Studying at the University of Verona

Here you can find information on the organisational aspects of the Programme, lecture timetables, learning activities and useful contact details for your time at the University, from enrolment to graduation.

Study Plan

A.A. 2024/2025 A.A. 2023/2024 A.A. 2022/2023 A.A. 2021/2022 A.A. 2020/2021 A.A. 2019/2020 A.A. 2018/2019 A.A. 2017/2018 A.A. 2016/2017 A.A. 2015/2016 A.A. 2014/2015 A.A. 2013/2014 A.A. 2012/2013 A.A. 2011/2012 A.A. 2010/2011 A.A. 2009/2010

This information is intended exclusively for students already enrolled in this course.
If you are a new student interested in enrolling, you can find information about the course of study on the course page:

Laurea in Biotecnologie - Enrollment from 2025/2026

The Study Plan includes all modules, teaching and learning activities that each student will need to undertake during their time at the University.
Please select your Study Plan based on your enrollment year.

CURRICULUM TIPO:

1° Year 

ModulesCreditsTAFSSD
12
B
BIO/04
9
A
CHIM/03
9
A
CHIM/06
6
A
FIS/07
6
A
INF/01
12
A
MAT/05
English language competence-complete b1 level
6
E
-

2° Year   activated in the A.Y. 2017/2018

ModulesCreditsTAFSSD
12
A
BIO/10
6
B
BIO/10
12
B
BIO/11
6
C
CHIM/02
6
B
M-FIL/02
6
B
BIO/18
6
A
BIO/19

3° Year   activated in the A.Y. 2018/2019

ModulesCreditsTAFSSD
6
A
FIS/07
6
B
AGR/15
6
C
BIO/04
6
C
BIO/04
One course to be chosen among the following:
6
B
ING-IND/25
6
B
CHIM/10
One course to be chosen among the following:
12
B
AGR/07
12
B
AGR/07
Tirocinio
9
F
-
12
D
-
Prova finale
3
E
-
ModulesCreditsTAFSSD
12
B
BIO/04
9
A
CHIM/03
9
A
CHIM/06
6
A
FIS/07
6
A
INF/01
12
A
MAT/05
English language competence-complete b1 level
6
E
-
activated in the A.Y. 2017/2018
ModulesCreditsTAFSSD
12
A
BIO/10
6
B
BIO/10
12
B
BIO/11
6
C
CHIM/02
6
B
M-FIL/02
6
B
BIO/18
6
A
BIO/19
activated in the A.Y. 2018/2019
ModulesCreditsTAFSSD
6
A
FIS/07
6
B
AGR/15
6
C
BIO/04
6
C
BIO/04
One course to be chosen among the following:
6
B
ING-IND/25
6
B
CHIM/10
One course to be chosen among the following:
12
B
AGR/07
12
B
AGR/07
Tirocinio
9
F
-
12
D
-
Prova finale
3
E
-

Legend | Type of training activity (TTA)

TAF (Type of Educational Activity) All courses and activities are classified into different types of educational activities, indicated by a letter.

A Basic activities
B Characterizing activities
C Related or complementary activities
D Activities to be chosen by the student
E Final examination
F Other training activities
S Placements in companies, public or private institutions and professional associations

Molecular biology (2017/2018)

Teaching code

4S00800

Credits

12

Coordinator

Massimiliano Perduca

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

BIO/11 - MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

MoodleMoodle Seminars 0

The teaching is organized as follows:

teoria

Credits

9

Period

II sem.

Academic staff

Massimiliano Perduca

Lessons timetable
laboratorio [1° turno]

Credits

3

Period

II sem.

Academic staff

Massimiliano Perduca

Lessons timetable
laboratorio [2° turno]

Credits

3

Period

II sem.

Academic staff

Massimiliano Perduca

Lessons timetable

Learning outcomes

The aim of this course is to give the students the basic knowledge of the molecular mechanisms concerning transmission, variation and expression of the genetic information.
At the end of the course the students will be able to recognize the major molecular mechanisms of life in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

