Ateneo - UPO

The course is focused on molecular processes of nucleic acids in prokaryotes and eukaryotes: DNA replication and transcription, RNA processing and protein synthesis.

Watson JD et al. Molecular biology of the gene. VII edition. Zanichelli.
Amaldi et al. Molecular biology. II edition. Ambrosiana Publishing House.
Alberts et al. Molecular biology of the cell. VI edition. Zanichelli.

Extra educational material distributed during the lessons available in at DIR (Molecular Biology I) section.

Lewin's GENES XI 11th Edition
Jocelyn E. Krebs (Autore)

The course aims is to provide students with the knowledge to understand genes and genome processes.
These kowledge are essential to understand at molecular level the principles of genetics, biological evolution, the cause of genetic pathologies and the techniques of manipulation of biotechnology.

Basic concepts of general chemistry; Organic chemistry, in particular chemical bonds; Biochemistry, in particular the structure and properties of nucleic acids and proteins; Cellular and genetic biology.

- Frontal lessons
- Practical laboratory lessons
- PowerPoint self-running presentation
- JoVE Science video.

The images been shown during the lesson are available in at DIR (Molecular Biology I) section. The teacher could been contacted by e-mail signed and coming from the domain: name.surname@uniupo.it.

Due to the epidemic health situation, at the moment the initially laboratory planned activities are temporarily suspended.
Alternatively, there will be an online visit with a virtual tour of an external research institution.

If the health situation wiil be safely resumed, participation to the practical activities will be allowed to a limited number of students in different ways than the previous ones.
Not be include in the practical lessons roster will not prejudice the passing of the final exam.

The Molecular Biology I course includes a single final assessment exam. The exam aims to verify the level of knowledge and in-depth study of the topics reported in the course program and the reasoning skills developed by the student. The exam involves passing a written test lasting 120 minutes and consists of multiple choice questions (28-30) and one open-ended question. The answer to the open question is judged both for the molecular biology content and for the ownership of language for a maximum score of 3. The overall evaluation is expressed in thirtieths (minimum grade 18) and will take into account the mark obtained in the single open questions and the multiple choice questions. During the test it is not allowed to consult any type of material.

NUCLEIC ACIDS
- Molecular biology History
- DNA structure. DNA topology.
- DNA replication. DNA polymerases. The replisoma and its components.
- Topoisomerases and their mechanism of action. Telomeres.
- DNA mutability. The proofreading mechanism. DNA repair.
- Mechanisms of reversion, excision, "mismatch-repair" and by recombination. DNA transposition.
- Chromatin, nucleosome and histones.
- Epigenetics
DNA TRANSCRIPTION
- The RNA polymerases of prokaryotes. The prokaryotic transcriptional unit. The concept of gene.
- Regulation of transcription in prokaryotes. The promoter and the terminator. The operon.
The Eukaryotic RNA polymerases. The eukaryotic transcriptional unit.
- Regulation of transcription in eukaryotes. General transcription factors and starting complex.
- Post-transcriptional modifications. Introns and "splicing". Differential splicing.
- Catalytic RNA. RNA "editing".
- Gene control in eukaryotes. Activators and repressors of transcription and mechanism of transcriptional control.
- Epigenetic control of gene expression.
TRANSLATION
- The phases of translation. The genetic code.
- Ribosomal DNA. Structure of the ribosome.
- tRNA and its structure. AminoaciltRNA synthetase. The "vacillation" codon-anticodon recognition.
- Translational start-up complex formation. IF, aminoacid chain lengthening and EF. Termination of protein synthesis.
- Main post-translational modifications of proteins.
BIOTECHNOLOGY TECHNIQUES
- Recombinant DNA, restriction enzymes, expression vectors.
- Construction and screening of libraries. Transgenic organisms.
- Souther, Northen e Western Blot.
- DNA sequencing
- PCR techniques (Real time PCR etc.).
- Mutation detection: first level of molecular analysis technique.
- RNA "interference".
- Genome modifications by CRISPR / Cas9

The student will have to show knowledge and understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern DNA duplication, RNA formation and protein synthesis in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems.
It will have to show the ability to interpret the concept of gene and genome expression and to apply this knowledge in the environment of new recent biotechnological technologies. The student must be able to evaluate patterns and mechanisms of cell physiology. In particular it will have to do with the processes of molecular biology to interpret the phenomena of genetics and have the ability to study in a critical sense protocols and experimental data concerning the whole genome. Finally, the student said with the specific scientific language of molecular biology in both oral and written form. He must have mastered the didactic material for the development of a critical reasoning on molecular biology and be able to deepen independently the fundamental processes of genomics by reading scientific articles.