F7010 Molecular aspects of evolution

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2008
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Recommended Type of Completion: graded credit. Other types of completion: zk (examination), k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. RNDr. Milan Bezděk, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Josef Humlíček, CSc.
Department of Condensed Matter Physics – Physics Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Milan Bezděk, CSc.
Timetable
Mon 8:00–9:50 BFU
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of biophysics, molecular biology, genetics
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Theory of organic evolution represents a unifying idea of biology and fundamentals of the understanding of relations between living and nonliving nature. Thermodynamics of nonlinear processes, molecular biology and our understanding of principles of selforganisation extend Darwinian interpretation of evolution.
Syllabus
  • The fact of evolution; organic evolution as a part of evolution of the universe. Speculations on origins of life on the Earth. Transition from non-living to living forms; world of proteins/world of RNA/ world of DNA; the origin of first replicators; co-evolution of the genetic information and proteosynthesis. Paradigm of Darwinism and Lamarckism. Dynamics and evolution of genomes: genomes as generators of their inherent variability; modular structure of genomes and proteins; horizontal transfer of genetic information, symbiosis. Origins of genetic variability in populations; the role of random and non-random changes in evolution. Genetic and epigenetic processes. Phylogenesis and ontogenesis. The role of catastrophic events in evolution; is organic evolution reproducible?
Literature
  • LEWIN, Benjamin. Genes VI. 6th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997, xviii, 126. ISBN 0192690655. info
  • Molecular biology of the cell. Edited by Bruce Alberts. 3rd ed. New York: Garland Publishing, 1994, xliii, 129. ISBN 0-8153-1619-4. info
  • ROSYPAL, Stanislav. Úvod do molekulární biologie. D 2. 1. vyd. Brno: Stanislav Rosypal, 1996, S: 308-535. info
  • Přehled biologie. Edited by Stanislav Rosypal. 2. uprav. vyd. Praha: Scientia, 1994, 635 s., ba. ISBN 80-85827-32-8. info
Assessment methods
Lectures with active cooperation from the students. Oral exam or credit.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Autumn 1999, Autumn 2010 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2000, Autumn 2001, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2008, recent)
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