GENERAL BIOLOGY (SURNAMES A-L)
Stampa
Enrollment year
2021/2022
Academic year
2021/2022
Regulations
DM270
Academic discipline
BIO/13 (APPLIED BIOLOGY)
Department
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL MEDICINE AND THERAPEUTICS
Course
MEDICINE AND SURGERY
Curriculum
PERCORSO COMUNE
Year of study
Period
(27/09/2021 - 14/01/2022)
ECTS
4
Lesson hours
32 lesson hours
Language
Italian
Activity type
WRITTEN TEST
Teacher
OLIVIERI CARLA (titolare) - 4 ECTS
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Biology, Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry as gained from High School studies.
Learning outcomes
Acquisition of the concepts of Applied Biology useful for understanding the cellular mechanisms as a starting point for the study of other fields such as Anatomy, Physiology, Medical Genetics et al
Course contents
Cell: Differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell. Cell organelles and their function
Cell cycle and its regulation.
Structure of Nucleic Acids. The DNA as genetic material. Transformation: the Griffith and Avery’s experiment. Hershey and Chase’s experiment. DNA replication. Telomeres and telomerase.
Extra nuclear DNA: mitochondria, chloroplasts
The organization of nuclear DNA. Chromatin and Chromosomes. The normal human karyotype.
Chromosomal abnormalities: Number and Structure defects.
Cell division: mitosis and meiosis. Spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Fertilization.
The central dogma of Biology.
RNA types and functions. Transcription. The maturation of mRNA in eukaryotes.
Translation.
The Genetic Code.
Acquisition of three-dimensional structure of proteins.
Regulation of gene expression. From the LAC operon in prokaryotes to miRNA.
DNA’s sequence variants: polymorphisms and mutations. Genetic control of protein structure, eg. sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis.
The molecular basis of mutations and DNA repair mechanisms.
Transposable elements.
The Virus. Bacteriophages: lytic cycle and lysogenic cycle. Retroviruses and their replicative cycle.
The genetics of cancer: relationship between cell cycle and cancer. Genes and cancer, protooncogenes, oncogenes, suppressor genes, mutator genes. Chemical and physical mutagens.
Technologies. Cell cultures. Techniques of recombinant DNA: restriction enzymes, cloning and molecular vectors, transgenic organisms, PCR. From Sanger to Next Generation Sequencing.
Teaching methods
Lectures (Powerpoint presentations). For some topics, blackboard and youtube animation will be also used.
Reccomended or required readings
Molecole, Cellule e Organismi di Ginelli, Malcovati et al. Edises
Biologia Cellulare e Molecolare di G. Karp Edises
Biologia e Genetica di De Leo, Ginelli, Fasano Edises
Biologia Molecolare della cellula di B. Alberts et al Zanichelli
GENETICA di D. L. Hartl e E. W. Jones. Edises
iGENETICA di P.J. Russel Edises
Assessment methods
Written final test exam (11-13 questions; true/false answers), including 2/3 open questions. Each answer has a precise score and the final vote will be the proportional sum of score expressed in n/30 (in ex: total score=81/90; vote 27/30).
The questions will focus on the topics of lectures. The student has to demonstrate the acquisition of knowledge about the cell structure and mechanism that regulate its basic processes.
Further information
For communications and appointments with the teacher please use e-mail address: carla.olivieri@unipv.it
Sustainable development goals - Agenda 2030