- an advanced course for M.Sc. and PhD students (the course is in English)
- signing up for the course is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED only after completing bachelor studies, ideally in the second year of the masters program.

- contacts: mail: svobodap@img.cas.cz, phone: 241063147

COURSE PROGRAM:

*Introduction
Overview of the course, basic concepts of epigenetic marks, diversity of epigenetic mechanisms and effects

*Histone modification I
Concept of chromatin structure. Heterochromatin and euchromatin. Core histones, linker histones, replacement histones, protamines. Methods for studying chromatin.

*Histone modification II
Histone modifications, polycomb proteins, acetylation, fosforylation and histone methylations, effects on gene expression.

*DNA methylation I
Molecular basis of DNA methylation. CpG and non-CpG methylation. Adenosin methylation. Metods for studying DNA methylation. Bisulfite sequencing.

*DNA methylation II
Effects of DNA methylation on gene expression, Methyl-binding proteins and mechanisms of inhibition of gene expression, distribution of DNA methylation within genes and mammalian genomes.

*Imprinting
Concept of imprinting, mammalian imprinting. Molecular mechanisms of imprinting. Role of imprinting, Battle of the sexes.

*X-inactivation
Principles and different strategies for dosage compensation. Control of X-inactivation in mammals.

*Epigenetic reprogramming in the mammalian life-cycle
Integration of epigenetic modification in the mammalian life cycle. Reprogramming of gene expression during development, artificial reprogramming - the traditional view.

*Epigenetic mechanisms found in other model systems (plants, yeasts, invertebrates ...)
Selected epigenetic mechanisms controlling genome integrity and gene expression

*RNA silencing I - molecular machines for RNA silencing
A historical introduction into RNA silencing. Post-transcriptional effects. Roles and effects of dsRNA. Proteins and complexes in RNA silencing.

*RNA silencing II - RNAi technology
Experimental and therapeutic use. Design of RNAi experiments

*RNA silencing III - roles of RNA silencing pathways
miRNA pathway, chromatin connection.

*Integrated view of regulation of gene expression
Establishment and maintenance of pluripotency in ES cells and embryos

Students are expected to actively participate during the course.

Předmět je vyučován za podpory projektu Zvýšení kvality vzdělávání na UK a jeho relevance pro potřeby trhu práce, reg.č. CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/16_015/0002362.