MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Learning outcomes of the course unit
Provide students in the second year of the advanced course the fundamental concepts regarding the molecular mechanisms of transmission of genetic information
Prerequisites
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Exams in general chemistry, preparatory biochemistry, physical biochemistry and general biology
Course contents summary
- Genes and chromosomes: chromosomal elements, dimension and structure of the DNA molecule, supercoiling of DNA, chromatin and nucleotide structure.
- Metabolism of DNA: replication, repair, recombination.
- Metabolism of RNA: DNA-dependent synthesis of RNA, RNA modifications following transcription, RNA-dependent RNA and DNA synthesis
- Protein metabolism: genetic code, protein synthesis, transport to destination and protein degradation.
- Regulation of genetic expression: principles of genic regulation, regulation of genic expression in prokaryotes, regulation of genic expression in eukaryotes.
- Technology of recombinant DNA: DNA cloning: basic techniques, isolating a gene from a cellular chromosome, applications of recombinant DNA.
Recommended readings
Nelson, Cox: I principi di biochimica di Lehninger, 3. ed., Zanichelli 2002.
Watson et al. Molecular biology of the gene, V/e Benjamin Cummings Pub. Co. 2004
