Syllabus
1. Karyosystematics: history and the present. Phylogenomics.
2. Chromatin (eu- and heterochromatin, repetitive DNA, epigenetic DNA modifications). Chromosome structure (centromere, telomere, ribosomal DNA). Chromosome types (B chromosomes, sex chromosomes, holokinetic chromosomes).
3. Genome and karyotype. Comparative cytogenomics (genome and chromosome colinearity). Mechanisms of chromosome rearrangements. Primary and secondary chromosome rearrangements (e.g., inversions, reciprocal translocations, duplication/deletion).
4. Ploidy mutations (aneuploidy and polyploidy). Whole-genome duplications (polyploidy) of different evolutionary age. Diploidization.
5. Karyotypic changes and variation in the phylogenetic context: evolutionary trends?
6. The role of chromosome rearrangements in the evolution.
7. Classical and modern cytogenetic methods for biosystematicists (and not only for them).
Annotation
Students will gain basic information on the karyotype structure and evolution in plants, on mechanisms of chromosome rearrangements and their evolutionary role. An overview of classical and modern cytogenetic methods used in (karyo)systematics is included.
The lectures are followed by a practical course of molecular cytogenetic techniques.