GENERAL BIOLOGY AND BIOLOGY OF MICROORGANISMS 1

Module APPLIED BIOLOGY

The course aims to provide information to understand the general principles on which life is based. The main educational purposes of the course are the following:
-a knowledge of chemical and molecular fundaments of life
-the study of cell structure and function
-a knowledge of the basic mechanisms of transmission of the genetic information
-the study of the principles of development and differentiation
-a basic knowledge of the biological Kingdoms and of the most relevant model organisms in biotechnology and biomedicine

The main abilities the students should obtain are the following:
- understanding and learning the chemical and molecular bases of life, applying them to the study
of structures and functions of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
- acquiring the basic information about the mechanisms of replication, transmission and expression of genetic information
- understanding and learning the basic principles of energy production and transformation in living cells
- understanding the basic mechanisms of development and differentiation, applying them to more advanced studies of cell biology and biotechnology
- acquiring basic information about living Kingdoms and on the most relevant model organisms in biotechnology and biomedicine
- develop an ability to communicate the acquired information using a correct terminology
- develop the ability to synthesize the relevant information and to analyse in a logic and critical way the acquired information

The course is organized in 35 hours of frontal teaching through lectures with the aid of slides and videos, and 12 hours of practice exercises

If the teaching is given in mixed or remote mode, some necessary changes could be introduced with respect to what was previously stated, in order to comply the program foreseen and reported in the syllabus.

The student must have acquired the basic knowledge in the field of Biology provided by the normal high school curricula.

Mandatory attendance. Attendance of the course is required for at least 70% of the lessons to be admitted to the final exam of the course.

·                     Course Introduction

Prebiotic chemistry and the origin of life: Miller and Urey's experiment. The RNA world.

Properties of living systems: cell theory, emergent properties, genetic information, metabolic activity, energy flow and matter cycle, reproduction and development, evolution.

Biodiversity: notes on the origin of life and biological evolution. Classification of living organisms into domains and kingdoms.

·                     Generalities on the chemistry of living organisms

The importance of water in living organisms.

The main biological molecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids.

·                     Viruses

Definition of virus. DNA and RNA viruses. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic viruses.

·                     The cell: structure and organization

Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell organization.

The biological significance of compartmentalization in eukaryotic cells. The organelles of eukaryotic cells. The cytoskeleton. Main differences between animal and plant eukaryotic cells.

·                     The cell nucleus

Structure of the nucleus of the eukaryotic cell. Chromatin and chromosomes.

·                     Biological membranes: structure

Lipid, carbohydrate and protein components. The cell membrane: the model of Singer and Nicholson. The cell membrane and inflammation. Biological meaning of glycocalyx in the cell membrane.

·                     Transport across the cell membrane

Passive and active transport. ATPase pumps. The symport and the antiport. The sodium-potassium pump.

·                     Mitochondria

Structure of the mitochondria. The mitochondrial genome. Endosymbiont theory.

·                     Signal Transduction

Definition of receptor: membrane receptors and intracellular receptors. Signal transduction mediated by: (i) G protein-associated receptors; (ii) receptors with enzymatic activity; (iii) ion channel-associated receptors. Glucagon pathway. Acetylcholine pathway. Ras/MAPK pathway. Receptor desensitization. Extracellular vesicles

·                     Flow of genetic information

DNA replication. Structure of the class I, II and III genes. Transcription. Genetic code and protein synthesis.

·                     Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes

Epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Transcriptional regulation. Post-transcriptional regulation: splicing, alternative splicing, non-coding RNAs. Post-translational regulation.

·                     Cell cycle

Definition of the cell cycle. Outline of cell cycle regulation. The biological significance of pRb and p53. Mitosis and meiosis. The biological importance of meiosis for genetic variability and evolution.

·                     Apoptosis

General definition and biological significance of apoptosis. Intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis.

·                     Stem cells and blood cells

Stem cells: definition and classification. Hematopoietic stem cells and blood cells

Hillis et al., Fondamenti di Biologia - Zanichelli

Savada et al., Elementi di Biologia e Genetica

It is important to use last issue/edition of the indicated volumes.

Verification of learning will take place with an oral exam at the end of the course.

For the assignment of the final grade, the following parameters will be taken into account: Grade 29-30 laude: the student has an in-depth knowledge of General Biology, can promptly and correctly integrate and critically analyze the situations presented, independently solving problems even of high complexity; has excellent communication skills and masters scientific language. Grade 26-28: the student has a good knowledge of General Biology, manages to integrate and analyze in a critical and linear way the situations presented, manages to solve complex problems quite autonomously and exposes the topics clearly using an appropriate scientific language; Grade 22-25: the student has a good knowledge of General Biology, although limited to the main topics; manages to integrate and analyze in a critical but not always linear way the situations presented and exposes the arguments in a fairly clear way with a discrete language property; Grade 18-21: the student has the minimum knowledge of General Biology, has a modest ability to integrate and critically analyze the situations presented and exposes the topics in a sufficiently clear way although the property of language is poorly developed; Exam not passed: the student does not have the minimum required knowledge of the main contents of the course. The ability to use the specific language is very little or nothing and is not able to independently apply the acquired knowledge. The assessment of learning can also be carried out electronically, if the conditions require it.

Information for students with disabilities and / or SLD

To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the laws in force, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and / or dispensatory measures, based on the didactic objectives and specific needs. It is also possible to contact the CInAP contact person (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and / or SLD) of the Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences.

Structure and function of membranes

Role of mitochondria

structure of the genetic code

Structure of the human genome