
3. Determination of concentration, purity and integrity of nucleic acids
4. DNA Digestion with Restriction Enzymes
5. Preparation of restriction maps of recombinant plasmids
6. PCR - “Polymerase Chain Reaction”
7. Transformation of Escherichia coli with plasmid DNA.
8. DNA Sequencing
9. Cloning of the gTub geneMandatory literature
Watson James D. 070; Molecular biology of the gene. ISBN: 978-0-321-50781-5Krebs 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: 978-0-8153-4105-5Quintas 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 classes: Oral presentation of the themes aided by the projection of slides in power point format. Distribution to students of the pdfs of the slides presented in the classes and the summaries of the classes.
Practical classes: Experimental protocols and discussion of the results obtained; scientific paper presentation by the students.
keywords
Health sciencesGeneral programmes > Basic programmes
General programmes > Basic programmes
Natural sciences
Natural sciences > Biological sciences > Biology > Molecular biology
Evaluation Type
Distributed evaluation with final examAssessment Components
| Designation | Weight (%) |
|---|---|
| Exame | 90,00 |
| Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico | 10,00 |
| Total: | 100,00 |
Amount of time allocated to each course unit
| Designation | Time (hours) |
|---|---|
| Estudo autónomo | 60,50 |
| Frequência das aulas | 56,00 |
| Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico | 5,00 |
| Total: | 121,50 |
Eligibility for exams
Attendance to 3/4 of all the practical classes and presentation of a paper.
Students who attended the practical classes in the two previous academic years may eventually be exempt from attending practical classes in the current academic year. However, they must contact the responsible teacher to confirm the exemption.
Calculation formula of final grade
The final classification will be 90% final exam and 10% ofthe paper presntation.
The written final test will include both the theoretical and the practical parts. The test will have 80% questions related to the theoretical part and 20% related to the practical part.
Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)
Students who are exempt from attending practical classes due to student-worker status, or any other status provided by law, must contact the regent at the beginning of the semester.
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