Molecular and Cellular Biology

General characterization

Prerequisites

No prerequisites.

Bibliography

Molecular Cell Biology

Lodish H, Berk A, Kaiser CA, Krieger M, Bretscher A, Ploegh H, Amon A, Scott MP

7th Ed. WH Freeman & Company, NY, 2012

 

. Molecular Biology of the Cell

Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K, Walter P

5th Ed. Garland Science, NY, 2007

 

. The World of the Cell

Hardin J, Bertoni GP, Kleinsmith LJ, ,

8th Ed. Benjamin Cummings Publ. Co., 2010

 

. The Cell. A molecular Approach

Cooper GM, Hausman RE

5th Ed. Sinauer Associates Inc., 2009

 

. Principles of Cell Biology 3rd Edition

.Biologia Celular e Molecular 

Ed. Carlos Azevedo e Cláudio Sunkel. Ed Lidel

 

. Scientific papers

Teaching method

Theoretical lectures with audiovisual projections.
Theoretical-practical classes for solving exercises, problems, and case studies.

Evaluation method

A) Rules for MCB 2024-2025

Students can only switch theoretical-practical (TP) groups in exceptional and well-justified cases. The change requires prior authorization from the instructors.
Communication between instructors and students, as well as the availability of teaching materials for theoretical (T) and TP classes, will be conducted via Moodle. Students must register on the Moodle page using the credentials provided by the instructors.
The rules for evaluation and attendance for the course are recorded in CLIP.
EVALUATION METHODOLOGY
The Molecular and Cellular Biology course is divided into two modules: Molecular Biology (MB) module and Cellular Biology (CB) module. Since each module is taught by a different instructor, the specific functioning of T and TP classes may differ. However, the general rules for course operation and evaluation are consistent across both modules.

A) Course Attendance:

To obtain attendance for the course, students must attend at least 2/3 of the classes taught in each module.
To monitor attendance, presence in TP classes is recorded by signing an attendance sheet. The instructor may also call roll.
Delays of more than 15 minutes will prevent the student from being admitted to the TP class, resulting in an absence. Leaving the class more than 15 minutes before it ends has the same effect. All early departures must be communicated to the instructors.
Medical certificates and other valid justifications for absences will only be accepted if submitted during the class in the week immediately following the day of the absence.
Working students, and other exceptional cases who do not attend TP classes, must complete an oral evaluation (arranged with the instructors) to obtain course attendance.
Course attendance and theoretical-practical evaluations are valid for three consecutive years. After this period, students must attend TP classes and complete the evaluation elements proposed for 24/25. In this academic year (24/25), students who obtained attendance in 21/22 will lose it.
B) Course Evaluation

B.1) Evaluation Rules

The final grade for the course (on a scale of 0 to 20 points) is the sum of the scores from three evaluation components:

i) Theoretical/Theoretical-Practical Evaluation (70% = 14 points):
A written test for individual assessment of knowledge from theoretical and theoretical-practical classes in each module (MB and CB). The final score for this component is the arithmetic mean of the two test scores, rounded to one decimal place. Passing requires a minimum score of 7.0/14 points (50%) on the average of the two tests.
The test dates are announced at the beginning of the classes and scheduled in CLIP. There are no alternative dates or retakes for any of the tests.
Alternatively, students can pass the course by taking a final exam (Resit Period) – scheduled in CLIP. The resit exam will cover content from both modules (MB and CB), with each module accounting for 50% of the exam score. Passing requires a minimum score of 7.0/14 points (50%) on the overall resit exam score.

ii) Continuous Evaluation (Theoretical-Practical) (30% = 6 points):
The score for this component comes from two group projects during the semester on topics proposed by the instructors. Each project has a final score of 3 points.
The specific rules for the projects will be announced at the beginning of the semester.
There is no minimum score or requirement to complete these projects.

B.2) Conditions for Passing

To pass, students must have attendance, a score of 7.0/14 points or higher in the theoretical/theoretical-practical component (through tests or resit exam), and a final grade resulting from the sum of the two evaluation components equal to or higher than 9.5 points.

Exame de Recurso

An individual assessment of knowledge from theoretical and theoretical-practical classes. It is intended for students who failed (final grade below 9.5 points) but have course attendance, or for students who wish to improve their theoretical/theoretical-practical evaluation score.
The resit exam, whether for passing or improvement, must be taken in full, i.e., both the MB and CB modules. Partial improvements in any of these modules are not allowed.

