Molecular Biology - channel 2

The students will learn the basic concepts inherent in the nature of genetic material, the meaning of the flow of genetic information and the mechanisms that control its maintenance, the variability and regulation of gene expression. Students will also be able to discuss issues related to the structure of macromolecules that carry genetic information, the mechanisms that allow the maintenance of continuity and quality of genetic information and the main mechanisms of regulation of gene expression.

Frontal lessons and classroom exercises.

Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned.

The structure of the DNA - tautomeric conformations of the bases - concepts of denaturation and hybridization - the conformations of the double helix - the topology of the DNA and the topoisomerases - the structure of the RNA - the formation of the secondary structures of the RNA - classes of RNA - the ribozymes.DNA organization in the cell - prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes: their organization, physical characteristics, genetic content and content in repetitive DNA - structural elements of chromosomes - nucleosome - histones - assembly of nucleosomes - molecular aspects of chromosomal duplication and segregation.DNA replication in prokaryotes and eukaryotes - bacterial and eukaryotic DNA polymerases - Beginning and end of replication phase - Mutations and repairs of DNA - Homologous recombination and its machinery at the molecular level - Adaptations of recombination to specialized situations: site-specific recombination - Transposons to DNA - Retro-transposons. Examples of transposition regulationTranscription - RNA polymerases - transcription in bacteria and eukaryotes - RNA maturation - splicing and its machinery - alternative splicing - RNA editing - genetic code - suppressor mutations - protein synthesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes - RNA classes involved in translation - ribosome - translation phases - translation regulation - dependent regulation of mRNA and protein stability.Regulation of gene expression - regulation of the beginning of transcription in prokaryotes: the operon model and the lambda phage - mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes - transcription factors - DNA-linked domains - signal transduction - regulation of chromatin structure - gene silencing.Molecular biology techniques: electrophoresis of biological macromolecules - hybridization probes - gene cloning - libraries: genomics and DNA - PCR - Sequencing.

Watson et al., Biologia molecolare del gene, 7 ed, Zanichelli.

Zlataanova & van Holde, Biologia molecolare, ed. Zanichelli.