Genetic bases of evolution

The EU is organized into five main themes:

Theme 1: Gene mapping and recombination. Notions of molecular biology related to gene expression, DNA repair and epigenetic processes.

Theme 2: Introduction to molecular evolution: Measuring the intensity of selection in genetic divergence. Molecular clock and variation in evolutionary rates created by the action of natural selection. Neutralist theory of evolution.

Theme 3: Introduction to genomics: composition and size of genomes. Importance of repeated elements. Notion of genetic linkage and local effect of selection. Influence of demography.

Theme 4: Molecular tools for biodiversity: Barcoding, eDNA, metabarcoding. Molecular taxonomy. Limitations of hybridization. Conservation applications.

Theme 5: Extranuclear heredity. Symbiosis, parasitism and co-evolution (intra-cellular: e.g. Wolbachia). Notion of extended phenotype.

- Mendelian heredity (seen in L1) Dominance, Polyallelism, Pleiotropy, Gene interactions.

- DNA structure and expression (seen in L2)

The practical sessions will be computer-based. The aim of the UE is also to provide an introduction to genetic data analysis (bioinformatics) using software as well as basic information programming (loop, test) using the R language, which has the advantage of being used in other UEs (particularly statistics).

-Understanding the mechanisms and processes behind biodiversity (K1)

-Knowledge of tools for describing biodiversity from the gene to the biosphere (K4)

-Know and apply the various approaches and tools used in evolutionary biology and ecology: observation, sampling, experimentation and statistical analysis (K6)

-Know how knowledge is formed in different disciplines (hypotheses, experimental results, polemical results, mathematical theories, scientific facts) (L1)

-Mobilize concepts and tools from different disciplines to analyze a document, an observation or the results of an experiment (L3)

-Give an oral presentation and write a scientific report, using illustrations and a presentation adapted to the audience concerned, with the help of appropriate IT tools (L6)