00451 - Genetics

Learning outcomes

Main purpose of this course is to provide some basic knowledges of genetic methods and to explain necessary elements for understanding advanced genetic problems.

Course contents

DNA as the genetic material: experiments by Griffith, Avery-MacLeod-McCarty, and Hershey and Chase. The structure of DNA and RNA.

The semi-conservative mechanism of DNA replication: the experiment of Meselson e Stahl. Replication of circular DNA. Eukaryotic DNA replication. Mitosis and meiosis. Organization of DNA in chromosomes, chromatin structure.

Mendelian genetics, monohybrid crosses, crosses involving multiple loci, chi-squared test.

Chromosomal basis of inheritance, experiments by Morgan and Bridges. Sex determination and sex-linked characteristics, gene dosage compensation.

The gene function: the “one gene, one enzyme hypothesis”experiments by Beadle and Tatum on Neurospora crassa.

Extensions of mendelian genetic analysis, multiple alleles, lethal alleles, gene interaction, interaction of sex and heredity, interaction of genes and environment, Penetrance and expressivity. Temperature-sensitive alleles. Maternal effect.

Mendelian inheritance in humans, pedigree analysis.

Non-mendelian inheritance, mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Linked genes, recombination and genetic maps in eukaryotes.

Bacterial and viral genetics. Analysis of the fine structure of the gene, the experiments of Seymour Benzer .

The genetic code. Demonstration that the genetic code is a triplet code, the experiments by Crick and Brenner. Deciphering the genetic code. Characteristics of the genetic code.

Gene mutations. Chromosomal mutations: variation in chromosome structure and number.

Transposable elements: characteristics of transposable elements, transposable elements in bacteria, eukaryotic transposable elements. The discovery of the transposable elements, the experiments of di Barbara McClintock. Thasposable elements as vectors to obtain transgenic organisms.

The recombinant DNA technology: DNA coning, restriction enzymes, agarose gel elecrophoresis, restriction maps, construction of genomic libraries, PCR.

Regulation of gene expression.

Genetic analysis of development: the Drosophila model.

Readings/Bibliography

GENETICA: dall'analisi formale alla genomica.

Goldberg, Fischer, Hood e Hartwell.

Terza edizione italiana, Mac Graw Hill

 

Teaching methods

Lectures. Practical work in the lab (one credit). Attendance of the practical lab activity is  mandatory  to take the exam.

 

Assessment methods

The critical assessment of the student's preparation is carried out through a written and oral examinations. The written test aims at ascertaining the skills acquired in solving genetic problems relative to the program of the course; students are admitted to the oral exam upon passing the written exam. The oral exam is aimed to assess the knowledge of the content of the course. The final score takes into account both performances of the written and oral parts.

Teaching tools

power-point

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Perini