Molecular biology

• Explain the mechanisms behind DNA replication, transcription and translation, as well as homologous recombination.
• Identify structural genes in a DNA sequence (open reading frame with start and stop codons).
• Identify promoters, terminators and operator sequences in a bacterial DNA sequence (consensus and degenerate sequences).
• Explain the mechanisms in the formation of eukaryotic mRNA molecules, from initiation of transcription over splicing to transport of the mature mRNA to the cytoplasm.
• Explain the molecular mechanisms of prokaryotic regulation of transcriptional initiation and leader termination (repression, activation and attenuation) as well as translation initiation and protein modification.
• Explain the molecular mechanisms of eukaryotic regulation of transcriptional initiation (enhancers and silencers), histone modification, and epigenetic gene regulation.
• Describe genetic elements: plasmids, insertion elements and transposons.
• Describe the lifecycles of temperate and virulent viruses, as well as explain the gene-regulatory mechanisms that form the basis of the virus development.
• Discuss mutagenesis and evolution in nature and in biotechnology research.
• Discuss molecular biology experimental results using the above skills.

Macromolecular synthesis (DNA, RNA and protein synthesis) and regulation of gene expression in both pro- and eukaryotes. Viruses and bacteriophages. Genetic elements – plasmids, insertion elements and transposons. Mutation and evolution.

23932/27002/27008/27020/12701, or equivalent.

Lectures and exercises