AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
Department of Food 
Science & Human Nutrition

Molecular Biology

Content

1) Genes are DNA. (Structure of B-DNA. DNA is a double helix. Nucleic acids hybridize by base pairing. Supercoiling affects the structure of DNA)
2) The interrupted Gene (exon, intron, exons are conserved)
3) Messenger (mRNA) and Transfer RNA (tRNA) (The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology, mRNA life cycle. monocistronic, polycistronic, the cloverleaf secondary structure, specific base modifications)
4) Protein synthesis: The ribosome (structure, initiation stage, elongation stage and termination stage, the translation factors)
5) The Genetic Code (structure, origin, wobble hypothesis, mutations)
6) Transcription (bacterial RNA polymerase, promoter, sigma factors)
7) The operon (positive or negative regulation, the lac operon, the E. coli tryptophan operon is controlled by attenuation, autogenous regulation).
8) Regulatory RNAs. miRNAs and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes
9) The replicon (replication fork, origin of replication)
10) DNA replication is a complex process (the replication machinery, DNA polymerase, primase, ligase, methylation)
11) Chromosomes (the bacterial genome, euchromatin, heterochromatin, banding patterns)
12) Nucleosomes ((DNA is coiled in arrays of nucleosomes , the histone octamer, histone variants, the chromatin fiber, transcription)
13) Promoters utilized by RNA polymerase II (promoter elements, enhancers, silencers, CG islands)
14) RNA splicing and processing πο(RNA splicing, alternative splicing, the spliceosome, eukaryotic mRNA is modified, polyadenylation, 5-capping)

Learning results

On completion of the course the student should:

  • Gain in-depth understanding of the molecular basis of information flow from DNA and understand how the genes are regulated
  • Be able to discuss the processes of DNA replication, transcription, protein synthesis and processing
  • Acquire knowledge towards to some methods and experimental techniques used in biological research
  • Be able to analyze, evaluate and decide on a case by case applicability of appropriate molecular tools for fingerprinting analyses
  • improved their capacity for critical thinking through a detailed analysis and evaluation of scientific concepts, experimental designs and literature review
  • gain expertise in data handling associated with mastering graphics, word processing software packages and statistics
  • Develop critical thinking and presentation skills by delivering a report and presenting a scientific paper
  • understand how advances in molecular biology technologies can be used to produce high value industrial products (nutraceuticals, cosmetics, agrochemicals, medicinal materials) and contribute to modern society’s health and well-being

Bibliography

1. Genes VIII, Ελληνική Μετάφραση, Ομάδα συγγραφέων, 2004, Εκδόσεις Μπάσδρα και ΣΙΑ ΟΕ. Αλεξανδρούπολη
2. I-Genetics, Ελληνική Μετάφραση, Ομάδα συγγραφέων, 2009, Εκδόσεις Μπάσδρα και ΣΙΑ ΟΕ. Αλεξανδρούπολη
3. The Cell, A Molecular Approach, 5th Edition, G.M. Cooper and R.E. Hausman, Eds, 2009, Sinauer Assosciates, Inc. Publishing, USA
4. Βασικές αρχές Μοριακής Βιολογίας, ΒΕ Tropp, Ελληνική Μετάφραση, Ομάδα συγγραφέων, 2014, Εκδόσεις Μπάσδρα και ΣΙΑ ΟΕ. Αλεξανδρούπολη

Συναφή επιστημονικά περιοδικά:
Nature, Science, Cell, Plant Molecular Biology, The Plant Cell, Gene, PNAS USA, Molecular Cell Biology, Current Biology , Plant Journal, New Phytologist, Molecular Plant, eLife, Nature Plants, Plants, Developmental Cell, J. Experimental Botany, Trends in Plant Science, EMBO J.

NEWSLETTER

The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (renamed Department of Food Science and Technology, Decree 80/27/5/13, Government Gazette A119 28/5/13) offers its students the scientific background for a rational approach to scientific and technological issues related to the food sector.
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