ECTS
5 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Description
-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
Objectives
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.
Necessary prerequisites
Classic genetics
Notions of genetic analysis
Molecular Biology
Cell Biology
Recommended prerequisites :
Functional genomics
Knowledge control
CT: 3h
CC: Analysis of article figures.30% of final grade. Max. rule