Developmental Genetics

-A General Introduction to Developmental Biology

How do cells build a multicellular animal organism from a single genome? The genotype-phenotype relationship.

-Genetic Testing Reminders

Nature of mutations (loss-of-function; gain-of-function), the concept of a “master gene,” clonal analysis (generation of somatic or germline clones), the concept of cellular autonomy....

-Genetic models and methods.

Study of regulatory regions, establishment of transgenic lines, enhancer traps, reporter genes (GFP, mCherry, etc.), model organisms (Drosophila, C. elegans, mice, etc.).Use of FLP/FRT, CRE-LOX, UAS-GAL4-GAL80, AttpP/B-PhiC31, CRISPR, and other systems

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

Models and Mechanisms of Positional Information = induction, Spemann and Mangold’s experiment, organizing centers, the concept of morphogens in invertebrates and vertebrates

-Defining the axes: anteroposterior, dorsoventral.

Genetic screens: genes with maternal effects and genes with zygotic effects. Cell-to-cell communication and signaling pathways: in the establishment of the dorso-ventral axis, in limb formation, and in the determination of cell fate (some examples: Nervous system: lateral inhibition process ...).

-Segmentation: gap genes, “pair rule” genes, and segmental polarity genes.

Segmentation in invertebrates and somite formation in vertebrates: dynamic aspects (establishment and maintenance).

-Signaling and transcriptional networks

Transcriptional regulation during development, regulatory sequences throughout evolution, and the concept of gene networks. The interplay between transcription and signaling pathways in cell fate

-Transcriptional program memory via epigenetic mechanisms:

Hox homeotic genes and segmental identity. Concepts in Evo-Devo. The Polycomb and Trithorax complexes.

The Role of Epigenetic Mechanisms in Cell Differentiation

Animal development, from gamete formation through to adulthood, is governed by a highly regulated genetic program.

The objective of this course is to introduce the fundamental processes that govern animal development.

Classical Genetics

Concepts in Genetic Analysis

Molecular Biology

Cell Biology

Recommended prerequisites:

Functional Genomics

CT: 3 hours

CC: Analysis of figures in articles. 30% of the final grade. Maximum score rule.