Course: Stress Biology and Biotechnology

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Course title Stress Biology and Biotechnology
Course code KBI/BSBA
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Seminar
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study not specified
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 5
Language of instruction Czech, English
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Takáč Tomáš, doc. Ing. Ph.D.
Course content
Lectures are delivered on the following topics: Stress biology - theory, terminology, adaptation, acclimation, stress memory, General Adaptation Syndrome, stress factors, signaling Oxidative stress - generation and scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in animals and plants, properties of ROS, their signaling and damaging roles, prevention of ROS formation Drought stress - effects on plants and mechanisms of resistance, plant water relations, water transport, abscisic acid, stomata and their closure Salinity stress - effects on plants and mechanisms of resistance, osmotic and ionic stress, osmolytes, halophytes Low-temperature stress - effects on plants and mechanisms of resistance, effects on membranes, signaling, freezing tolerance High-temperature stress - effects on plants and mechanisms of resistance, chaperones, unfolded protein response, effects on photosynthesis, RuBisCO Heavy metal stress - effects on plants and mechanisms of resistance, metal transport, cell wall interactions with heavy metals, vacuolar sequestration Biotic stress - effects on plants and mechanisms of resistance to bacteria, fungi, and viruses, primary immune response, effector-triggered immunity, R proteins, signaling, hormonal regulation Effects of increasing CO concentrations on plants and animals - C3 and C4 photosynthesis, plant response strategies, breeding strategies under changing climatic conditions Application of biotechnological approaches for targeted modification of plant traits leading to increased resistance to abiotic and biotic stress factors. Within seminars, students will be tasked with identifying experimental examples from the literature of gene modifications in plants that lead to altered resistance to a selected stress. Students will present these examples during seminars, followed by discussion. Subsequently, they will prepare a written report (minimum 2000 and maximum 2500 characters, including spaces) summarizing the examples and discussion.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Lecture, Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook)
  • Homework for Teaching - 30 hours per semester
  • Preparation for the Exam - 40 hours per semester
Learning outcomes
Familiarization with the issues of stress biology and the mechanisms of plant responses to stress. Acquisition of knowledge on the use of biotechnological approaches aimed at modifying plant traits to increase stress resistance. Working with scientific literature in the field of stress biology.
Students will acquire fundamental theoretical knowledge of stress biology and the mechanisms by which stress affects plants, as well as the use of biotechnological approaches to enhance plant stress tolerance. They will learn how to analyze and present scientific literature.
Prerequisites
unspecified

Assessment methods and criteria
Written exam, Seminar Work

Regular attendance of seminars, elaboration and presentation of individual tasks.
Recommended literature
  • Ashraf M., Harris P.J.C. (2005). Abiotic stresses: plant resistance through breeding and molecular approaches.
  • Fritsche-Neto R., Borém A. (2012). Plant breeding for biotic stress resistance. Heidelberg.
  • Lincoln Taiz, Ian Max M?ller, Angus Murphy, and Eduardo Zeiger. Plant Physiology and Development. New York. 2023.
  • Sergey Shabala. Plant Stress Physiology. Boston.
  • Tuteja N., Gill S.S., Tiburcio A.F., Tuteja R. (2012). Improving crop resistance to abiotic stress. Wiley-Blackwell.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (2026) Category: Chemistry courses 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Summer