DOCTORAL COURSE UNIT DESCRIPTION
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Course unit title |
Scientific direction Scientific code |
Faculty |
Department (s) |
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Developmental genetics |
Biology N 010 Zoology N 014 |
Life Sciences Center |
Institute of Biosciences |
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| Total number of credits | 8 | |||
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Mode of studies |
Number of credits |
Mode of studies |
Number of credits |
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Lectures |
0 |
Consultations |
2 |
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Self-studies |
6 |
Seminars |
0 |
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Aims of course |
To expand students' knowledge of main genetic processes underlying development of living organisms, environmental effects on the development of organisms, the links between developmental genetics, ecology and evolution, to provide modern knowledge about the molecular mechanisms of development |
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Main topics |
Genetic theory of development. Evidence of genomic equivalence. Role of differential gene expression in development. Control levels of gene expression. Main problems studied by developmental genetics. Application of modern molecular methods in developmental studies. Life cycles of animals. Metamorphosis. Establishment of asymmetry. Control of cell proliferation and growth. Problem of genome stability during development. Acquirement of positional information. Theory of morphogenetic field. Morphogens and they gradients. Organizing centers. Spemann “organizer”. Hansen’s node. Morphogenesis and cell adhesion. Cell-to-cell communication. Stem cells. Organogenesis. Determination of shape and pattern. Molecular morphogenesis (principles of phage morphogenesis; developmental pathway of the Escherichia coli division site; sporulation of Bacillus subtilis). Dictyostelium discoideum as model of transition from unicellularity to multicellularity. The role of intercellular signaling in development of D. discoideum. Genetic control of cleavage and axis formation in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Developmental genetics of Drosophila melanogaster (axis specification; maternal and zygote genes, segmentation genes, homeotic selector genes); neurogenesis in D. melanogaster; eye morphogenesis; cell migration; determination of wing imaginal discs; peculiarities of sex determination. Establishment of body pattern in vertebrates. Early amphibian development and axis formation. Axis specification and determination of avian “organizer”. Early mammalian development. Fertilization. Sex determination. Types of sex determination in vertebrates. Trophoblast and inner cell mass determination. Anterior-posterior axis formation in mammalians. Hox code hypothesis. Dorso-ventral and left-right asymmetry. Somitogenesis. Formation of blood vessels. Myogenesis (myogenic factors; generation of muscle). The respiratory tube. Formation and differentiation of neural tube. Differentiation of neurons in the brain. The neural crest. Specification of neural crest cells. Genetic control of tetrapod limb morphogenesis. Generation and coordinating of three axes in the limb bud. Comparison of vertebrate and insect eye development. Postembryonic development (amphibian metamorphosis, regeneration in vertebrates, genetic, epigenetic and environmental causes of aging; peculiarities of mammalian aging). Medical aspects of developmental genetics (genetic errors of human development, teratogenesis, cancer as genetic disease of development; developmental therapies). Developmental plasticity (reaction norm, polyphenism). Evolutionary aspects of developmental genetics. Plant developmental genetics. Peculiarities of plant development. The stages of plant embryogenesis. Determination of meristems. Photomorphogenesis. Genetic control of plant flowering (flowering genes, genes of meristem identity, genes of floral organ identity; ABC model; MADS box genes; florigen theory; vernalisation). Achievements in control of developmental processes by means of genetic engineering, biotechnology etc. |
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Main literature |
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Assessment strategy |
Assessment criteria |
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Exam |
During the exam, the student answers three open questions. Passing score: 5. Knowledge and skills are evaluated with points from 1 to 10. 10 (excellent) - excellent, exceptional knowledge and abilities, 91-100 percentile of the intended learning outcome; 9 (very good) - very good knowledge and abilities, 81-90 percentile of the intended learning outcome; 8 (good) - knowledge and abilities are above average (a student independently, reasonably, clearly states the essence of the given question, is well acquainted with the terminology of the taught subject), 71-80 percentile of the intended learning outcome; 7 (average) - average knowledge and abilities; there are few not essential mistakes (a student independently but incoherently and without justification sets out the essence of the question, uses the basic definitions of the subject), 61-70 percentile of the intended learning outcome; 6 (satisfactory) - knowledge and abilities are below average, there are mistakes, 56-60 percentile of the intended learning outcome (a student independently, but inconsistently, superficially, unclearly presents the essence of the question, understands the main definitions of the subject); 5 (weak) - knowledge and abilities meet the minimum requirements (a student independently but vaguely, without analysis, inconsistently presents the essence of the question, partially understands the basic definitions of the subject), 50-55 percentile of the intended learning outcome; 4,3,2,1 (insufficient) - the minimum requirements are not met. |
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Coordinator(s) Name, Surname |
Pedagogical rank |
Scientific degre |
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Donatas Žvingila |
prof. |
dr. |
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Approved by the Council of Doctoral School of Life Sciences Center No (4.10)600000-KT-… on the 14th of October 2021 |
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Chairman dr. Daiva Baltriukienė |