96961 - Agricultural and Environmental Genetics and Biotechnology

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you will have a basic understanding of plant biology and genome structure, including how genetic content and regulatory elements determine the phenotype of the plant organism and respond to environmental stimuli. You will have precise knowledge of the genetic basis of biodiversity in plant communities and how they evolve in natural and cultivated environments, for their management, use, and improvement. You will understand the basics of the mechanisms that regulate the transmission of qualitative and quantitative traits and the tools for evaluating the genetic structure of natural and artificial plant communities. You will know the main selective methodologies for self-pollinating, cross-pollinating, and vegetatively propagated plants. You will understand the genetic structure of cultivated varieties of self-pollinating, cross-pollinating, and polyploid plants. Additionally, you will have general and applied knowledge of genomic and biotechnological applications for the study, conservation, and use of genetic diversity, including molecular methods to estimate genetic diversity and population structure in natural and artificial populations. Characterization and conservation of germplasm using molecular methods. Population genetics. You will also be provided with the basics of classical genetic engineering and recent applications of cisgenesis and gene editing (CRISPR-CAS) in plants. Finally, you will be informed about the main techniques of genetic improvement of plants of environmental interest, biotechnological applications for productive and sustainable agriculture, and the use of plants as biofactories, biorefineries, and for bioremediation.

Course contents

PART I: DNA Structure and Organization. Lectures 1-3 

• Nucleic acids: composition, structure, and biochemistry.

• Organization of DNA: chromosomes, chromatin, repeated sequences, and transposable elements.

• DNA replication.

• Gene structure.

• Transcription and translation of DNA into proteins.

• Regulation of gene expression.

PART II: Classical or Mendelian Genetics and Mutations. Lectures 4-7

• Developmental cycles: Mitosis and meiosis.

• Genetic variability: Crossing-over, random segregation of paternal and maternal chromosomes, zygote formation.

• Mendel's laws.

• Chromosomal theory of inheritance.

• Incomplete dominance and codominance, multiple alleles, penetrance and expressivity, epistasis.

• Gene linkage and genetic and physical maps.

• Genomic, chromosomal, and gene mutations. Polyploidy. 

PART III: Genetics of Quantitative Traits and Reproductive Systems of Plants. Lectures 8-9

• Genetics of quantitative traits. Johannsen's experiment, Nilsson-Ehle and East experiments.

• Population genetics, allele frequencies, Hardy-Weinberg law.

• Plant reproductive systems. Sexual and asexual reproduction, sex determination, and self-incompatibility.

• Origin of cultivated plants and genetic structure.

PART IV: Plant Biotechnology. Lectures 10-12

• Basic recombinant DNA techniques (Restriction enzymes, PCR, cloning...).

• Genetic and molecular markers and Marker Assisted Selection.

• DNA and RNA sequencing techniques.

• Introduction to genetic engineering and New Genomic Techniques. 

Readings/Bibliography

Russell PJ et al GENETICA AGRARIA. EdiSES, 2016.

iGENETICA – FONDAMENTI (Peter J Russell, Edizione italiana a cura di Bellenchi, Gigliani, Ponti, EdiSES srl, Napoli).

Peter J. Russell . “GENETICA Un approccio molecolare” Edit. Pearson

Genetica. G. Binelli, D. Ghisotti. Edit. EdiSES (2023)

BIOTECNOLOGIE MOLECOLARI – PRINCIPI E TECNICHE. (Brown TA, 2017, Zanichelli).

MIGLIORAMENTO GENETICO DELLE PIANTE AGRARIE (F. Lorenzetti et al. 2017, Edagricole, Milano).

Review articles and slides presented in class.

Teaching methods

The course is structured into 12 lectures for a total of 30 hours. The topics covered are distributed across 4 teaching units, as per the program. The lectures may be supplemented with laboratory practice. 

Assessment methods

The course is part of the Integrated Course SISTEMI ERBACEI SOSTENIBILI E BIOTECNOLOGIE (C.I.) together with the following course 96960 - SISTEMI ERBACEI SOSTENIBILI E PER LA PROTEZIONE DEL TERRITORIO. Therefore, the evaluation of the integrated course takes into account the level of knowledge and skills acquired by the student regarding the contents of the two aforementioned courses. The learning of the Elements of Agricultural Genetics course is assessed through an oral exam.

Teaching tools

The lecture slides are made available by the instructor. Bibliographic material is available at the University Library System and provided on the platform.

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Camerlengo