300343 VO Genome structure and evolution (2024W)

This course offers an overview of plant genome structure and evolution. Plant genome structure (types of coding and non-coding DNA sequences that contribute to the genome function and evolution; mechanisms of their change) as well as main chromosomal landmarks (telomeres, centromeres, NORs) will be discussed. All these features will be compared with genomic features and evolutionary trends of other organisms (animals, including humans, insects etc.). The newest methods recently developed to analyze genome composition and function including methods to characterize the coding and repetitive DNA fractions (e.g., high-throughput sequencing) will also be introduced. The course will also introduce types and consequences of various genomic changes including polyploidy and more subtle chromosomal rearrangements as well as dynamics of mobile genetic elements in the genome, and discuss these in the comparative phylogenetic context. The last lecture will present analyzes of the genomic evolution in various plant groups (case studies) to demonstrate the applicability and importance of cytogenetic approaches in evolutionary biology.