C7015 Chemical properties, structure and interactions of nucleic acids

Faculty of Science
autumn 2021
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. RNDr. Miroslav Fojta, CSc. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Miloslava Fojtová, CSc. (lecturer)
prof. RNDr. Michaela Vorlíčková, DrSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Ivana Kupčíková, DiS. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Miroslav Fojta, CSc.
National Centre for Biomolecular Research – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Miroslav Fojta, CSc.
Supplier department: National Centre for Biomolecular Research – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Thu 11:00–12:50 C05/114
Prerequisites
Basics of general and physical chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry, molecular biology.
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
there are 18 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The main aim of the course is to present chemical and structural properties of nucleic acids, principles of their chemical reactivity, damage and repair, enzymatic transformations, epigenetic modifications, interactions with proteins and small molecules, with emphasis on biological consequences and analytical use of these phenomena.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students will be familiar with • the chemical nature of nucleic acids • non-covalent interactions involved in structure and interactions of nucleic acids • structure and function of DNA and RNA • chemical reactivity of DNA and RNA • mechanisms of DNA damage, mutagenesis and DNA repair • chemical methods of studies of nucleic acids and their interactions • chemical nature of epigenetic mechanisms • enzymes which synthesize, cleave and modify nucleic acids • non-covalent interactions of DNA with proteins and small molecules • superhelicity of DNA and local open DNA structures • use of chemical and biochemical properties of nucleic acids in their research • spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of nucleic acids
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction. Nucleic acids - history. 2. DNA double helix. Physical properties and conformations of DNA. Isolation and characterisation of nucleic acids. 3. Super-helical DNA. Local DNA structures stabilised by superhelicity. 4. Covalent interactions of DNA with small molecules. DNA damage. 5. Reversible interactions of DNA with small molecules. 6. RNA structure. 7. Oligonucleotides and their analogues. 8. Interactions DNA-proteins. 9. Nucleases, DNA topoisomerases, DNA helicases, DNA ligases. 10. p53 protein and its interactions with DNA. 11. Structure and interactions of DNA in biomedicine. Gene therapy. Immunology of nucleic acids. 12. Methods for analyses of nucleic acids. 13. Electrochemistry on nucleic acids, DNA biosensors.
Literature
  • BLACKBURN, M. G. and M. J. GAIT. Nucleic Acids in Chemistry and Biology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996. info
  • SINDEN, Richard R. DNA structure and function. San Diego: Academic Press, 1994, xxiii, 398. ISBN 0126457506. info
  • ADAMS, R. L. P., J. T. KNOWLER and D. P. LEADER. The Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids. 10th edit. London: Chapman and Hall, 1986. info
Teaching methods
Lectures
Assessment methods
Teaching method: lectures Type of exam: -on site (written test focused on general knowledge followed by oral exam) -at distance (oral exam online)
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (autumn 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/autumn2021/C7015