Post M.Sc. Advanced Diploma Course in Plant Genetic Engineering

(Funded by the Department of Biotechnology [DBT], Govt. of India)

SCHOOL OF BIOTECHNOLGOY, MADUARI KAMARAJ UNVERSITY

Course Co-ordiantor : Dr. K. Veluthambi

kveluthambi@rediffmail.com

The over all objective of the course is 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 Advanced Diploma 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 Advanced Diploma Course in Plant Genetic Engineering is a one year course.  The course offers two advanced theory courses in Plant Genetic Engineering and Functional Genomics, and two Laboratory Courses in Recombinant DNA Technology and 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 10 students will be admitted each year (Minimum marks for SC/ST candidates is 50%).

Processing of application:

Applicants will be selected through an All India Entrance Test.  Final selection will be based on the Entrance Examination marks.

 

 

 

 

Placement of students in the past years:

The candidates who completed 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 Institutions.

 

A: Biotechnology Companies:

  • Mahyco, Maharashtra
  • US Vitamins , Mumbai
  • Matrix , Hyderabad
  • Metahelix, Bangalore
  • Zubioline, Bangalore
  • Nagarjuna Fertilizers, Hyderabad
  • Rasi Seeds, Attur, Tamil Nadu
  • BCIL, New Delhi
  • VMSRS, Bangalore

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
  • Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi
  • North Eastern Hill University
  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
  • NERI, New Delhi
  • Arvind Eye Hospital and Research Institute, Madurai
  • Max Planck Institute, Cologne, Germany

SYLLABUS :

 

Semester I

 

Paper 1 (PGE101): Plant genetic engineering (theory)

 

Unit 1:  Plasmids, phage vectors, cosmids, phagemids, Gateway vectors and artificial chromosomes.

 

Unit 2:  Plant nuclear genes, plastid genes, plastid transformation, mitochondrial genes, cytoplasmic male sterility, heterosis and hybrid seeds.

 

Unit 3:  Agrobacterium and crown gall, Ti plasmid vectors and plant transformation, microprojectile bombardment

 

Unit 4:  Plant genetic engineering for herbicide resistance, pest resistance and disease resistance.  Metabolic engineering of plants.

 

Unit 5:  Production of antibodies and pharmaceutically useful proteins in plants.  Iintellectual property rights. Biosafety regulations relating to transgenic plants.

 

References:

 

1.  Plant Biotechnology: The genetic manipulation of plants.  2003.  A. Slater, N. Scott and M. Fowler. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

 

2.  Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants.  2000.  B.B. Buchanan, W. Gruissen and R.L. Jones (eds).  American Society of Plant Biology, Rockville, USA.

 

3.  Plant Biotechnology.  2000.  J.H. Hammond, P. Mcgarvey, and V. Yusibov (eds).  Springer Verlag, Heidelberg.

 

4.  Text Book of Biotechnology.  2004.  H.K. Das (ed).  Wiley India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

 

Paper 2 (PGE102) Functional genomics (Theory)

 

Unit 1:  Physical organization of plant genomes, Arabidopsis and rice genome sequencing, Physcomitrella  (moss) sequence – evolutionary implications.

 

Unit 2:  Trait modification by genetic engineering – over expression or under expression of heterologous genes, gene targeting by homologous recombination.

 

Unit 3:  Transcriptomics by DNA microarray, real time PCR, differential display RT PCR, subtractive hybridization, confocal microscopy, FRET analysis, proteomics.

 

Unit 4:  Map-based cloning, T-DNA tagging, transposons tagging, TILLING

 

Unit 5:  RNA silencing micro RNA, siRNA, silencing suppressors, RNA silencing and functional genomics, in silico  analysis and assignment of gene function.

 

References:

 

1.      Genomes.  1999.  T.A. Brown. John Wiley & Sons, New York.

2.      Plant Genomics and Proteomics. 2004.  C.A. Cullis.  John Wiley & Sons, New York.

3.      A Holistic Approach to Rice Genome Research and Genetic engineering.  2003.  H. Yang, J. Yu, S. Ramachandran and S. Pan.  World Scientific, New Jersey.

4.      Plant Functional Genomics.  2003.  E. Grotewold.  Humana Press, Totowa.

5.      The Handbook of Plant Genome Mapping.  2005.  K. Maksem and G. Kahl.  John Wiley –VCM, Weinheim.

6.      Molecular Plant Biology, Vol I & II.  2002.  P.M. Gilmartin and C. Bowler.  Oxford University Press, Oxford.

7.      From Genes to Genomes.  2002.  J.W. Dale and M.V. Schantz.  John Wiley & Sons, New York.

8.      Reverse genetics approaches for functional genomics in rice.  2005.  G. An, D.-H. Jeong, K-H, Jung and S. Lee.  Plant Mol. Biol. 59:111-123.

9.      Plant Functional Genomics.  2006.  D. Lister.  Haworth Press (Panima, New Delhi).

 

PGE-L101:  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 in E. coli vectors, western blotting
  • PCR, RT-PCR, real time PCR (demonstration).
  • Automated DNA sequencing (demonstration), DNA sequence analysis using GCG package.
  • Two-dimensional PAGE for proteomics.

 

References:

 

1.      Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (Vol 1-3).  2001.  J. Sambrook and D.W. Russel.  Coldspring Harbor Laboratory, Coldspring Harbor.

2.      Molecular Biology. A Project Approach.  1995.  S.J. Karchar.  Academic Press, New York.

3.      Principles of Gene Manipulation (Sixth Edition).  2001.  S.B. Primrose, R.M. Twyman and R.W. Old.  S.B. University Press.

4.      Plant Genomics and Proteomics. 2004.  C.A. Cullis.  John Wiley & Sons, New York.

 

 

 

PGE-L102: Lab in Plant Genetic Engineering:

 

  • Plant tissue culture-preparation of Murashige and Skoog medium, shoot differentiation in tobacco
  • Transformation of Agrobacterium by triparental mating and by electroporation, DNA extraction in Agrobacterium, DIG-based Southern hybridization to confirm transformation of Agrobacterium
  • Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of tobacco, detection of GUS and GFP in transgenic plants
  • DNA extraction from transgenic plants, Radioactive Southern blot analysis for T-DNA integration, transgene copy number determination.
  • Acclimatization of transgenic plants and maintenance in greenhouse

 

References:

 

1.  Plant Molecular Biology Manual.1994. S.B. Gelvin,  R.A. Schilperoort and D.P.S. Verma (eds).  Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.

2.  Methods in Plant Molecular Biology: A Laboratory Course Manual.  1995.  P. Maliga (ed).  Coldspring Harbor Laboratory Press, Coldspring Harbor.

3. GeneTransfer to Plants.  1995.  I. Potrykus and G. Spangenberg (eds).  Springer Verlag, Berlin.

 

 

SEMESTER II

 

PGE201:  PROJECT