Course code:
062B2		 Course name:
Molecular Biology

Academic year:

2024/2025.

Attendance requirements:

061B2

ECTS:

6

Study level:

basic academic studies

Study program:

Biochemistry: 2. year, summer semester, compulsory course

Teacher:

Milica P. Keckareviĉ-Markoviĉ, Ph.D.
assistant professor, Faculty of Biology, Studentski trg 3, Beograd

Assistant:

Milica Lj. Mihajloviĉ Srejiĉ

Hours of instruction:

Weekly: three hours of lectures + three hours of labwork (3+0+3)

Goals:

The goal of this course is to help students acquire the fundamental knowledge of genome organization and maintenance and of gene expression, and to enable them to keep up with new discoveries and researches in biological sciences which focus on understanding molecular basis of vital phenomena and processes.

Outcome:

Fundamental knowledge of genome organization and maintenance and of gene expression. Students are able to keep up with new discoveries and researches in biological sciences which focus on understanding molecular basis of vital phenomena and processes.

Teaching methods:

Lectures, homework assignments, experimental exercises, presentation of results.

Extracurricular activities:

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Coursebooks:
  • Watson, J.D., Baker, T.A., Bell, S.P., Gann, A., Levine, M., & Losick, R.: Molecular Biology of the Gene, 7th edition. Pearson/Benjamin Cummings, 2013.
  • Dušanka Savić Pavićević i Gordana Matić: Molekularna biologija 1, NNK international, 2011. ISBN: 978-86-6157-001-8

Additional material:

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  Course activities and grading method

Lectures:

0 points (3 hours a week)

Syllabus:

  1. The structure and function of biomacromolecules.
  2. The importance of weak chemical interactions.
  3. Genome - structure.
  4. Genome - sequence.
  5. Genome - nuclear organization.
  6. Genetic code.
  7. DNA replication - the chemistry of DNA synthesis, the replication fork.
  8. DNA replication - initiation and termination of DNA replication.
  9. Mutability and repair of DNA - mutations, replication errors and their repair.
  10. Mutability and repair of DNA - repair of DNA damage.
  11. Transcription - the transcription cycle in bacteria.
  12. Transcription - the transcription and processing of RNA in eukaryotes.
  13. RNA splicing and RNA editing.
  14. Translation - transfer RNA, aminoacyl-tRNA-synthetases, the ribosome.
  15. Translation - initiation, elongation and termination of translation.

Labwork:

10 points (3 hours a week)

Syllabus:

  1. The genome and biological complexity of organisms.
  2. DNA isolation from human buccal swabs.
  3. DNA isolation from yeast.
  4. Isolation of genomic and plasmid DNA from overnight bacterial culture.
  5. Restriction digestion of genomic and plasmid DNA.
  6. Qualitative and quantitative DNA analysis - agarose gel electrophoresis.
  7. PCR (polymerase chain reaction).
  8. The application of PCR-based methods in molecular diagnostics of human diseases.
  9. The application of PCR-based methods in human identification.
  10. The application of PCR-based methods in pharmacogenetics.
  11. The application of PCR-based methods in agriculture.
  12. Theory exercises - problem solving, the interpretation of experimental data from literature and similar activities which require the application of the acquired knowledge, encourage independent thinking and creativity and enable continuous student assessment.

Semester papers:

5 points

Remarks:

Seminar papers are done in writing. The seminar paper deals with current research papers on topics from the program syllabus. The seminar paper is written in a Word document, up to 500 words maximum, and sent to the department's email: kbmb@bio.bg.ac.rs, no later than May 1st. The choice of topics is arbitrary, that is, students choose the topic themselves, and submit the topic titles to the same email address for approval, no later than April 1st.

 

Colloquia:

55 points

Remarks:

Two progress tests, the first carries 30, the second carries 25 points

Oral exam:

30 points