Uni description of Applied Genetic And Molecular Techniques
Nucleic acid structure: Review of nucleic acid structure and nomenclature, A, B, Z helices. Covalent modifications of nucleic acids, methylation.
Mutation at the molecular level: Gene expression and mutation. Genotype, phenotype and environment.
Gene cloning: Definition and applications. Case studies. Vectors and hosts. Enzymes as tools. Isolation of plasmid DNA. Digestion, separation and purification of fragments. Ligation and transformation. Analysis clones, selection and screening. Blue-white screening, phosphatase treatment, analysis of clones. Hybridisation, Southern/Northern blotting
Chemical properties of NA: acid hydrolysis, alkal ine hydrolysis of RNA, alkaline denaturation, urea/formamide denaturation, shearing, sonication.
Gene Libraries: cDNA, genomic libraries; principles of screening
PCR:Â principles and applications in cloning, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative-PCR.
DNA sequencing: principles of dideoxy sequencing – refinements and high-throughput sequencing
Guest lecture: "Next generation" sequencing technologies – current and future impact.
Mutation and pathway analysis: Gene symbols and description of mutants. Multiple alleles. One gene - one polypeptide hypothesis. Pathway analysis.
Molecular basis of complementation: Trans-complementation in haploids.
Molecular basis of dominance: Mo lecular basis for complete, incomplete and co-dominance.
Meiosis and gene segregation: The correlation of meiosis and Mendelian ratios. Single factor cross. Sex linkage, sex limitation.
Complementation in diploids: Two factor cross. Diploid trans-complementation test.
Molecular basis of gene interactions: Modifications to 9:3:3:1 explained in terms of biochemical pathways and regulatory genes. Pleiot ropy.
Mendelian Genetics: Pedigree analysis.
Organelle genomes: Organelle genomes: Structure, modified genetic code, segregation and non-Mendelian inheritance.
Basic eukaryotic linkage analysis: Introduction to recombination analysis, linkage maps.
Recombinant proteins: biotechnology, expression systems, purification, fusion proteins, site-directed mutagenesis, protein-protein interactions, reporter genes
Genetically modified organisms: Â transgenic animals and plants, targeted gene disruption (gene knockouts).
Medical applications:Â Molecular diagnostics
Ethics: Introduction to the et hical implications associated with applied genetics and molecular biology