The cell nucleus - MB151P100E

• Title: The cell nucleus
• Czech title: Buněčné jádro
• Guaranteed by: Department of Cell Biology (31-151)
• Faculty: Faculty of Science
• Actual: from 2021
• Semester: summer
• E-Credits: 3
• Examination process: summer s.:oral
• Hours per week, examination: summer s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: 25
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: cancelled
• Language: English
• Explanation: The course consists of a series of twelve weekly lectures.Lectures take place on Mondays at 16:30 at Viničná 7.
• Additional information: http://www.lanctotlab.org/en/cours_EN.html
• Note: enabled for web enrollment
• Guarantor: Christian Lanctôt, Dr., Ph.D.

Annotation

Last update: Christian Lanctôt, Dr., Ph.D. (24.10.2016)

This course is intended for Master and Ph.D. students with an interest in the structure and function of the cell
nucleus. Although the molecular mechanisms at work in the nucleus are alluded to throughout the course, the
emphasis is clearly placed on the cell biological aspects of this key organelle. These aspects are illustrated with
recent experimental results taken from the literature, in particular those obtained through observation of single
living cells. Broad explanatory concepts are preferred over the description of molecular details. The goal of the
course is to present the cell nucleus as a dynamic biological system that is responsible for the expression, the
repair and the replication of the genetic information. The integration of these functions within the global cellular
context will also be presented.

Literature

Last update: Christian Lanctôt, Dr., Ph.D. (11.12.2016)

General textbooks
Molecular Cell Biology <http://www.macmillanhighered.com/Catalog/product/molecularcellbiology-seventhedition-lodish>, Lodish et al., 7th edition, 2012, chapters 6-7
Essential Cell Biology <http://www.garlandscience.com/garlandscience_resources/book_resources.jsf;jsessionid=Uq2ee3114s-5jFwfgTnpEg__?isbn=9780815344544&landing=student>, Alberts et al., 4th edition, 2014, chapters 5-8, 18
Cell Biology <http://www.lekarskeknihy.cz/?id=978-1-4160-2255-8>, Pollard et al., 2nd edition, 2007, chapters 12-14

Specialized books
Genome Organization and Function in the Cell Nucleus <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/9783527639991>,Ed. K. Rippe, Wiley, 2012

Scientific articles
References to 3-4 exhaustive review articles will be given for each lecture. The students are strongly encouraged to read a selection of these in order to complement the lectures.

Requirements to the exam

Last update: Christian Lanctôt, Dr., Ph.D. (24.10.2016)

At the end of the course, an oral exam will take place, during which 2-3 topics that have been covered during the course will be discussed for a total of 20-30 minutes. Students can choose the language (English or Czech) in which they will pass the oral exam.

Syllabus

Last update: Christian Lanctôt, Dr., Ph.D. (11.12.2016)

A. Origin and evolution of the cell nucleus

Lecture 1 - Origin and evolution of the cell nucleus

B. Basic concepts and methodological approaches

Lecture 2 - Concepts and techniques used in the study of the cell nucleus
a. Concepts and models
b. Electron and light microscopy
c. Biochemical approaches

C. Constituents and structure of the cell nucleus

Lecture 3 - Chromatin
a. The nucleosome
b. The ‘histone code’
c. Non-histone proteins and structural RNAs
d. Chromatin structure in vivo

Lecture 4 - The nuclear periphery
a. The envelope: interaction with cytoplasmic components
b. Nuclear pores
c. Lamina

Lecture 5 - Nuclear bodies
a. The nucleolus
b. Cajal bodies
c. PML bodies
d. Speckles
e. Paraspeckles

D. The nucleome

Lecture 6 - Chromosome territories
a. Higher-order organization of chromatin
b. Topological domains

Lecture 7 - Spatial gene positioning in the nucleus
a. The genetic material in three dimensions
b. Impact of positioning on nuclear functions

Lecture 8 - DNA replication and DNA repair
a. Overview of the replication and repair machineries
b. Spatial and temporal arrangement of DNA replication
c. Preferential sites of DNA repair in the cell nucleus

Lecture 9 - Gene regulation
a. Overview of the transcriptional machinery
b. Transcription factories
c. Dynamics of RNA polymerases and transcription factors

E. The living cell nucleus

Lecture 10 - Nuclear dynamics
a. Self-organization of nuclear compartments
b. Chromatin mobility
c. mRNA export

Lecture 11 - Biophysics of the cell nucleus
a. The biophysical properties of chromatin
b. Force-generation in the cell nucleus
c. Nuclear energetics

Lecture 12 - Subjects selected by students