Program

Theory:
> Genetic information and informational molecules
General introduction and historical hints. The chemical structure of DNA and RNA. Three dimensional structure of DNA. Physico-chemical properties of DNA.
> Molecular Biology techniques
Agarose gel electrophoresis. Nucleic acid hybridization. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Restriction endonucleases. Cloning and sub-cloning. gene expression systems.
> DNA, RNA and gene structure
Definition of gene coding and regulatory regions. From genes to proteins; messenger RNA, transfer RNA and ribosomal RNA.
> Genome organization and evolution
DNA content and number of genes. Mutations, DNA rearrangement and genome evolution. The organelle genomes. Interrupted genes; introns. cDNA. Gene families and duplication. DNA repeats.
> Transposable elements
Transposition mechanisms and control. Retroviruses and retrotransposones. Transposons.
> Chromatin and chromosomes
Nucleosomes, histones and their modifications. Higher organization levels of chromatin. Heterochromatin and euchromatin. Eukaryotic chromosomes, telomeres and centromeres.
> DNA replication
DNA polymerases. Proofreading activity of DNA polymerases. Replication mechanism in bacteria and eukaryotic cells.
> Introns and RNA splicing
Features of spliceosomal introns. Spliceosome and splicing mechanism. Alternative splicing and trans-splicing. Other kinds of introns: group I and group II introns and tRNA introns. The intron movement. RNA editing. Ribozymes and riboswitch.
> DNA mutation and repair
Spontaneous mutations and mutations caused by physical and chemical mutagens. Pre- and post-replicative repair systems. Recombination in the immunity system cells. Approaches to homologous recombination.
> Regulation of gene expression
Bacterial promoters. The operon. Activators, repressors and coactivators. Signal transductions and two component regulation systems. Eukaryotic promoters. Activators, repressors and coactivators. Gene expression and chromatin modifications. Epigenetic mechanisms.
> RNAs and transcription
Different types of RNA: synthesis and maturation. Bacterial RNA polymerase. Sigma factors. Eukaryotic RNA polymerases. Eukaryotic mRNAs: capping, polyadenylation, cytoplasmic localization. The transcription process in bacteria and in eukaryotic cells.
> Translation
Ribosomes. tRNA structure and function. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis. Initiation in bacteria and eukaryotic cells. Polypeptide chain synthesis and translation end. Regulation of translation.
> Protein localization.

One credit of the course (corresponding to 8 hours) will be kept for the students to discuss an important topic chosen from the research literature in Molecular Biology.

Introduction to the Laboratory Course:
> Nucleic acids isolation: basis, comparison of several extraction protocols, nucleic acids isolation troubleshooting.
> Nucleic acids electrophoresis: agarose gels, polyacrylamide gels, denaturing and non-denaturing gels.
> Spectrophotometric quantitation of isolated nucleic acids.
> PCR
1.What is PCR?
2. Reagents: efficiency, specificity, fidelity
3. PCR cycle. Final number of copies of the target sequence
4.Amplifying the correct product: detection and analysis of PCR products, how to avoid contamination.
5. Techniques and applications.

Practical:
Subcloning and protein expression:
PCR
Electrophoresis and DNA gel extraction
Plasmidic DNA purification
Digestion with restriction enzymes and ligation
Transformation and colony PCR
Heterologous expression of a recombinant protein in E. coli and analysis by SDS PAGE and Western Blot.

Bibliography

Reference texts
Activity Author Title Publishing house Year ISBN Notes
teoria Jocelyn E. Krebs, Elliott S. Goldstein, Stephen T. Kilpatrick Lewin's Genes XII (Edizione 12) Jones & Bartlett Pub 2017 1284104494
teoria Bruce Alberts, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, David Morgan, Martin Raff Molecular Biology of the Cell (Edizione 7) Garland Science 2017 0815344643
teoria Nancy Craig, Rachel Green, Carol Greider, Gisela Storz, Cynthia Wolberger, Orna Cohen-Fix Molecular Biology: Principles of Genome Function (Edizione 2) OUP Oxford 2014 0199658579
teoria Harvey Lodish, Arnold Berk, Chris A. Kaiser, Monty Krieger, Anthony Bretscher, Hidde Ploegh, Angelika Amon, Kelsey C. Martin Molecular Cell Biology (Edizione 8) Macmillan 2016 9781464187445
teoria Geoffrey M. Cooper, Robert E. Hausman The cell: a molecular approach (Edizione 6) Sinauer Associates, Inc 2013 978-1-60535-155-1
laboratorio Erik Pierre Molecular Cloning (Edizione 1) Ml Books International 2015 1632394685
laboratorio Michael R. Green e Joseph Sambrook Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Fourth Edition (Edizione 4) CSHL Press 2012 978-1-936113-42-2
laboratorio Erik Pierre Molecular Cloning (Edizione 1) Ml Books International 2015 1632394685
laboratorio Michael R. Green e Joseph Sambrook Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Fourth Edition (Edizione 4) CSHL Press 2012 978-1-936113-42-2

Examination Methods

Oral examination.
The final exam will be on three questions concerning any of the topics treated during the course and it is passed if both answers are positive.

Students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD), who intend to request the adaptation of the exam, must follow the instructions given HERE

Teaching materials e documents