This course aims to provide an overview of the fundamental molecular mechanisms governing the plants' growth, development, and stress response. At the end of the course, the student should reach the ability to: • Analyze and critically evaluate sets of experimental data in genetics and molecular biology, aiming to isolate and study gene expression in the model plant Arabidopsis. • Explain the function of the key genes involved in cell differentiation and plant development from embryogenesis to the reproductive phase. • Describe the perception and signaling of hormones. • Describe the molecular mechanisms involved in the plant response to abiotic and biotic stresses.
Course Prerequisites
Students should have a basic knowledge of plant biology, genetic and molecular biology
Teaching Methods
Class lectures 48 h PowerPoint presentations will be used during lectures. PowerPoint presentations will be provided to the students through the e.learning platform
Assessment Methods
The final exam is an oral exam on at least two topics among those presented during lectures. A further question will concern the experimental strategies discussed during the course.
The following criteria will be used to verify the knowledge and skills acquired: 1) the understanding of the covered topics; 2) the ability to interconnect the acquired knowledge; 3) the completeness of the acquired knowledge; 4) the use of proper terminology; 5) Active participation in the classroom during the course (questions, comments)
Contents
• Nuclear genome: levels of organization, size, polyploidy, repeats, transposons. Arabidopsis thaliana: a model plant for plant molecular analysis. Plastid and mitochondrial genomes. • Regulation of plant gene expression: cis and trans elements, microRNA. Epigenetics. • An overview of some methods for the study of gene expression: overexpression and gene inactivation (RNA antisense and RNA interference). Classical and insertional mutagenesis. Gene tagging, promoter trapping, enhancer trapping, and activating tagging. Reverse genetics: isolation of an insertional mutant in the gene of interest • Gene regulation during development: embryogenesis, vegetative growth, and flower induction, flower development. • Plant-growth regulators: perception, signal transduction pathways, and physiological effects of auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, ethylene, and abscisic acid • Plant molecular response to abiotic stresses: cold and heat stress, water stress and flooding. Responses to biotic stress: Constitutive and Inducible defenses (Hypersensitive response); Systemic defenses (SAR).
Course Language
Italian
More information
To arrange an appointment via mail: candida.vannini@uninsubria.it
