Plant Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Structural, functional, and comparative genomics, genetic mapping and association mapping of plant genomes, whole genome sequencing – methods and perspectives, structure of plant genomes, repetitive DNA – origin and function, mechanisms of genome evolution, comparative genomics, functional genomics, gene expression and its regulation, molecular basis of genetic variation, plant organelle genetics, methods for global gene expression analysis, molecular assessment of genetic diversity, genomics-assisted crop improvement

Structural, functional, and comparative genomics, genetic mapping and association mapping of plant genomes, whole genome sequencing – methods and perspectives, structure of plant genomes, repetitive DNA – origin and function, mechanisms of genome evolution, comparative genomics, functional genomics, gene expression and its regulation, molecular basis of genetic variation, plant organelle genetics, methods for global gene expression analysis, molecular assessment of genetic diversity, genomics-assisted crop improvement

Lankenau D-H, Volff J-N (eds.), 2009. Transposons and the Dynamic Genome. Springer, Dordrecht.

Meksem K, Kahl G (eds.), 2005. The Handbook of Plant Genome Mapping. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.

Sensen CW (ed.), 2005. Handbook of Genome Research. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, vol. 1 and 2.

The Arabidopsis Genome Initiative, 2000. Analysis of the genome sequence of the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Nature 408: 796-815.

Varshney RK, Tuberosa R (eds.), 2007. Genomics-Assisted Crop Improvement. Springer, Dordrecht, vol. 1 and 2.

Krebs J.E., Goldstein E.S, Kilpatrick S.T. (2011) Lewin’s Genes X. 10th Ed. Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Trends in Plant Science – Cell Press.

The student defines the scope of molecular genetics and genomics, describes structure of the eukaryotic genome, presents strategies and techniques of genome sequencing and annotation, presents basic issues on genome evolution, describes genomics-based approaches to crop improvement.

The student applies basic bioinformatic tools for the analysis of DNA sequence, interprets results of bioinformatic analyses, uses online resources and reports results.

The student is capable of formulating unbiased opinions on the use of molecular genetics and genomics in crop improvement.

- Written exam (40%) and oral presentation (40%)

- Attendance at laboratory practicals and preparation of laboratory

reports (20%)

Evaluation scale: Grades from 2.0 (worst) to 5.0 (best)