15950 - Biology and Genetics (A)

Learning outcomes

As far as Biology is concerned, the student will learn how to relate the main cell functions with cell structure. The student will know the cellular processes and will acquire competences on their regulation: gene regulation, the main mechanisms of differentiation and cell specification, regulation of motility, cell-to-cell communication, cell cycle and apoptosis regulation. Also in the study of human reproduction enphasis will be on the regulation of the processes. The student will learn how to apply the acquired knowledge to biomedical problems concerning regulation mechanisms and their possible alterations.
As far as Genetics is concerned,  the student will acquire the basic concepts pertaining to genetic information and the mechanisms related to its conservation, expression and transmission; the concepts of gene and genoma, of their structure and their function; will know the phenomena related to the different features of character heredity and genetic variability; will know about polymorphisms, mutations, population genetics; will acquire the methodological bases of the use of advanced technologies in molecular genetics and the capacity of applying the acquired information to biomedical problems.

Course contents

The living matter; the properties of living beings; the Central Dogma in Biology; the cellular theory; living beings and environment. Living matter and its organization; the eukaryotic cell; the prokarotic cell; the viruses. Unity and diversity in life: criteria of classification ofliving beings; the evolution and its main steps; biogenesis of cellular organels. Information molecules: the biological role of DNA, RNA and proteins. The chromatin: its structure and its organization. Gene regulation: concept of gene regulation; chromatin and gene regulation; transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational and post-translational regulation in eukayotic organisms; protein degradation; differentiation. Inner membrane functions and their relationship with the plasma membrane: post-tradunslation modifications of proteins; protein sorting and transport. Cell motility: the cytosketeton and the regulation of cell motility. Cell-to-cell communication: cell-to-cell and cell-to-extracellular matrix commuication and signals. Mitosis and meiosis: molecular, cellular and oganismic duplication and reproduction; biological meaning of cell division; fenomenology of cell division processes. The cell cycle: cell cycle steps; control of cell cycle; apoptosis and cellular senescence. Reproduction of living beings: reproduction and sexuality; parasexual phenomena; sexual and asexual reproduction. Meiosis: Phases and regulation. Reproduction in the humans:: gametogenesis in the female and in the male and its regulation; the mature gametes; the fertilization.

The student will learn also: to utilize text books, web pages suggested by the teacher and additional material supplied by the teacher to study (and to get a deeper insight on) the different topics of cell biology; to integrate the knowledge acquired in cell biology with those that will be acquired in the course of molecular biology; to study autonomously, in order to deepen the knowledge of some topics; -to study critically, i.e. to compare the knowledge he/she will acquire within different frameworks, since for some sibjects more than a theory will be presented; to have a quantitave approach, and to solve simple problems; to communicate his/her own knowledge with clarity.

Readings/Bibliography

Reccomended:

There is no "ideal" textbook for our Biology course, however the Biology section of the following:

-De Leo G, Ginelli E, Fasano S, Biologia e Genetica, EDISES, II ed., with a chapter on the biology of reproduction,

comprises most of materials that will be studied..

Alternatives:

- Fantoni A, Bozzaro S, Del Sal G, Ferrari S, Tripodi M. Biologia cellulare e genetica: parte prima - Biologia cellulare. Piccin, 2009.

- Pollard TB., Earnshaw WC. Biologia Cellulare. Elsevier, Masson.

- Lewin B, Cassimeris L et al. Cellule. Zanichelli.

- Karp G. Biologia cellulare e molecolare.Edises.

- Alberts B et al. L'essenziale di biologia molecolare della cellula. Zanichelli.

- Cooper GM, Hausmann RE. La cellula: un approccio molecolare. Piccin.

- Becker WM, Kleinsmith LJ, Hardin J. Il mondo della cellula. Edises.

For consultation:

- Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K, Walter P. Biologia molecolare della cellula.Zanichelli.

- Lodish H, Berk A, Zipursky L, Matsudaira P, Baltimore D, Darnell J. Biologia molecolare della cellula. Zanichelli.

- Lewin B. Il gene VIII. Zanichelli.

In the site http://campus.cib.unibo.it all the lesson power point will be published, as well as supplemental learning materials, such as divulgative articles

Teaching methods

Lessons. More information and seminars in the tutoring hours.

Assessment methods

The final exam evaluates whether the student has achieved the goals of the course. In particular, whether the student:

- Knows the gene regulation of prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

- Understands how cellular signals regulate cell activities in pluricellular organisms

- Knows how cells perform and regulate main processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, senescence, and differentiation and main mechanisms underlying the possible alteration of such processes.

- Knows meiosis, male and female gametogenesis, fertilization, paying particular attention to regulative aspects

- Knows the experimental bases that allowed the acquisition of the above-mentioned knowledge

The final vote will be defined in an oral exam where the results obtained in Cell Biology and in Genetics will be averaged.

Teaching tools

Lessons are usually supported by images drawn from suggested text books; in the tutorial hours some movies and animations will be shown, the teacher will be available for additional explanation and some topics will be discussed in seminars by students themselves; a few easy scientific papers will be supplied, together with other didactic material

Office hours

See the website of Marina Marini