Genome Organization and Nuclear Dynamics

3 credits · Undergraduate

This course focuses on the structure, functions, and dynamics of eukaryotic chromosomes and their organization within cell nuclei. All life on earth relies on genetic information, which is encoded within nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). Most organisms have DNA-based genomes; bacterial and archaeal genomes typically comprise a single circular DNA molecule, while the genomes of most eukaryotes are divided into a variable number of linear DNA molecules. These contiguous DNA strands, along with the associated proteins and other components that contribute to their organization and function, are known as “chromosomes.”