Ateneo - UPO

The first part of the course covers the detailed description of nucleic acids structure and the. The second part of the course will describe the molecular mechanisms responsible for replication and maintenance of genomes, with special emphasis on the mechanisms governing the stability and mutability of the genetic material, in physiological and pathological conditions. This will be followed by a description of the mechanisms required to express the genetic information: transcription and its regulation, transcript maturation, translation and its regulation, and protein diversification by post-translational modifications, putting the emphasis on higher eukaryotic speciess. Finally, an overview of methods and technologies for the study of molecular biology will be provided.

- Amaldi F et al. "Biologia Molecolare"; Casa Editrice Ambrosiana; ISBN: 9788808185181
- Selected Scientific full-papers and Reviews
In the absence of copyright issues, the presentations used during the lectures will be made available to the students at the end of each section of the course, as "read-only" files; they are intended as a guide to study the taught subjects in the recommended textbook and to trigger student's further independent readings.

The Molecular Biology course aims to provide the student with an up-to-date view of a topic that, perhaps more than others, represents as an area of ​​integration of knowledge in the biology field, with deep medical and biotechnological implications. By the end of the course the student will have achieved a detailed and integrated knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the proper flow and expression of the genetic information in biological systems, under physiological and pathological conditions.

An adequate knowledge of cell biology and general biochemistry is required.

Standard lessons. Publicly accessible audio/video material (in English) will also be used during the lessons.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities

Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Written exam. The first section consists of 12 questions, each containing 3 statements that must be judged "true" or "false"; a short justification to each "false" choice must be given (3 correct answers to the 3 statements=1 pt; each correct answer to the single statement=0.25 pt; minimum score: 6/12 pt). In the second part, students are asked to briefly describe a molecular mechanism involved in a biological/biotechnological process (e.g., a recombination pathway or the mechanism of an enzyme) (minimum score: 4/6 pt). The third section is an open question, aimed at verifying the student's ability to process and integrate the notions learned (minimum score: 6/14 pt)

Nucleic acids structure. The structure of nucleosomes and chromatin. DNA topology and topoisomerases. Genes and genomes. An overview of transposable elements and the mechanisms for transposition. The mitochondrial DNA. DNA replication: a molecular view. The replication machinery: analogies and differences between E. coli and higher eukaryotes. Mechanism of action and role of telomerases. Integration and control of replication during the cell cycle progression. Mutations and mutagenic stress. DNA repair mechanisms: an overview. Direct DNA damage repair. DNA repair multistep pathways with emphasis on: Base Excision Repair (BER), Nucleotide Excision Repair, Mismatch-repair (MMR). Double strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). The cellular DNA damage response. An overview of RNA synthesis in E. coli and in eukaryotes. RNA polymerases. Transcription initiation and regulation of the phenomenon. The "histone code" and the regulation of gene expression. The maturation of rRNA, tRNA, miRNA. The mRNAs maturation: molecular mechanisms of capping, splicing and polyadenylation. The spliceosome assembling and functioning. Alternative Splicing. Protein synthesis: molecular mechanisms of translation. Protein synthesis control. Nonsense mediated decay and Non-stop mediated decay phenomena. Post-translational modifications: molecular mechanisms of ubiquitination and sumoylation. The molecular basis of signal integration. Several lessons will focus on recombinant DNA and other molecular techniques used in the study of the molecular biology of the cell.

Upon the successful completion the course, the students will acquire knowledge and understanding of the topics covered and develop the ability to apply such knowledge autonomously, in addressing new topics, focused on molecular aspects of cell biology. In detail, the student will know and understand: a) the composition, distribution and structural organisation of nucleic acids and genomes; b) the molecular mechanisms responsible for the transmission of genetic information and for proper gene expression; c) the main levels of integration of these phenomena; and d) the main consequences of a malfunctioning of these phenomena and/or their de-regulation. The student will be able to apply the acquired knowledge to other areas such as a) the understanding of the molecular basis of diseases, b) the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of drugs action targeting genome maintenance and gene expression, and c) the understanding of bio-analytical/molecular diagnostics methods. During the course the students will be also trained to integrate and re-evaluate the notions previously acquired in other courses (e.g. Biochemistry) in the context and from the standpoint of molecular biology, in order to be able to apply the same method to studying other disciplines (e.g. Pharmacology) that the students will subsequently encounter. Finally, the students will be able to communicate the learned notions and concepts using the correct terminology.