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Type of course:
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Practical Course
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Course contents:
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The
"Praktikum Pflanzenphysiology"
is a basic experimental course, a practical and theoretical introduction to
main aspects of modern plant physiology. Each of the seven afternoons of
the course start with a short lecture covering background knowledge about a
physiological topic and a technique used in the laboratory. Afterwards the
experimental work is performed in small groups of 3 students. Experienced
supervisors support you and enable you to perform these experiments
autonomously. The following topics are covered by the course:
- Proteins: Isolation,
quantification and electrophoretic
characterization of plant seed storage proteins.
- Secondary
metabolism: UV-Induction of flavonoid
biosynthesis (enzymes and endproducts).
- Photosynthesis:
Electron transport, chromatographic separation of chloroplast
pigments.
- Photomorphogenesis and phototropism:
Light responses of Arabidopsis photoreceptor mutant seedlings.
- Light-induced gene
expression: Reporter gene analysis using transgenic seedlings.
- Water relations:
Analyses of water potential and water movement.
- Gravitropism and hormone physiology: Auxin responses of cereal coleoptiles.
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Objectives of the course:
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Learn about how higher plants function from molecular processes to
their interaction with environmental signals like light. The practical
course provides a basic understanding of important physiological processes
and experimental experience with modern analytical methods applied to
higher plants. The practical course offers the possibility to learn how to
do physiological experiments with higher plants, how to combine mutants and
molecular tools with classical ways to solve experimental questions, how to
record and interpret results, how to argue in scientific discussions and
how to write a scientific protocol. This basic practical course is
necessary for attending advanced courses in plant physiology and
recommended for all students who wish to understand how plants function.
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Prerequisites:
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none
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Semester:
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3
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hours / week:
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5
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Duration:
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half of semester (7 afternoons)
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Form of assessment:
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regular attendance, colloquiums, protocols (written experimental
reports), final written test
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Literature:
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Schopfer P, Brennicke
A, textbook "Pflanzenphysiologie", 5th
edition, Springer, Heidelberg
(1999). Taiz L, Zeiger
E, textbook "Plant Physiology", 3rd edition, Sinauer
Associates, Inc., Publishers, Sunderland, Massachusetts (2002).
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Credits:
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3
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