S1001 Chemical properties, structure and interactions of nucleic acids

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2022
Extent and Intensity
3/0. 3 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)
prof. RNDr. Michaela Vorlíčková, DrSc. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Miloslava Fojtová, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Daniel Renčiuk, Ph.D. (lecturer)
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 15:00–17:50 C02/211
Prerequisites
Basics of general and physical chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry, molecular biology.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
At the end of the course, students should be able to explain chemical-, biochemical- and physical-chemical features of nucleic acids; he/she will understand the nature of their interactions with small molecules as well as macromolecules, such as proteins and connections with their spectroscopic properties and electrochemical behaviour. Based on acquired knowledge, students will be capable of making reasoned deductions on biological consequences of structural features of nuclei acids and their possible analytical utilization.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students should understand chemical principles affecting structure and interactions of nucleic acids, mutagenesis, DNA damage and repair, enzymatic processing of DNA and RNA, including methodology to be used for addressing these phenomena.
Syllabus
  • DNA structure – basics, Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen base pairing, double helix, alternative structures, DNA superhelicity Chemical reactivity of DNA, DNA damage, chemical modification of DNA as a tool for structure/interactions studies Non-covalent interactions of DNA, outer-sphere electrostatic interactions, groove binding, intercalation, fundamentals of DNA-protein interactions Enzymatic processing of nucleic acids, application of enzymes in structure/interactions studies Molecular principles of epigenetic regulations. Optical spectroscopic methods - general introduction Principles of circular dichroic (CD) spectroscopy Advantages and drawbacks of the use of CD spectroscopy to proteins and nucleic acids studies Characteristic CD spectra of particular nucleic acids types Structural properties of nucleic acids - fresh findings Electrochemistry of nucleic acids, electrochemical methods – general introduction, electrochemical activity of DNA, DNA structure at electrically charged surfaces, electrochemical sensing of DNA damage, modification and nucleotide sequences. Electrochemistry of proteins – basics and applications
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
English
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.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/autumn2022/S1001