Bi4025en Molecular Biology

Faculty of Science
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Jiří Kohoutek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Liam Keegan, PhD. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Jiří Kohoutek, Ph.D.
Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. Mgr. Jiří Kohoutek, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Mon 16. 2. to Fri 22. 5. Mon 8:00–9:50 B11/333
Prerequisites
(! Bi4020 Molecular biology ) && (! Bi4010 Essential molecular biology ) && !NOWANY( Bi4010 Essential molecular biology , Bi4020 Molecular biology )
Basic knowledge of genetics, physiology, organic chemistry and biochemistry.
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
Abstract
The aim of the course is to familiarize students with structure of genomes of various organisms, to describe the way how genetic information is stored in them, how this information is stored and expressed. In addition, the course aims to provide information how the genetic information can be changed and what this implies for phenotype of the organism.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to understand and explain basic principles of molecular biology and genetics on molecular level and their basic phenomena - the structure, replication, expression and changes of genes.
Key topics
1. Definition and brief history o molecular biology. 2. Nucleic acids: primary, secondary and tertiary structure of nucleic acids, conformation of DNA and RNA, different conformations of DNA and their significance for biological systems, genetic information and genetic code 3. Molecular structure and replication of procaryotic and eukaryotic genomes 4. Transcription of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes, posttranscriptional modifications and processing of RNA, mechanisms of RNA splicing and self-splicing 5. Translation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic mRNAs 6. Posttranslational processing od proteins 7. Regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes 8. Molecular mechanisms of mutagenesis and recombination 9. Molecular basis of cancerogenesis (oncogenes, antioncogenes. 10. DNA Repair mechanisms 11 Mobile genetic elements, transposons and retrotransposons. 12. Basic principles of genetic engineering
Study resources and literature
    recommended literature
  • ALBERTS, Bruce; Rebecca HEALD; Alexander JOHNSON; David Owen MORGAN; Martin C. RAFF; Keith ROBERTS and Peter WALTER. Molecular biology of the cell. Edited by John H. Wilson - Tim Hunt. Seventh edition. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, 2022, xxxviii, 1. ISBN 9780393884821. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Oral lectures illustrated by schemes and tables based on power-point presentations that are available to course participants on IS MUNI.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
Attending the lectures is not obligatory. The exam is based on a written test. Students are supposed to answer 50 questions covering main topics of the lectures. To pass the exam the students have to answer at least 60% of the questions correctly.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2026/Bi4025en