Biological Sciences 210

Fall, 2005

 

GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

 

Instructors:      Jeff Knight, 105 Clapp, ext. 2487, jknight@mtholyoke.edu

Amy Springer, 120B Carr, ext. 2805, aspringe@mtholyoke.edu

 

Course Web Site: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/aspringe/biol210.html

 

Textbook: Griffiths, A.J.F., Gelbart, W.M., Miller, J.H., and Lewontin,

R.C. (2002). Modern Genetic Analysis: Integrating Genes and Genomes. New York, W.H. Freeman and Company, 2nd edition, ISBN: 0-7167-4382-5

 

There will also be assigned readings, and readings available on the World Wide Web.

 

Please note that there are prerequisite courses that you must have completed before you enroll in this class: Biological Sciences 150 (or 145) and Biological Sciences 200.  If you have not already taken these courses (or their approved equivalents), you should not be enrolled in this class.  Additionally, if you have not already taken Chemistry 101 or its approved equivalent, you must be currently enrolled in Chemistry 101 this semester.  Please see Mr. Knight or Ms. Springer if you have any questions about these prerequisites.

 

The course requirements for Biology 210 are as follows.  There are a total of 800 points that can be earned:

 

Course Requirement                                                               Total Points

 

Midterm Exams (3)                                                                 300

Final Exam                                                                              200

Quizzes                                                                                   100

Laboratory Work (Includes 2 Major Lab Reports)                 200

                                                Total points for the Course = 800

 

There will be five quizzes offered throughout the semester on the indicated dates, and each student's lowest quiz grade will be disregarded.  The three midterm exams will be given on the dates listed below.  The final exam will be self-scheduled.

 

Quiz Dates (NOTE: All                                              Midterm Exam Dates

quizzes are on Tuesdays.)                                                                              

 

Tuesday, September 20

Tuesday, September 27                                               Wednesday, October 5

Tuesday, October 18                                                   Wednesday, November 2

Tuesday, November 8                                                 Wednesday, December 7

Tuesday, November 15

TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE

 

Topic                                                                                                   Reading in Griffiths

Introduction to Genetics                                                                     Chapter 1

 

The Molecular Nature of Genes

The Structure of Genes and Genomes                                                Chapter 2

Eukaryotic Chromosome Structure                                         41-48

RNA processing                                                                      64-66

Protein Structure                                                                     66-68

 

Gene Function and Mutations                                                                        Chapters 3 and 10

            The molecular basis of mutation                                             74-81, 315-331

Transposable genetic elements                                    249-250, 289-290, 302, 331-337

 

Molecular basis of dominance and recessiveness                   81-84

 

Molecular Biology – Concepts and Techniques

Intro. to Recombinant DNA                                                               Chapter 8

            Making recombinant DNA                                                     217-220

            Cloning                                                                                   222-227

            Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)                                         220-222                                              

Gel Electrophoresis and Southern Blotting                                        230-233

           

 

Classical Transmission Genetics

Mendel and the Garden Pea                                                               125-126                      

 

Monohybrid Crosses (Complete Dominance, Incomplete                  117-125, 459-463

            Dominance, Lethals)

 

Dihybrid Crosses                                                                                150-156

 

Sex Linkage and Inheritance Related to Sex                                     126-128

 

Human Genetics and Pedigree Analysis                                             128-137

 

Probability I (Binomial Equation)                                                      

 

Probability II (the Chi-Square Test)                                                   167-169

 

Gene Interaction – Epistasis                                                               463-470

 

Biochemical Genetics                                                                         75-81

            Complementation                                                                    456-459

 

Multiple Alleles                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Penetrance and Expressivity                                                               471-472

 

Linkage and Recombination                                                               156-167

 

 

 

 

 

Genomics, and The Human Genome Project                                      Chapters 8 and 9                                

Making and Using DNA Libraries                                                     227-233, and Lab Manual Project 1

 

Mapping Human Genes                                                                      266-280

Positional Cloning                                                                               232-234

DNA Sequencing                                                                                236-239

The Human Genome Project                                                               269-271, 280-308

Genetic Testing                                                                                   239-242

Genetic Engineering and Gene Therapy                                             243-255          

 

Genetic and Molecular Analysis in Model Systems                           Chapter 16

Review of Drosophila Embryonic Development                               509-542

            Regulation of gene transcription                                             Chapter 13

 

Identification of Genes Controlling Fly Embryonic Development    527     

 

Homeotic genes, Homeoboxes, Homeodomains, and The Hox genes           537-540, 544-545

                                                                                                            251-252

 

Genetic Phenomena in Eukaryotes

Changes in chromosome number and structure                                  Chapter 11

 

Quantitative inheritance                                                                      Chapter 18