Post M.Sc Certificate Course in Plant Genetic Engineering

SCHOOL OF BIOTECHNOLGOY, MADUARI KAMARAJ UNVERSITY

Course Co-ordiantor : Dr. K. Veluthambi

kveluthambi@rediffmail.com

The over all objective of the course it to provide intense hands-on training in Recombinant DNA Methods and Genetic Engineering. Plant Genetic engineering has emerged as an important tool in crop improvement. Biotechnology companies and Research Centres with crop improvement programmes require experts with practical training in recombinant DNA methods and plant genetic engineering . The Post M.Sc Certificate Course in Plant Genetic Engineering is designed to generate aptitude in research and to provide intense practical training in recombinant DNA methods and in plant genetic engineering to the post graduate students who aspire for a career in Plant Biotechnology. The students will receive complete practical training in Recombinant DNA Methods , Plant transformation and analysis of transgenic plants.

The Post M.Sc Certificate Course in Plant Genetic Engineering is a five month course offered at Post M.Sc level from August to December every year. The course offers a theory course in plant genetic engineering , a Laboratory Course in Recombinant DNA Technology and a Laboratory Course in Plant Genetic Engineering.

Eligibility for admission:

A first class (60% and above) M.Sc., degree in Biology, Botany, Zoology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Life Sciences, M.Sc in Agriculture and related M.Sc courses (Those of the students in the second year of M.Sc must have scored 60% or above in the first three semesters). A total of 12 students will be admitted each year.

Processing of application:

Applicants will be initially screened based on M.Sc marks. Eligible candidates will be called to write an entrance examination. Final selection will be based on entrance examination marks only.

Placement of students in the past years:

The candidate who complete the Post M.Sc Certificate Course in Plant Genetic Engineering got positions in many Biotechnology Companies and Research Institutes . A good number of students joined for Ph.D in reputed Institution.

A: Biotechnology Companies:

Mahyco, Maharashtra
US Vitamins , Mumbai
Matrix , Hyderabad
Metahelix, Bangalore
Zubioline, Bangalore
Nagarjuna Fertilizers

B: Research Institution:

CCMB Hyderabad
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Madurai Kamaraj University
Alagappa University
Sugarcane Breeding Research Institute, Coimbatore
University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi
Murugapachettiar Research Institute, Chennai
Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvanathapuram

SYLLABUS :

101. PLANT GENETIC ENGINEERING

Plasmids, phage vectors, cosmids, phagemids and artificial chromosomes. Organization of plant nuclear genes, plastid and mitochondrial genes. Agrobacterium and crown gall, Ti plasmid vectors and plant transformation, microprojectile bombardment. Plant genetic engineering for herbicide resistance, post resistance and abiotic stress resistance. Metabolic engineering of plants. Production of antibodies and pharmeceutical proteins in plants. Transgene silencing. Intellectual Property Rights and Biosafety regulations relating to transgenic plants.

References:

Plant Biochemistry & Molecular Biology by P.J.Lea & R.C.Leegood (1993) John Wiley and Sons.
Plants, Genes and Agriculture by M.J.Chrispeels and D.F.Sadava (1994)., Jones and Bartlett
Trends in Plant Sciences. Current issues
Trends in Biotechnology. Current issues
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants Ed. B.B.Buchanan, W.Gruissem and R.L.Jones 2000. ASPP Press, USA

101. LAB IN RECOMBINANT DNA METHODS

Restriction analysis of plasmids, gel purification of DNA, small and large scale purification of plasmids, gene cloning in plasmids, analysis of recombinant plasmids. Protein expression using expression vectors, western blotting, polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing, DNA sequence analysis using GCG package.

References:

Molecular Cloning - A Laboratory Manual by J.Sambrook, E.F.Fritsch and T.Maniatis (1989).
Molecular Biology. A Project approach 1995. S.J.Karchar. Academic Press, New York.
Current Protocols in Molecular Biology. F.M.Ausubel, R.Brent, R.E.Kingston, D.D.Moore, J.G.Seidman, J.A.Smith K.Struhl, (Current Edition)
Principles of Gene Manipulation. An Introduction to Genetic Engineering. R.W.Old, S.B.Primrose Fifth Edition 1994.

102. LAB IN PLANT GENETIC ENGINEERING

Plant tissue culture-preparation of MS medium, shoot differentiation in tobacco. Introduction of binary vectors into Agrobacterium by triparental mating. DNA extraction from Agrobacterium, testing of transfer of plasmid by Southern hybridization analysis. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of tobacco, histochemical analysis of GUS in transformed tissues, extraction of total DNA from plant tissues, DNA estimation, Southern hybridization analysis for T-DNA transfer and integration, determination of transgene copy numbers. Maintenance of trangenic plants in greenhouse.

References:

Plant Molecular Biology Manual by S.B.Gelvin, R.A.Schilperoort and D.P.S.Verma (Eds) Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrect (Current Edition).
Plant Genetic Transformation and Gene Expression by (eds) J.Draper et.al (1988). Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
Methods in Plant Molecular Biology. A Laboratory Course Manual by (Ed) Pal Maliga (1995) Cold Spring Harbour-Laboratory Press. Gene Transfer to plants Edited by I.Potrykus and G.Spangenberg, Springer, Berlin. Heidelberg (1995).