Molecular Biology C
Objectives
The different molecular processes that ensure the viability of a cellular unit and the main molecular components that perform these functions will be taught in the curricular unit of Molecular Biology C.
After the frequency of this discipline, which is focused on the processes through which the hereditary information in a cell unit is duplicated, and transmitted to its offspring, and in the processes through which this hereditary information is converted into chains of amino acids that will define the different characteristics of a cell, students should be able to:
1. Identify the different components that are found in different cell types.
2. Describe the experiments by which the DNA molecule has been identified as a determinant for hereditary information.
3. Identify the chemical composition of the DNA molecule, its structure and its organization within a cellular unit.
4. Describe the DNA replication process, the mechanisms that ensure the reliability of this process and how the different elements involved in this process can be used in the laboratory.
5. Describe the process by which the information encoded in the DNA molecule is converted into RNA (transcription) and protein (translation).
6. Identify the mechanisms that ensure the regulation of the genetic expression.
7. Describe how genetic information is organized in the genome, identifying the major differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
8. Understand Molecular Biology in the context of Biology (its distinctive features and the chronology of major milestones).
General characterization
Code
10521
Credits
3.0
Responsible teacher
Sérgio Joaquim Raposo Filipe, Vasco Temudo e Melo Cabral Barreto
Hours
Weekly - 1
Total - 25
Teaching language
Português
Prerequisites
The Molecular Biology C unit has no requirements.
Bibliography
Molecular Biology of the Cell; Alberts et al.; 6th edition (2015). Garland Science, Taylor & Francis Group, New York.
Slides and documents presented in the lecture classes and in the theoretical-practical classes, including 10 classical articles in Molecular Biology.
Access to websites of associations such as the American Society for Microbiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, etc. with content related to the topics taught in class.
Additional Bibliography
Biologia Celular e Molecular; C. Azevedo, C. E.; 5th edition (2012). Lidel, Porto.
Molecular Cell Biology; Lodish et al.; 8th edition (2016). W. H. Freeman
Molecular Biology of Assemblies and Machines; Steven et al.; 1ª edição (2016) Garland Science
Teaching method
Available soon
Evaluation method
Available soon
Subject matter
The course program, which will be taught in the theoretical classes, can be grouped into three main groups:
Topic 1: Organization of DNA/Chromosome/Genome
1. Molecular components of cells and their functions.
2. Structure and chemical composition of different nucleic acids.
3. Experiments that demonstrate how DNA is responsible for heredity.
4. Characterization of the DNA present in a cellular unit (composition, organization and packaging).
Topic 2: DNA Replication, Mutation, Repair and Recombination.
5. Mechanisms used to ensure the high fidelity of the process that duplicate the DNA (replication) in a cell unit and in the laboratory.
6. Concept of spontaneous and induced mutations.
7. Examples of mutation repair systems.
Topic 3: Conversion of the DNA code into a protein
8. Processes that cells use, and their regulation, to read information encoded their genome: (1) from DNA to RNA (transcription); (2) RNA for protein (translation).
9. Effects of DNA modification and mutagenesis.
10. Examples of reverse transcription.
11. Control of gene expression.
Problems associated with the topics taught in the theoretical class of the previous week will be solved in each of theoretical-practical classes.
Programs
Programs where the course is taught: