CSIR NET Life Sciences Cell communication and cell signaling Syllabus

Cell communication and cell signaling syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Cell communication and cell signaling in CSIR NET Life Sciences, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Host parasite interaction

   5 topics

   • Recognition and entry processes of different pathogens
     • Bacteria
     • Viruses
   • Alteration of host cell behavior by pathogens
   • Virus-induced cell transformation
   • Pathogen-induced diseases in animals and plants
   • Cell-cell fusion in normal and abnormal cells
2. 2

   Cell signaling

   9 topics

   • Hormones and their receptors
   • Cell surface receptor
   • Signaling through G-protein coupled receptors
   • Signal transduction pathways
   • Second messengers
   • Regulation of signaling pathways
   • Bacterial and plant two-component systems
   • Light signaling in plants
   • Bacterial chemotaxis and quorum sensing
3. 3

   Cellular communication

   7 topics

   • Regulation of hematopoiesis
   • General principles of cell communication
   • Cell adhesion and roles of different adhesion molecules
   • Gap junctions
   • Extracellular matrix
   • Integrins
   • Neurotransmission and its regulation
4. 4

   Cancer

   9 topics

   • Genetic rearrangements in progenitor cells
   • Oncogenes
   • Tumor suppressor genes
   • Cancer and the cell cycle
   • Virus-induced cancer
   • Metastasis
   • Interaction of cancer cells with normal cells
   • Apoptosis
   • Therapeutic interventions of uncontrolled cell growth
5. 5

   Innate and adaptive immune system

   24 topics

   • Cells and molecules involved in innate and adaptive immunity
   • Antigens, antigenicity and immunogenicity
   • B and T cell epitopes
   • Structure and function of antibody molecules
   • Generation of antibody diversity
   • Monoclonal antibodies
   • Antibody engineering
   • Antigen-antibody interactions
   • MHC molecules
   • Antigen processing and presentation
   • Activation and differentiation of B and T cells
   • B and T cell receptors
   • Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses
   • Primary and secondary immune modulation
   • The complement system
   • Toll-like receptors
   • Cell-mediated effector functions
   • Inflammation
   • Hypersensitivity and autoimmunity
   • Immune response during bacterial infections (tuberculosis)
   • Immune response during parasitic infections (malaria)
   • Immune response during viral infections (HIV)
   • Congenital and acquired immunodeficiencies
   • Vaccines

Cell communication and cell signaling flashcards for CSIR NET Life Sciences

20 of 53 cards from the Cell communication and cell signaling deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the three stages of cell signaling?

   Reception (signal binds receptor), transduction (signal converted via relay molecules/cascade), and response (specific cellular change such as gene expression or enzyme activity).

2. What are the four main types of cell signaling based on distance?

   Endocrine (hormones via bloodstream), paracrine (local diffusion to nearby cells), autocrine (cell signals itself), and direct/juxtacrine (cell-cell contact, e.g., via gap junctions).

3. What is the basic structure and mechanism of a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR)?

   A seven-transmembrane (7TM) receptor coupled to a heterotrimeric G protein (alpha, beta, gamma). Ligand binding causes the alpha subunit to exchange GDP for GTP, dissociate, and activate effectors (e.g., adenylyl cyclase, phospholipase C).

4. List four major classes of cell-surface receptors.

   G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), ion-channel-linked (ligand-gated) receptors, and enzyme-linked receptors (e.g., cytokine receptors using JAK-STAT).

5. Name four common second messengers in signal transduction.

   Cyclic AMP (cAMP), cyclic GMP (cGMP), inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3), diacylglycerol (DAG), and calcium ions (Ca2+).

6. How does the cAMP pathway transduce a signal after GPCR activation?

   Gs-alpha activates adenylyl cyclase, which converts ATP to cAMP; cAMP activates protein kinase A (PKA), which phosphorylates target proteins to produce the response.

