Microbial molecular genetics and genome dynamics 2600-MK-MMBIOL-2-S2

Lecture:
Genetic discoveries revealed by experiments conducted on bacteria and viruses. Genetics of phages and eucaryotic viruses - variety of genome structure and complexity. Genomes of (+)RN, (-)RNA, ambisense RNA, small and large DNAviruses, retroviruses, segmented and multiparticle viruses. Bacterial genomes - size, organization, gene and non-coding sequences content. Procaryotic genes - structure, organisation, regulation of transcription (promotor structure, structure of RNA polymerase, role of sigma subunit of RNAP, bactrial and phage repressors and activators, rho dependent and independent termination). Processing of tRNA and rRNA primary transcripts - 5' and 3' processing, base modifications. Procaryotic non-coding RNA. Mutations and DNA repair. Replication - origins of replication, enzymes involved in replicatio, mechanism of leading and lagging strand synthesis, decatenation of sister DNA circles. Homologous recombination - E.coli recombination proteins (RecA, RuvA and B, RecBCD). Site - specific recombination by theexamples of lambda phage integration, mating type switching, flagellar phase variation in Salmonella. Procaryotic transposones (IRs, Tns), role of repeated elements in transposition. Changeability of bacterial genomes causes by horizontal gene transfer (transformation, transduction, coniugation). Antibiotic resistance genes and their spreading.

Laboratory:
Analysis of bacterial genes in silico. Isolation of plasmid and chromosomal DNA from E.coli cells. Restriction enzymes and their appliaction. Polymerase chain reaction. Ligation. Bacterial cell transformation. Phylogeny of bacterial stringent response. Bioinformatic programmes testing and summary. Test.