UIB
Universitat de les
Illes Balears
Master in Human Evolution and Cognition
COURSE DESCRIPTION
2006-2007 Academic Year
Technical information
Course
Course title: Molecular Evolution
Course code: a emplenar pel Centre de Tecnologies de la Informació
Type of course: Optional
Level of course: Postgraduate
Year of study: First
Semester: First
Timetable: March 6 to 21 from 12.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m.. Final exam: June 19 and
20 from 9.30 a.m. to 2.00 p.m., which is also the deadline for submitting the
course project (one per module).
Language of instruction: Spanish
Lecturers
Supervising lecturer
Name: José Aurelio Castro Ocón
Contact: jose.castro@uib.es
Other lecturers
Name: M. Misericòrdia Ramon
Contact: cori.ramon@uib.es
Name: Antònia Picornell
Contact: apicornell@uib.es
Name:
Contact:
Name:
Contact:
Prerequisites Not specified
Number of ECTS credits: 5
Number of classroom hours: 20 on-campus classroom hours. 10 virtual
classroom hours.
Independent study hours: 95
Description
Study of the relationship between the genome and biological evolution, with special
attention to molecular mechanisms in the evolutionary process. Synthesis of the main
mileposts in the evolution of the genome.
Course competences
Specific
 Understand the role of genes from a population standpoint
 Understand how nucleotide sequences can reflect the evolutionary process
 Understand the most important genetic phenomena in evolution



Be familiar with the different methods of philogenetic inference and elucidate
upon them with examples
Understand the evolution of the genome on the biological scale
Search for data in the main sources of data on molecular evolution
Generic
 Understand the evolutionary process from the molecular standpoint
 Learn autonomously and understand how to apply the scientific method
 Think critically and creatively
 Communicate and cooperate in groups
 Develop the capacity to express ideas
Course contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The dynamic of genes in the population
Evolutionary change in nucleotide sequences
Genetic phenomena in evolutionary change
Polymorphism of DNA in populations
Molecular phylogeny: methods and examples
Organisation of the genome and evolution
Methodology and student workload
Subject-related
competences
Understand the role
of genes from a
population
standpoint
Understand how
nucleotide
sequences can
reflect the
evolutionary
process
Understand the
most important
genetic phenomena
involved in
evolution
Be familiar with
the different
methods of
philogenetic
inference and
elucidate upon
them with
examples
Understand the
evolution of
genome on the
biological scale
Search for data in
the main sources of
data on molecular
evolution
Teaching method
Type of group
Student hours
Classroom sessions Individual, whole
and theoretical
group
work
16 hours
Teaching staff
hours
5 hours
Classroom sessions Individual, whole
and theoretical
group
work
16 hours
5 hours
Classroom sessions Individual, whole
and theoretical
group
work.
Virtual class
24 hours
5 hours
Classroom
sessions, tutorial,
virtual class
Small groups
15 hours
5 hours
Classroom
sessions,
theoretical work
and virtual class.
Theoretical work.
Virtual class.
Tutorial.
Coursework.
Exam
Individual, whole
group
16 hours
4 hours
Individual, small
groups
38 hours
6 hours
Assessment instruments, criteria and learning agreement
Assessment criteria
 A bibliographic or practical study and a final exam
 In-class participation and other activities
Assessment instruments
 One project per module
 A multiple choice exam
Grading criteria
 50% of the grade is based on the project and 50% is based on the multiple
choice exam
Assessment based on a learning agreement: No
Independent study material and recommended reading
Virtual lessons posted on the Extended Campus Moodle tool.
The following is the recommended reading list:
- Kimura , M. (1979). The neutral theory of molecular evolution. Sci. Am. 241: 94-104.
- Hedrick, P.H. (2000). Molecular population genetics and evolution, in "Genetics of
Populations (second edition)", pp 341-393.
- Li, W-S (1997). Genome organization and evolution, in "Molecular evolution", pp
379-418.
- Fontdevila, A.& Moya, A. (2003). Evolución molecular: genes. Evolución molecular:
genomas, in "Evolución. Origen, adaptación y divergencia de las especies", pp 269-361.
Bibliography, resources and annexes
JOURNAL ARTICLES: Genetics, Mol Biol Evol, Heredity, Evolution, etc.
BARNES, M.R.; GRAY, I.C. ((2003). Bioinformatics for Geneticists. John Wiley and
Sons.
FONTDEVILA, A.; MOYA, A. (1999). Introducción a la Genética de Poblaciones. Ed.
Síntesis.
FONTDEVILA, A.; MOYA, A. (2003). Evolución. Origen, adaptación y divergencia
de las especies. Ed. Síntesis.
HEDRICK, P. W. (2000). Genetics of Populations. Second edition. Jones and Barlett
Publishers Inc..
LI, W-H. (1997). Molecular Evolution. Sinauer Ass. Inc., Pub..
LEWONTIN, R.C. (1979). La base genética de la evolución. Ediciones Omega.
MAYNARD SMITH, J. (1998). Evolutionary Genetics. Second Edition. Oxford
University Press.
MOUNT, D.W. (2001). Bioinformatics. Sequence and Genome Analysis. Cold Spring
Harbor Laboratory Press.
NEI, M (1987). Molecular Evolutionary Genetics. Columbia University Press.
Links of interest:
http://evolution.genetics.washington.edu/phylip/software.html
http://www.uv.es/metode/anuario2000/167_2000.html
http://evolucion.fcien.edu.uy/Diapositivas/EvolucionMolecularB4d.pdf
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/
http://www.bio.psu.edu/People/Faculty/Nei/Lab/
Link to the course teaching guide