Medical Biotechnology MSc

The knowledge to be attained
The storage, maintenance and expression of genetic information, as well as their molecular mechanisms are fundamental topics of the course. DNA replication, DNA damage and repair, RNA synthesis and processing, protein synthesis, maturation and targeting, and different ways of regulation of gene expression are discussed. Regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis, in the light of the molecular background of tumor development is also part of the subject. Some of the lectures provide insights into molecular biology research.

Midterm tests and Students’ presentation
Two oral midterm examinations are held during the semester. In each occasion, a random topic should be picked from the list and answered verbally. The student’s performance is evaluated from 1 to 5 in each of the two tests.
Students who miss a test due to illness (with a medical certificate presented) will be provided with a retake opportunity within one week.

Requirements for the signature
The course of the subject will not be recognized in case of more than 3 absences during the semester.

Examination
The semester ends with an oral terminal examination.
Students draw from two sets of topics, so the grade is based on two parts. The partial grades are offered in advance if marks of 3, 4 or 5 have been obtained at each of the two evaluations held during the term. The grade of the first oral midterm (better than 2) is counted as the first, and that of the second oral midterm (better than 2) is counted as the second partial grade. Midterm marks worse than 3 do not yield such exemptions, and the student must draw a topic from the given set at the terminal exam.

What to learn for the terminal examination?
– The material of all lectures during the semester.
– Medical Pathobiochemistry (eds. Mandl J and Machovich R) ISBN: 978 963 226 407 3
– Molecular Biology of the Cell (Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K and Walter P) ISBN: 978-0815341055

Location: Room 419, ITK building (Práter u. 50/A)
Duration: 2 x 45 min (Mondays and Thursdays 9:15 – 11:00)

	Date	Time	Place	Lecture	Lecturer
1	February 10	9:15	ITK 419	Basics of molecular biology	Csala
2	February 13	9:15	ITK 419	DNA replication	Zámbó
3	February 17	9:15	ITK 419	DNA damage, mutation, repair	Zámbó
4	February 21	13:15	ITK 419	Transcription	Csala
5	February 21	13:15	ITK 419	RNA processing	Csala
6	February 24	9:15	ITK 419	Control of gene expression at mRNA level	Csala
7	March 3	9:15	ITK 419	Translation	Mészáros
8	March 6	9:15	ITK 419	Post-translational modifications	Mészáros
9	March 10	9:15	ITK 419	Control of translation	Mészáros
10	March 13	9:15	ITK 419	Protein degradation (proteasome and autophagy)	Mészáros
11	March 17	9:15	EOK	ORAL MIDTERM I
12	March 20	9:15	ITK 419	Intracellular protein trafficking	Mészáros
13	March 24	9:15	ITK 419	Vesicular transport, endocytosis, exocytosis	Kereszturi
14	March 27	9:15	ITK 419	Control of cell cycle I	Csala
15	March 31	9:15	ITK 419	Control of cell cycle II	Csala
16	April 3	9:15	ITK 419	Apoptosis I	Csala
17	April 7	9:15	ITK 419	Apoptosis II	Csala
18	April 10	9:15	ITK 419	Molecular background of cancer	Csala
19	April 28	9:15	ITK 419	Genetic polymorphism and human diseases	Kereszturi
20	May 1			--- Labor Day Holiday ---
21	May 5	9:15	ITK 419	Molecular biology of viruses I	Csala
22	May 8	9:15	ITK 419	Molecular biology of viruses II	Csala
23	May 12	9:15	ITK 419	Methods of protein generation	Mészáros
24	May 15	9:15	EOK	ORAL MIDTERM II

Topics for the 1st midterm

1. Structure of DNA in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, histones, topoisomerism
2. Proteins involved in prokaryotic DNA replication
3. Initiation of replication and the replication fork
4. Special features of eukaryotic DNA replication, the telomerase
5. The most important types of DNA lesion, DNA damage and mutation
6. Formation and repair of “mismatch damage”
7. Ways to repair pyrimidine (Thymine) dimer
8. Structure and function of E. coli RNA polymerase
9. Initiation and termination of transcription in prokaryotic cells
10. Initiation and termination of transcription in eukaryotic cells
11. Processing of mRNA and the structure of mature mRNA
12. Regulation of transcription in prokaryotes
13. Regulation of transcription in eukaryotes
14. Mechanisms for influencing eukaryotic gene expression (other than transcriptional control)
15. Structure and function of RNAs involved in translation
16. Mechanism of aminoacyl-tRNA formation
17. Structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomes
18. Initiation of translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
19. Elongation and termination of translation
20. Post-translational modifications and functional consequences
21. Possible mechanisms for the control of translation
22. Intracellular proteolysis, types and mechanisms of autophagy
23. Intracellular proteolysis, ubiquitination, proteasome

Topics for the 2nd midterm

1. Eukaryotic cell organelles and the nuclear protein transport
2. Protein transport to mitochondria and the ER
3. Vesicular transport between the organelles, the role of SNARE proteins and Rab proteins
4. Vesicular transport, endocytosis and exocytosis, the role of coat-forming proteins
5. Lytic and lysogenic replication of bacteriophages
6. Grouping of animal viruses according to their replication mechanism, effect of double-stranded RNA in the eukaryotic cells
7. Replication cycle of retroviruses, acutely transforming retroviruses
8. Genetic background of human diseases, methods for allele analysis
9. The eukaryotic cell division cycle – phases and checkpoints
10. Cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases and their inhibitors
11. Control of cell cycle in G1 and S phases
12. Control of cell cycle in G2 and M phases
13. Handling DNA injuries and ongoing replication during the cell cycle
14. Structure and function of apoptosome, DISC, and PIDDosome
15. Types of Bcl-2 proteins and their role in apoptosis pathways of different origin
16. Properties of caspases and their role in regulating apoptosis
17. Components of the “survival signal” and its connection with the regulatory proteins of apoptosis
18. The endoplasmic reticulum stress and the UPR
19. Control of the level and activity of p53 protein
20. Effects of p53 protein on cell cycle and apoptosis
21. The concept of tumor suppressor genes, the functions of some representative tumor suppressor proteins
22. Genetic modifications leading to tumor cell formation
23. Elements of prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression vectors
24. Isolation of overexpressed proteins

Lecture slides are available here.

The passwords to download pages can be obtained from the laboratory teachers personally.