Developmental genetics

-A general introduction to Developmental Biology

How do cells build a multicellular animal organism from a single genome? Genotype/phenotype relationship.

-Genetic analysis reminders

Nature of mutations (loss-of-function; gain-of-function), notion of "master gene", clonal analysis (generation of somatic or germinal clones), notion of cell autonomy....

-Genetic models and methods.

Study of regulatory regions, establishment of transgenic lines, enhancer trap, reporter genes (GFP, mCherry...), model organisms (drosophila, c.elegans, mouse...).Use of FLP/FRT, CRE-LOX, UAS-GAL4-GAL80, AttpP/B-PhiC31, CRISPR systems etc.

-Positional information, maternal effect genes and the establishment of asymmetry.

Models and mechanisms of positional information =induction, Spemann and Mangold experiment, organizing centers, notion of morphogen in invertebrates and vertebrates

-Establishment of axes: antero-posterior, dorso-ventral.

Cell communication and signalling pathways: in the establishment of the dorso-ventral axis, in limb formation, in the establishment of cell fate (some examples: Nervous system: lateral inhibition processes ...).

-Segmentation: gap, pair rule and segment polarity genes.

Segmentation in invertebrates and somitogenesis in vertebrates, dynamic aspects (establishment and maintenance).

-Signaling and transcriptional networks

Transcriptional regulation during development, regulatory sequences during evolution, the concept of gene networks. Transcriptional coupling and signaling pathways in cell fate

-Epigenetic memory of transcriptional programs:

Hox homeotic genes and segmental identity.Evo-Devo concepts.Polycomb and Trithorax complexes.

Involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in cell differentiation

Animal development from gamete formation to the adult stage is under the control of a highly controlled genetic program.

The aim of this course is to present the fundamental processes governing animal development.

Classic genetics

Notions of genetic analysis

Molecular Biology

Cell Biology

Recommended prerequisites :

Functional genomics

CT: 3h

CC: Analysis of article figures.30% of final grade. Max. rule