Download Course Specifications

Course
Specifications
Valid as from the academic year 2017-2018
The Plant Cell (C003098)
Course size
Credits 3.0
(nominal values; actual values may depend on programme)
Study time 80 h
Contact hrs
25.0 h
Course offerings and teaching methods in academic year 2017-2018
A (semester 2)
lecture
15.0 h
seminar: coached exercises
10.0 h
Lecturers in academic year 2017-2018
De Veylder, Lieven
WE09
Offered in the following programmes in 2017-2018
Master of Science in Bioinformatics (main subject Systems Biology)
Master of Science in Biochemistry and Biotechnology
Master of Science in Plant Biotechnology
Exchange programme in Biochemistry and Biotechnology (master's
level)
Exchange Programme in Bioinformatics (master's level)
lecturer-in-charge
crdts
3
3
3
3
offering
A
A
A
A
3
A
Teaching languages
English
Keywords
Plant cell, cytoskeleton, intracellular transport, extracellular transport, cell growth and
shape, plastid division, cell division, endoreduplication.
Position of the course
The course builds on the knowledge of structural and functional aspects of general cell
biological concepts that are presented during the Bachelor in Biochemistry and
Biotechnology. Emphasis is put on plant specific processes. The subjects are
approached from a molecular viewpoint to encourage a better understanding of plant
cellular structures and the associated processes. Along with the theoretical part,
technological advancements that were crucial to push our knowledge of the cell forward
are introduced. This coupling of theory and methodology should allow the student to get
a deeper insight in the informative value of experimental approaches.
This course contributes to program competences: Ma.WE.BB.2 en Ma.WE.BB.3
Contents
A. Fluorescence methods in plant biology - part I (Dr. D. Van Damme)
1 Fluorescence principles
2 Fluorescence labelling
3 Fluorescence microscope setup
4 Fluorescence confocal microscopy
B. Fluorescence methods in plant biology- part II (Dr. D. Van Damme)
1 FRET principle and applications
2 FLIM and acceptor photobleaching principle and applications
3 FRAP and FCS principle and applications
4 BiFC
C. The plant cytoskeleton (Dr. L. De Veylder):
1 Components and dynamics of the plant cytoskeleton
2 Cortical microtubuli and cell wall biosynthesis
3 Nucleation of plant microtubuli
4 Dynamics and function of the preprofaseband
5 Cell plate formation
6 Cytoplasmic streaming
(Approved)
1
D. Cell growth and shape (Dr. L. De Veylder):
1 Polar vs. uniform growth
2 Role of the cytoskeleton during cell growth
3 Role of GTPases
4 Hair cells as model system for polar growth
5 Epidermal pavement cells as model system for uniform growth
E. Intracellular transport (Dr. L. De Veylder):
1 Methods for studying intracellular transport
2 Chloroplast import machinery
3 Targeting to the thylakoid system
4 Targeting to the mitochondria, peroxisomes, and nucleus
5 The plant endomembrane system
6 Role of SNAREs during plant development and signaling
7 Transport to plant vacuoles
8 Endocytosis
F. Extracellular transport (Dr. L. De Veylder):
1 Methods for studying extracellular transport
2 Plasmodesmata
3 Long distance transport of RNA en proteins
4 Targeted versus nontargeted transport
5 Role of plasmodesmata during plant development
G. Plastid division (Dr. L. De Veylder):
1 Types of plastids
2 Chloroplast ultrastructure
3 Molecular mechanisms of plastid division
4 Coordination of plastid division with cell division
H. Molecular control of cell division (Dr. L. De Veylder):
1 Types of CDKs and cyclines
2 Transcriptional control of gene expression during the cell cycle
3 Posttranscriptional control of the cell cycle
4 CDK inhibitory proteins
5 E2F transcription factors
6 DNA stress checkpoint control
I. Endoreduplication (Dr. L. De Veylder):
1 Types of endoreduplication
2 Physiologic significance of endoreduplication during plant development
3 Molecular control of the endoreduplication process
Initial competences
This course contributes to program competences: Ma.WE.BB.2 en Ma.WE.BB.3.
Final competences
1 Reproduce general plant cell biological principles.
2 Gain knowledge on the use of general cell molecular biology techniques.
3 Evaluate and comment plant cell biological results.
4 Design experimental strategies to solve specific plant cell biological questions.
Conditions for credit contract
Access to this course unit via a credit contract is determined after successful competences
assessment
Conditions for exam contract
This course unit cannot be taken via an exam contract
Teaching methods
Lecture, seminar: coached exercises
Extra information on the teaching methods
Through an interactive presentation students search for the best molecular techniques
to solve a particular cell biological question. Following information applies to the students of the "Master of Science in Plant
Biotechnology" and "Master of Science in Biochemistry and Biotechnology Major/minor Plant Biotechnology": For the academic year 2016-2017, the seminars for
the courses "Plant Biotic Interactions"(C003097)," The Plant Cell"(C003098) and "Plant
Growth and Development "(C003099) are planned to be organized together. For this,
two visits are planned at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research and the
Jülich Plant Phenotyping Centre (JPPC) in Germany. The students will be given a
research question in advance, for which they must formulate an answer during the
visits. (This is subjected to the practical realization of the visits)
Learning materials and price
Syllabus extended with extracts from the recent literature (available on Minerva).
(Approved)
2
References
Articles and reviews in international journals.
Course content-related study coaching
Interactive support via Minerva (forums, e-mail), individual: after eletronic consultation.
Evaluation methods
end-of-term evaluation
Examination methods in case of periodic evaluation during the first examination period
Written examination, oral examination
Examination methods in case of periodic evaluation during the second examination period
Written examination, oral examination
Examination methods in case of permanent evaluation
Possibilities of retake in case of permanent evaluation
not applicable
Extra information on the examination methods
Examination in writing and oral defense (Dr. L. De Veylder) + written examination on
celbiological techniques (D. Van Damme).
Calculation of the examination mark
16/20 on oral examination + 4/20 on written examination.
(Approved)
3