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2022/2023

Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes

Code: 101978 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500890 Genetics OT 4 1

Contact

Name:
Inmaculada Ponte Marull
Email:
inma.ponte@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Other comments on languages

L'activitat formativa dels seminaris es treballarà íntegrament en anglès, Seminar classes will work entirely in English.

Teachers

Maria Plana Coll
Alicia Roque Cordova

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites to follow the course successfully.

Nonetheless, it would be desirable if students were familiar with basic knowledge of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Genetics, Celular Biology and Animal Physiology.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The training objectives are that the student, at the end of the subject, will be able to:

  • Describe the structural aspects of chromatin, the factors that regulate it and its role in the regulation of gene expression.
  • To know the strategies used in the identification of the mechanisms for the control of the gene expression in eukaryotes.
  • Describe the most significant types of transcription factors in the control of gene expression and the mechanisms that regulate them in response to intracellular and extracellular signals.
  • To know the mechanisms for controlling the translation and the stability and activation of mRNAs in response to cellular demands, embryonic development and their alterations in various pathologies.
  • Explain the functional interrelationship in the various mechanisms of gene expression control during proliferation, cell differentiation and embryonic development, as well as to meet energy demands in various physiopathological situations.
  • Learn how to apply the knowledge studied and the information in the databases to solve quantitative and quantitative problems related to their alterations in pathological situations, especially to genetic diseases with a higher prevalence in our population.
  • Know how to design experiments, including the limitations of the experimental approach, interpret the experimental results, apply the computer resources for the search of specialized information, the treatment of the data and the communication of the results to the scientific community.

Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values. 
  • Apply knowledge of theory to practice.
  • Apply scientific method to problem solving.
  • Be able to analyse and synthesise.
  • Be able to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
  • Describe and identify the structural and functional characteristics of nucleic acids and proteins including their different organisational levels.
  • Describe epigenetic mechanisms.
  • Describe the genetic bases of the development and control of genic expression.
  • Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands. 
  • Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge. 
  • Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Understand and describe the structure, morphology and dynamics of the eukaryotic chromosome during the cell cycle and meiosis.
  • Use and manage bibliographic information or computer or Internet resources in the field of study, in one's own languages and in English.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values. 
  2. Apply knowledge of theory to practice.
  3. Apply scientific method to problem solving.
  4. Be able to analyse and synthesise.
  5. Be able to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
  6. Describe the mechanisms and genetic consequences of epigenetic modifications.
  7. Describe the mechanisms for regulating genic expression in viruses, bacteria and eukaryotes.
  8. Describe the organisation of genetic material throughout the cell cycle.
  9. Describe the processes of replication, transcription, translation and regulation of genes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
  10. Enumerate and describe the basic mechanisms of pattern-forming in animals.
  11. Explain the role of tool genes in development.
  12. Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands. 
  13. Relate the structure of nucleic acids with their biological functions.
  14. Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge. 
  15. Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  16. Use and manage bibliographic information or computer or Internet resources in the field of study, in one's own languages and in English.

Content

Topic 1: Levels of control of gene expression in eukaryotes.

Introduction. Description of the different levels of gene expression controls. Methods for their study.

Topic 2: Structure of chromatin

The nucleosome. Histone variants Post-translational modifications of histones. Fiber of 30 nm. Structural and functional chromatin domains. Methylation of DNA.

Topic 3: Rol of the chromatin structure in the control of eukaryotic gene expression. Alterations in DNA methylation of active or potentially active genes. Modifications of histones in chromatin of active or potentially active genes (Histone Code). Chromatin structure changes in active and potentially active genes. Remodeling complexes.

Topic 4: Control of transcription. Transcription: control mechanisms in the formation of the initiation and elongation complex Transcription factors and control mechanisms in response to biological signals. End of transcription.

Topic 5: Transcription factors. Structural characteristics. General action mechanisms on transcription. Activation of transcription factors. Response models of transcription factors to intracellular and extracellular signals.

