Plant Genetics

Introduction to the course, review of mitosis, meiosis and life cicles of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Central dogma. DNA and RNA structure. DNA REPLICATION. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic chromosomes. Gene expression. TRANSCRIPTION. Structure of the gene in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. mRNA structure. Coupled transcription and translation in prokaryotes. RNA maturation in eukaryotes. Translation. Genetic code. Reading frame. Ribosomes and tRNAs. tRNA charging. TRANSLATION. MENDEL: experimental design and traits. First law. Genotype/phenotype. Dominant/recessive. Test-cross. X2 test. II law. Pedigree analysis. Chromosome theory of inheritance. SEX LINKAGE. Sex determination. Aneuploidy of sex chromosomes. X-chromosome inactivation. Sex linked traits in humans. GENETIC LINKAGE. Parentals/recombinants, cis/trans. Recombination frequency. Crossing-over. Construction of genetic maps: two-point testcrosses. Double corssovers. Three-point testcrosses. Interference and coincidence. GENE FUNCTION: Garrod's hypothesis of inborn errors of metabolism. Beadle and Tatum experiments. Complementation. Gene interactions. Pleiotropy. Incomplete dominance, codominance. Penetrance and expressivity. Effects of the environment on phenotype. Fundamental concepts of QUANTITATIVE GENETICS: normal distribution, mean, variance, heritability. GENETICS OF VIRUSES AND PHAGES. Lytic/lysogenic cycle. Transduction. RNA viruses. Retroviruses. Plant ssRNA viruses. MUTATION: somatic/germ-line mutation. Cytogenetics: methods. Chromosomal mutations. Deletions, duplications, inversions, translocations. Genomic mutations. Aneuploidy. Euploidy: autopoliploidy; allopoliploidy. Gene mutations. Base-pair substitution. Insertion/deletion (indel). Intragenic/intergenic suppressors. Spontaneous mutations. Mutation rate, mutation frequency. Effects of radiations and chemical mutagens. DNA repair mechanisms. REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION in prokaryotes: lac operon. Catabolite repression. Repression of the trp operon. RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY. Basic concepts of gene cloning. Biotechnological applications. Production of transgenic plants. POPULATION GENETICS. Mendelian population. Genetic structure: allelic and genotypic frequencies. Hardy-Weinberg law. Changes in genetic structure of populations: mutation, genetic drift, migration, natural selection. Fitness. Non-random mating. Brief introduction to breeding.