Subject matter

T classes – Molecular Biology

A. Nucleic acids
- Structure and composition of nucleic acids
- DNA as the genetic material
- DNA base pairing and supercoiling
- DNA topologic forms
- Gene organization in chromosomes
- Genomes of model organisms and organels
- Plasmids, definition and functions

B. DNA replication
- Basic mechanism and enzymology
- Semi- discontinuous replication
- Bacterial and eukaryotic DNA polymerases
- Priming, elongation and termination process
- DNA damage and repair

C. Transcription process
C.1. Gene structure and transcription in bacteria
- E. coli RNA polymerase.
- Iniciation, sigma factors, elongation and termination.
C.2. Eukaryotic transcription
- RNA polymerases
- Promoters and enhancers
- General transcription factors
- Chromatin structure and regulation
- RNA Processing: exons and introns, splicing, capping, polyadenylation

D. Translation process
- Ribosome structure and function
- Initiation, elongation and termination
- Genetic code
- Results from DNA modifications

TP classes – Molecular Biology

Class 1. DNA extraction methods
- Phenolic extraction
- Plasmid extraction

Class 2. DNA analysis - part I
- Agarose gel electrophoresis
- Restriction mapping

Class 3. DNA analysis - part II
- UV-vis spectroscopy

Class 4. PCR – DNA amplification – part I
- amplification conditions
- polymerases

Class 5. PCR – DNA amplification – part II
- primer design

Class 6. Molecular cloning
- Molecular cloning in E. coli
- DNA transformation

 

T classes – Cell Biology

1. The eukaryotic cell

. The cell theory

. Major structural differences between eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells

. The eukaryotic cell as a fundamental tissue unit and as a boundary unit of the various organelles

. The main eukaryotic cell organelles

2. Cell Membrane and Biological Transport

. Structure and composition of cell membranes: Fluid Mosaic Model

. Different types of active and passive transport

. Ion channels and membrane transporters

. Important gradients in physiological processes

. Integration and interplay of transport activity in a cell

. Distribution of transporters and cell function

3. Characterization of eukaryotic cell organelles

3.1. Endomembranous system:

. Subcellular location, relative size, structure and function of smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus

. The role of the rough endoplasmic reticulum in protein synthesis

. Transport and sorting of proteins through the endoplasmic reticulum and the different cisterns of the Golgi apparatus

. Classic protein secretion pathway

3.2. Lysosomes:

. Structural and functional characterization of lysosomes

. Transport via the Golgi trans network and lysosome formation

. Lysosome maturation

. Lysosomal acid hydrolases

. Lysosomes involved in nutrition and cell defense processes: characterization of different types of autophagy (macroautophagy, microautophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy)

. The importance of autophagy in physiological and pathological processes

3.3. Peroxisomes:

. Structural and functional characterization of peroxisomes

. Peroxisome formation

. Importance of peroxisomes in metabolic pathways

. Changes in peroxisomal activity and relationship to pathologies

3.4. Mitochondria:

. Structural and functional characterization of mitochondria

. Mitochondrial genome

. Regulation of the active mitochondrial population (fission, fusion and mitophagy)

. Pathological changes related to loss of mitochondrial homeostasis

. The central role of mitochondria in metabolism and cell death by apoptosis.

4. Intracellular Signaling and Signal Transduction Mechanisms

. Communication by extracellular signals and types of extracellular signals.

. Main intracellular signaling pathways and signal transduction: Signaling by intracellular receptors (receptors of cholesterol-derived ligands) and signaling by cell surface receptors (receptors linked to the activity of G proteins).

. Methods of identification, characterization and modulation of some signal transduction pathways through the presentation of practical cases.

5. Cytoskeleton:

. Structural and functional characterization of the cytoskeleton

. Microtubules, microfilaments (actin filaments) and intermediate filaments. Intracellular transport dependent on motor proteins (kinesins and dyneins)

. Participation of cytoskeleton elements in cell homeostasis

 

TP classes – Cell Biology

Solving exercises and problems, and searching for current scientific literature, individually or in groups, on the subject of the previous theoretical class:

. Eukaryotic cell and cell membrane

. Endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus

. Lysosomes and peroxisomes

. Mitochondria

. Cell signaling pathways

. Cytoskeleton

 

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: