To provide knowledge about the intricacies of life processes at the molecular and cellular level.
Fundamentals of Cell: Structural organization of cell, difference between plant and animal cell; prokaryote and eukaryote cell, types of bonds and specialized plant cell types.
Cell wall: Basic architecture of cell wall and biogenesis. Plasma membrane: Structure, models, functions; ion carriers, channels and pumps.
Chloroplast: Structure, biogenesis, genome organization and nucleochloroplastic interactions.
Mitochondria: Structure, genome organization and biogenesis.
Plasmodesmata: Structure, functions, comparision with gap junctions.
Plant vacuole: Tonoplast membrane, vacuoles as multifunctional compartments, vacuoles as storage organelle.
Ribosomes: Structure, functions and biosynthesis
Nucleus: Structure, nuclear pore complex, nucleolus, packaging of DNA (nucleosome organization, solenoid model).
DNA: Structure, types (A, B and Z forms), replication, damage and repair mechanisms.
RNA: Structure and types of RNA, transcription, RNA splicing, RNA editing.
Other cellular organelles: Structure and functions of Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, microbodies
The cytoskeleton: organization of microtubules, microfilaments and intermediate filaments, cytoskeletal accessory proteins.
Protein sorting: Targeting of proteins into endoplasmic reticulum and chloroplast.
Cell cycle: Regulation of cell cycle, role of cyclins and cyclin dependent kinases.
Apoptosis and Programmed Cell Death: Cytokinesis and cell plate formation and Programmed Cell Death.
Suggested Laboratory Readings: