Experimental Embryology

Recommended Prerequisites

General knowledge of genetics, plant physiology and molecular biology.

Teaching Methods

Two-week intensive course with theoretical and practical classes. During the two weeks the students will grouped (3 – 5) and will develop a practical work related with one particular subject of plant embryogenesis. The results will be discussed with the professor and colleagues and, by the end of the course students will write a report about the experiments and will present and discuss their work.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understanding capacity:

To be able to understand concepts related with embryogenesis and to relate these concepts with general plant development and with practical applications of areas like agriculture and plant biotechnology

2. Ability to solve practical problems:

To apply the concepts and methods learnt on this course to solve practical issues.

3. Communication:

Be able to analyse scientific information and to transmit it in a clear and concise way either in oral or written form.

4. Self learning:

To be able and autonomous in the preparation and analysis of scientific experiments. Show the capacity to interpret scientific data according to the backgrounf information available in the literature.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Sexual reproduction. Double fertilization in angiosperms

Zygote and embryogenesis

Suspensor and endosperm

Physiological and molecular mechanisms involved on embryo  development

Arabidopsis as a model to study embryogenesis

Embryo mutants

Genes and embryogenesis

The Fucus zygote

Non-zygotic embryogenesis

Different types on non-zygotic embryogenesis occurring in plants

Non-zygotic embryogenesis experimentally induced

Apomixis.

Somatic embryogenesis

Types of somatic embryogenesis

Cytological, physiological and molecular characterisation of somatic embryogenesis

Auxins and stress conditions on somatic embryogenesis induction

Maturation and germination of somatic embryos

Pollen embryogenesis and gynogenesis

Totipotency of microspores and pollen grains

Pollen embryogenic pathways

haploid plants

Pollen plants production and its applications in biotechnology

Embryo rescue and culture

Isolation and culture of zygotic embryos

In vitro fertilisation

Hybrids

Embryogenesis and plant breeding

Head Lecturer(s)

Jorge Manuel Pataca Leal Canhoto

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Laboratory work or Field work: 50.0%
Exam: 50.0%

Bibliography

-Buchanan, B.B., Gruissem, W. & Jones, R.L., 2000. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants. Amer. Soc. Plant Physiol., Rockville.

Hodson, M.J. & Bryant J.A., 2012. Functional Biology of Plants. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford.

-Lindsey, K., 2004. Polarity in Plants. Blackwell Publishing and CRC Press, Oxford.

- Copeland, L.O. & Mcdonlad, M.B., 2001. Seed Science and Technology (4ª ed.). Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.

Palme, K., 1994. Signals and Signal Transduction Pathways in Plants. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.

-Raghavan, V., 1997. Molecular Embryology of Flowering Plants. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Taiz, L. & Zeiger, E., 2010. Plant Physiology (5ª ed.). Sinauer Associates, Inc., Publishers, Sunderland.

-Thorpe, T.A., 1995. In Vitro Embryogenesis in Plants. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.

-Trigiano, R.N. & Gray, D.J., 2005. Plant Development and Biotechnology. CRC Press, Boca Raton.