12946 - Molecular Biology

Learning outcomes

Students will know the fundamental concepts of molecular biology and basic molecular mechanisms of living organisms such as replication, transcription, translation and transcription regulation in bacteria.

Course contents

Introduction. The central dogma of molecular biology .

Part 1.

Nucleotide, nucleoside and base. Phosphodiester bond and nucleotide sequences. Base pairs and structure of double strand DNA. B structure, A and Z structures and secondary structures of DNA. Palindromic sequences. Replication and enzymes involved in the process. Bacteria replicon. Replication origins. Linear and circular DNAs. Plasmids and restriction endonucleases. Cloning, libraries and vectors.

Part 2.

Ribosomal, messanger and transfer RNAs. Primary, secondary and tertiary structures of RNA. Procaryotic RNA polymerases. Procaryotic transcription. Regulation of gene expression. Operons: trans factors and cis elements. Lac and Trp operons. Attenuation and termination of transcription.

Part 3.

Genetic code: codon and anticodon. mRNAs: structure and post-transcriptional modifications. Structure and function of tRNAs. Aminoacil-tRNA sintases. Ribosome structure. Translation factors and mechanisms.

Part 4.

Structure of eucaryotic genes: intron and exon. cDNAs and reverse transcription. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Cloning and expression of heterologous proteins in bacteria and yeasts. Expression vectors and shuttle vectors.

Readings/Bibliography

·B. Lewin, Gene VII, Zanichelli.

·Garrett & Grisham, Principi di Biochimica, Piccin.

·B. Alberts et al., Biologia Molecolare della Cellula, Zanichelli.

Teaching methods

Lectures with time for student questions.

Assessment methods

A written test with quiz and open questions and an oral examination.

Teaching tools

Projector, PC, Internet, blackboard and overhead projector

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Capranico