Topic 6: Post-transcriptional processing. Transport and stability of mRNA. Maturation of mRNA (capping / polyadenylation / splicing). Core-cytosol export of mRNAs and mechanisms that control it. Cytoplasmic distribution of mRNA: localization of translation. Storing mRNA in the cytosol and mRNA activation. Controlling the stability and degradation of mRNAs: Importance of siRNA and miRNA.

Topic 7: Translation and mechanisms to control it. Stages and levels of translation control. Control of translation in response to intracellular and extracellular signals: Importance of the structural elements present in the mRNA. Alternative mechanism of initiation of translation in eukaryotesand factors that control them.

Topic 8: Post-translational control. Control of protein stability and degradation. Factors that influence the proteome: post-translational modifications and their control.

Topic 9: Control of gene expression in cellular development and differentiation. Control of gene expression in embryonic development. Cell specification and control of gene expression specific to the cell type.

Topic 10: Gene expression and cancer. Oncogene and tumor suppression genes: Cell mechanisms that affect their expression.

Topic 11: Gene regulation and human diseases. Transcription, post-transcriptional processing and human diseases. Structure of chromatin, human diseases. Infectious diseases and gene expression.

 

Methodology

Teaching methodology consists of theory classes (30 H), seminars (15) and tutorials (5) (group and individual)

Seminar classes will work entirely in English.

 

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Seminar 15 0.6 3, 2, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 11, 13, 5, 4, 16
Theory classes 30 1.2 3, 2, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 11, 13, 4
Tutorials 5 0.2 3, 2, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 11, 13, 4, 16
Type: Supervised      
Preparation of a seminar 15 0.6 3, 2, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 11, 13, 5, 4, 16
Type: Autonomous      
Autonomous study 74 2.96 3, 2, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 11, 13, 5, 4, 16

Assessment

Theory Classes  Evaluation

75% of the overall grade corresponds to the evaluation of theory classes. There will be 3 written examinations of a weight of 25% each.

So that the qualification of each theory part can be compensated with the one of the other it will be necessary that the note obtained in each partial theory is equal to or greater than 3.5 (out of 10). In the case of not achieving this qualification in each one of the partial ones, the student will have to present himself to a ratake process. To be eligible for the retake process, the student should have been previously evaluated in a set of activities equaling at least two thirds of the final score of the course or module. 

Seminar Classes Evaluation

25% of the overall grade corresponds to the evaluation of the seminar activity: 10% work and presentation with the group and 15% individual written test.

 
General consideration
 
The student will be graded as "No Avaluable" if the weighthin of all conducted evaluation activities is less than 67% of the final score.
 

 

 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Partial exams of theory (3) 25% each (Total 75%) 4 0.16 1, 15, 14, 3, 2, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 5, 4, 16
Seminar: written work and oral presentation in group 10% 5 0.2 3, 2, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 11, 13, 5, 4, 16
Written test about the content of seminars 15% 2 0.08 2, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 11, 13, 5, 4, 16

Bibliography

Carey, M., Smale, S.T. "Transcriptional Regulation in Eukaryotes: Concepts, Strategies, and Techniques (2000). eBook eBook | 2000

Michael F. Carey, Craig L. Peterson, and Stephen T. Smale  "Transcriptional Regulation in Eukaryotes: Concepts, Strategies, and Techniques (2009) 

Latchaman, D.S. “Gene Control” second edition (2015) Garlan Sciences. eBook eBook | 2015

Latchaman, D.S. “Eukaryotic transcription factors” (2008) Academic press.  Llibre en línia

Lewin B, Krebs J.K., Kilpatrick S.T., Goldstein E.S. “Genes X” (2011) Ed. Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury, Mass USA.

Mathews M.B. (Editor) “Translational Control in Biology and Medicine” (Cold Spring Harbor Monograph Series 48) (2007) Cold Spring Harbor.

Allis CD, Jenuwein T, Reinberg D, "Epigenetics" (2015) Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press

 

Review articles published in scientific journals.

Software

 Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel,