University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, Biology and
Wildlife Diseases
Subject: Biology, 1st year (FVL, FVHE, master study programme)
LECTURES - WINTER SEMESTRE (2015 – 2016)
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Introduction to the study of biology. The essence of life, general characteristics and organization of
living systems, hierarchical systems. Hypotheses about the origin of life and cells, the carbon dioxide,
methane, oxygen. J.E. Purkyně. The cell theory, cell as a system, the flow of matter, energy and
information. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Cell structure. Evolution of eukaryotic cells
(Endosymbiotic theory). Non-cellular forms of life. Cell, structure, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Structure and function of the cell organelles.
Chemical composition of living system - water, biopolymers (proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides,
lipids). Cell membrane system - a double lipid layer, membrane proteins. Thickness of the plasma
membrane. External protection of cells. Transfer of substances across membranes - passive and active
transport, membrane transport proteins. Vesicular transport. Endocytosis - pinocytosis, phagocytosis.
Lysosomes.
Memory system of cells, genetic information. Structural gene, genes for rRNA and tRNA, non-gene
regions of DNA. Genome, genophores, plasmids, eukaryotic and procaryotic chromosomes
(mitochondrial, chloroplast, nuclear). Expression of genetic information - transcription, translation,
posttranslational modification of proteins. Regulation of gene expression - ubiquitination, RNA
silencing, siRNA. Gene regulation of ontogenesis - homeobox.
Chromosome theory of inheritance. Cytogenetics. Mutations. Numerical and structural
chromosome aberrations. Karyotypes, FISH method. Genetic terminology. J.G. Mendel.
Mendelian inheritance - Mendel's laws.
Mendelian inheritance. Gene interactions. Gene linkage, Morgan laws. Heredity and sex - the
sex-linked, controlled, influenced and limited inheritance.
Cell cycle - the phase of the cell cycle. Regulation of cell cycle - the cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases,
cell cycle arrest. Mitosis, meiosis, cytokinesis. Cellular aging. Regulating of the cell number in
multicellular organisms. Types of programmed cell death - apoptosis, necrosis. Differentiation of cells.
Replication of genetic information in vivo - the replication fork, the function of individual enzymes,
Okazaki fragments. Correction of errors in DNA. Telomeres. Transposition, transposons, repetitive
DNA (microsatellites, minisatelite, retro-elements).
Methods of molecular biology. DNA isolation, PCR, gel electrophoresis, restriction analysis, DNA
fingerprinting, sequencing, DNA hybridization, gene libraries, DNA chips.
Non mendelian inheritance - maternal inheritance, maternal effects, genomic imprinting.
Quantitative genetics.
Population genetics, HW principles, genetic flow, genetic drift, selection, mutation. Evolution the theory of evolution, mechanisms of evolution, natural selection, microevolution, speciation,
macroevolution. Man as a source of evolutionary change.
Energy, catalysis, biosynthesis. Cell energy production - photosynthesis, respiration. Activated
molecules delivery systems. Catabolism. The principle of energy production in mitochondria and
chloroplasts, chemiosmotic coupling.
Cytoskeletal principle of cells. Cytoskeleton - intermediate filaments, microtubules, actin filaments.
Centrosome. Molecular motors (kinesin, dynein, myosin). Flagellar, ciliated, amoeboid movement.
Muscle contraction. Cytoskeleton in bacteria.
Cell Signalling. Types of extracellular signals (hormones, cytokines, neurotransmitters). Types of
receptors on the cell surface - receptors associated with G-proteins, receptors associated with enzymes.
Intracellular signalling pathways - activation of different types of kinases. Ras protein.
Garant: Doc. MVDr. Eva Bártová., Ph.D.