LRR/MBR Molecular Biology of Plants

Lecturers: Martin Fellner, Ludmila Ohnoutková
Lecture: 2 hours/week
Credits: 3
Summer semester
Form of course completion: exam

• Model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Mapping and study of gene function. Arabidopsis projects.
• Plant reproduction. Flowering induction. Flower development. Genetic and molecular analysis of flower development. Gametogenesis. Mutations in gametophytes development. Pollination. Seed development. Embryo maturation. Seed germination.
• Gene engineering, preparing transgenic plants (organisms). Overview of transformation techniques and methods. Transgenosis. Goals and approaches of gene engineering
• Gene engineering and its use in science and in practice. Genetically modified organisms, current goals and use, overview of results, perspectives. Basic legislation.
• Senescence and programmed cell death (PCD). Examples of PCD in plant life cycle. Senescence and plant hormones. Role of environmental factors in senescence. Developmental PCD. PCD and plant responses to stress.
• Plant responses to abiotic stresses. Plant responses to abiotic stresses. Water deficit. Osmotic stress and salinity. Membrane transport during osmotic stress. Water stress-induced genes. Heat shock.