7. What products result from PLC cleavage of PIP2, and what are their roles?

   Phospholipase C cleaves PIP2 into IP3 and DAG. IP3 opens Ca2+ channels on the ER releasing Ca2+; DAG (with Ca2+) activates protein kinase C (PKC).

8. What is the role of GTPase activity in regulating G-protein signaling?

   The G-protein alpha subunit hydrolyzes bound GTP to GDP (intrinsic GTPase, accelerated by RGS proteins), inactivating itself and allowing reassociation of the trimer, terminating the signal.

9. How is signal transduction commonly amplified and regulated?

   Amplification occurs through enzyme cascades (one enzyme activates many substrates). Regulation includes receptor desensitization, phosphatases reversing phosphorylation, GTPase timers, and negative feedback loops.

10. What is a bacterial two-component signaling system?

    A signaling system with a membrane sensor histidine kinase that autophosphorylates on a histidine in response to a stimulus, then transfers the phosphate to an aspartate on a cytoplasmic response regulator that alters gene expression.

11. How do plant two-component systems differ from bacterial ones?

    Plants use a multistep phosphorelay (His-Asp-His-Asp) involving hybrid histidine kinases (e.g., ethylene/cytokinin receptors), histidine phosphotransfer proteins (HPts), and response regulators.

12. What are the key photoreceptors involved in light signaling in plants?

    Phytochromes (red/far-red light, Pr/Pfr forms), cryptochromes and phototropins (blue/UV-A light), and UVR8 (UV-B light).

13. Describe the mechanism of bacterial chemotaxis.

    Methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs) sense attractants/repellents and regulate CheA kinase; CheA phosphorylates CheY, which binds the flagellar motor to control tumbling vs. running. Adaptation occurs via methylation (CheR/CheB).

14. What is quorum sensing in bacteria?

    A density-dependent communication system where bacteria secrete and detect autoinducers (e.g., AHLs in Gram-negative, peptides in Gram-positive); when a threshold concentration is reached, coordinated gene expression (bioluminescence, virulence, biofilm) is triggered.

15. What regulates hematopoiesis from hematopoietic stem cells?

    Cytokines and growth factors (e.g., erythropoietin for RBCs, thrombopoietin for platelets, G-CSF/M-CSF for granulocytes/monocytes, interleukins) acting through receptors using the JAK-STAT pathway, plus transcription factors (GATA-1, PU.1).

16. What are gap junctions and what passes through them?

    Intercellular channels formed by connexons (six connexin subunits each) connecting adjacent animal cells, allowing direct passage of ions and small molecules (<1 kDa) for electrical and metabolic coupling. (Plasmodesmata serve a similar role in plants.)

17. What are integrins and their function?

    Heterodimeric (alpha-beta) transmembrane receptors that link the extracellular matrix (e.g., fibronectin, laminin via RGD motif) to the actin cytoskeleton, mediating cell adhesion, migration, and bidirectional ('inside-out'/'outside-in') signaling.

18. Name the four major families of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs).

    Cadherins (Ca2+-dependent, homophilic, at adherens junctions/desmosomes), integrins (cell-ECM), selectins (carbohydrate-binding, leukocyte rolling), and the immunoglobulin superfamily (Ca2+-independent, e.g., NCAM, ICAM).

19. What are the major components of the extracellular matrix (ECM)?

    Fibrous proteins (collagen, elastin), adhesive glycoproteins (fibronectin, laminin), and proteoglycans/glycosaminoglycans (e.g., hyaluronic acid, heparan sulfate) embedded in a gel-like ground substance.

20. Outline the basic process of neurotransmission at a chemical synapse.

    An action potential opens voltage-gated Ca2+ channels at the presynaptic terminal; Ca2+ influx triggers SNARE-mediated vesicle fusion and neurotransmitter release; the transmitter binds postsynaptic receptors causing depolarization/hyperpolarization; signal is terminated by reuptake/degradation.

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