Bi7015 Chemical properties, structure and interactions of nucleic acids

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2008
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: k (colloquium), graded credit.
Teacher(s)
doc. RNDr. Miroslav Fojta, CSc. (lecturer)
prof. RNDr. Emil Paleček, DrSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Jan Šmarda, CSc.
Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Miroslav Fojta, CSc.
Timetable
Wed 8:00–9:50 BFU
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 16 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Main objectives can be summarized as follows: to learn history of DNA double helix discovery; to learn principles of isolation and characterisation of nucleic acids; to understand physical properties of DNA, including various DNA conformations, supercoil-stabilised local structures; to become familiar with nucleases, DNA topoisomerases, DNA helicases,and DNA ligases; to learn covalent interactions of DNAs with small molecules, reversible interactions of small molecules with DNA, protein-DNA interactions; to understand structure of RNA; to delineate methods of nucleic acids analysis, to understand principles of gene therapies; to learn what oligonucleotides and their analogues are; to analyze the impact of the p53 protein p53 and its interactions with DNA in biomedicine.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction. Nucleic acids - history. 2. DNA double helix.Physical propertis and conformations of DNA. Isolation and characterisation of nucleis acids. 3. Super-helical DNA. Local DNA structures stabilised by superhelicity. 4. Covalent interactions of DNA with small molecules. DNA damage. 5. Reversible interactions of DNA with small molecules. 6. RNA structure. 7. Oligonucleotides and their analogues. 8. Interactions DNA-proteins. 9. Nucleases, DNA topoisomerases, DNA helicases, DNA ligases. 10. p53 protein and its interactions with DNA. 11. Structure and interactions of DNA in biomedicine. Gene therapy. Immunology of nucleis acids. 12. Methods for analyses of nucleis acids. 13. Electrochemisty on nucleic acids, DNA biosensors.
Literature
  • BLACKBURN, M. G. and M. J. GAIT. Nucleic Acids in Chemistry and Biology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996. info
  • SINDEN, Richard R. DNA structure and function. San Diego: Academic Press, 1994, xxiii, 398. ISBN 0126457506. info
  • ADAMS, R. L. P., J. T. KNOWLER and D. P. LEADER. The Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids. 10th edit. London: Chapman and Hall, 1986. info
Assessment methods
Teaching method: lectures Type of exam: written test focused on general knowledge followed by oral exam
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Autumn 2010 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2008, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/autumn2008/Bi7015