15950 - Biology and Genetics

Academic Year 2022/2023

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Forli
  • Corso: Single cycle degree programme (LMCU) in Medicine and Surgery (cod. 5905)

Learning outcomes

About Biology, at the end of the course the student is able to relate the main functions of the cell with its structure. He knows cellular processes and has skills in the aspects of regulation: gene regulation and the main mechanisms that govern cell differentiation and specialization, regulation of mobility, concepts of communication between cells, regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis . Also in the study of human reproduction he knows the regulatory aspects. The student is able to apply the notions learned to face biomedical problems related to the regulation mechanisms and their eventual alteration.

About Genetics, at the end of the course, he acquired: knowledge of the fundamental concepts concerning genetic information and the mechanisms related to its conservation, expression and transmission; knowledge of the concept, structure and function of the gene and genome; knowledge of the characters linked to the different modes of transmission of hereditary characteristics, and to genetic variability: polymorphisms, mutations and population genetics; a methodology aware of the use of advanced molecular genetic technologies; the ability to apply the knowledge acquired to biomedical problems.

Course contents

BIOLOGY

Modern Biology introduction
The cellular and molecular biology.
Properties of living organisms; relationship between organisms and their environment.
The Biology Science evolution from cellular theory and microscopy to System Biology.
Genome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome: new topics in medical science.
Genomics and post-genomics methods and their medical applications.

The prokaryotic and the eukaryotic cells and their properties. The viruses.

The cell theory. Shape, size and structure of eukaryotic cells. Theories on the origin of life. Genes and genomes evolution. The origin of cellular organelles and multicellularity.

Criteria of classification of the organisms.

The genome information structure and the gene expression control

The nucleus: DNA, chromatin, chromosomes. The hypothesis of chromosomal territories. New informative codes: histone code and nucleosome code. Epigenetic: a new frontier in the cellular information knowledge.

Mechanisms of gene expression regulation. Levels of control: transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational and post-translational events.

The non coding genes: ncRNAs. Function in silencing of human genes.

Reproduction and Cell differentiation
Human reproduction and fertilization. The two main strategies: sexual and asexual reproduction.

Differentiation and gene expression during the early organisms development.
Cells interactions and communication. Cell-cell interactions (induction and lateral inhibition) and cytosolic determinants.

Cell division and cell death

The cell cycle: phases and mechanisms of control.
Cyclin dependent kinases and their function.

Mitosis and meiosis

Different pathways and functions between autophagy, necrosis and apoptosis.

Apoptosis: role in the organisms's homeostasis.

 

GENETICS

Gene and Genome

Introduction to genetics. History of Genetics.
Molecular structure of DNA and genetic information.
Gene: concept, structure and function. Evolution of trhe concept of "gene" and "code". Alternative ways of gene functioning.
Genome.
Gene families.
Tandem repeats.
Dispersed repeats (LINE, SINE, LTR and DNA transposons).

Laws of Heredity
Human karyotype.
The experiments of Mendel. Dominance, recessivity, homozygosis and heterozygosis.
Autosomic dominant inheritance.
Autosomic recessive inheritance.
Codominance. ABO system. Substance H and Bombay phenotype.
Rh system. Maternal-fetal incompatibility for the Rh blood group.
Genetic determination of sex. X and Y chromosomes.
Sex-linked inheritance. X-chromosome inactivation.
Linkage and crossing-over.
Mitochondrial inheritance.
Epigenetics.

Genetic variability
Mutation.
Effects of gene mutation.
Chromosome structure mutations.
Translocations.
Genomic mutations. Trisomy 21.

Multifactorial inheritance
Multifactorial inheritance.
Multifactorial traits.

Population Genetics
Law of Hardy-Weinberg.
Forces affecting the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

Readings/Bibliography

G. De Leo, E. Ginelli, S. Fasano. Biologia e genetica. Edises. IV edizione/2020.

B. Alberts, K. Hopkin, A. Johnson, D. Morgan, M. Raff, K. Roberts, P. Walter. L'essenziale di biologia molecolare della cellula. Zanichelli. V edizione/2020.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons and scientific papers.

Assessment methods

Oral examination.

The degree will be the weighted average of the two evaluations between "Biology and Genetics" and "Medical genetics".

Teaching tools

Slides, scientific papers, books.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Caracausi