ABIO 340 Virology
Syllabus
Dr. Wm. Jackson
Spring 2011
Instructor Information
Instructor:
William H. Jackson, Ph.D.
Office:
SBDG 201A
Office Hours:
By Appointment
Telephone:
641-3601
Email:
Billj@usca.edu
Course Information
Lecture:
TTh, 9:25-10:40PM in SBDG
108
Text:
Basic Virology, 3rd Edition by Wagner,
Hewlet, Bloom, and Camerini
Laboratory:
M, 1:00-3:40AM in SBDG 108
Text:
Writing Papers in the Biological
Sciences, 4th Edition by McMillan
Supplies:
Laboratory notebook,
Scantron® Sheets
Four (4) Semester Hours
Additional Information:
Credit:
Blackboard
Course Description: Virology is a four credit hour course for biology majors, which covers the basic principles of
virology. Topics covered will include viral diseases, virus-cell interactions, and patterns of viral replication. The
course will primarily cover viruses directly involved in human disease.
Course Objectives: This course will introduce the student to the underlying principles of virology. On completion
of this course, the student will be expected to
1. Describe the replication strategies of DNA and RNA viruses
2. Describe the pathogenesis of viral diseases in humans
3. Describe strategies to prevent and combat viral diseases
4. Conduct a literature search and prepare a written review of a specific viral family
Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend all lecture and laboratory sessions. In this regard, the instructor
may impose a penalty for absences in excess of 25% of regularly scheduled class (lab or lecture) meetings by
assigning an “F” in the course. Absences, neither excused not unexcused, absolve the student from meeting class
assignments. Because of their nature, weekly quizzes and laboratory exercises cannot be made up.
Disability Statement: If you have a physical, psychological, and/or learning disability which might affect your
performance in class, please contact the Office of Disability Services, 126A B&E, (803) 641-3609, as soon as
possible. The Disability Services Office will determine appropriate accommodations based on medical
documentation.
Classroom Behavior: It is the instructor’s right to remove from the classroom any student who disrupts or disturbs
the proceeding of the class. Disruption of the class includes but is not limited to the use of any portable electronic
devices, including cell phones, MP3 players; iPods, etc. unless prior approval has been given to a student or unless
required for the course. In extreme cases the faculty member can request assistance from University Police. If the
student who has been ejected causes similar disturbances in subsequent meetings of the class, he/she may be denied
admittance to the class for the remainder of the semester and assigned a grade of F.
Methods of Presentation and Evaluation: Information will be presented through lectures, class discussion, and
laboratory exercises using appropriate visual aids and laboratory equipment.
Your laboratory grade will make up 25% of your final course grade (see below). For additional information on
laboratory requirements, see the Laboratory Syllabus supplement. The lecture component will account for 75% of
your final grade and will include three major exams (30%), Weekly quizzes (10%), written reports (10%), a virology
research paper (15%), and final exam (10%). Your final grade will be determined as shown below.
-1-
ABIO 340 Virology
Syllabus
Dr. Wm. Jackson
Spring 2011
You will be expected to endorse the USCA HONOR PLEDGE on every assignment: 'On my honor as a University
of South Carolina Aiken student, I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this
assignment/examination. To the best of my knowledge, I am not in violation of academic honesty'.
Description
3- one hour exams
Final Exam
Literature Review
Written reports
Weekly quizzes
Laboratory
Percentage
30%
10%
15%
10%
10%
25%
Points
300
100
150
100
100
250
Comments
10% each
Comprehensive final exam
Research paper on a virus family
Assigned topic, 20 points each (5)
Covering material from the previous 1-2 weeks
See Laboratory section for grading information
Letter grades will be based on the total accumulated points and will be assigned as follows: A>900; B>800; C>650;
D>550; F<550.
Literature Review. Fifteen percent of the final grade will be from a literature review and written report on an
assigned virus family. The final paper must be (excluding figures) at least 5 pages in length (double-spaced, 12pt
font, and 1” margins), and include in-text citations and a literature cited section. All figures must be referred to
within the body of the text and must be placed on individual pages in an appendix following the Literature Cited
section. Each figure must be numbered, titled, and referred to within the text in a consistent manner (e.g., Fig. 1, Fig.
2, etc.). A description of how to write a research paper can be found in chapters 4-8 in your text, “Writing Papers in
the Biological Sciences.” References must be cited in the text using CSE format. An example of CSE format and a
link
to
Citation
Builder
can
be
found
at
the
USCA
library
website:
http://library.usca.edu/index.php/Instruction/StyleGuides. A minimum of 15 primary literature sources must be used
for the paper. Although texts are not considered primary literature, relevant texts are acceptable (one text for every
10 sources). Encyclopedias, Wikipedia, and web sites are NOT considered primary literature and cannot be included
as references. Web site exceptions are the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). However, if these sites are used, they cannot be counted toward the 15 source minimum. Most of your
sources can be found at journal databases such as Medline through the National Library of Medicine
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov). Figures obtained from a web site and used in the paper are acceptable and should be
credited in the figure legend (not in the literature cited). The final paper will be submitted electronically through the
library’s TURNITIN database.
Research Assignments and Due Dates:
Completed bibliography: Friday, Feb 4
First draft: Monday, Mar 21
Final paper: Friday, Apr 15
Due dates for 1-page reports: Feb 4, Feb 11, Feb 18, Feb 25, and Mar 4
Research Paper Format:
Introduction
Classification and Morphology
Molecular Biology and Replication Strategy
Host(s) and Epidemiology
Human Diseases Associated with the Virus Family
Diagnosis and Pathology
Treatment and Prevention
Research Paper Evaluation:
Title and Bibliography completed on time
First Draft completed and on time
Content
Grammar
Spelling
References: Number and depth of search
References: Citation in text and reference list
Total Score
Late Penalty
Final Grade
-2-
5%
10%
35%
10%
10%
15%
15%
100%
-10%
Sum
ABIO 340 Virology
Syllabus
Dr. Wm. Jackson
Spring 2011
TENTATIVE LABORATORY SCHEDULE
WEEK
1
DATE
Jan 10
2
3
Jan 17
Jan 24
4
Jan 31
5
Feb 7
6
Feb 14
7
Feb 21
8
Feb 28
9
10
Mar 7
Mar 14
11
Mar 21
12
Mar 28
13
Apr 4
14
15
16
Apr 11
Apr 18
Apr 25
The Molecular Biology of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Introduction to research: the literature search and bibliography; Assignment of topic
and discussion of lab procedures and proper maintenance of lab records
MLK Day – No Classes
Group-led discussion of HIV/AIDS (5-7 minute PowerPoint presentations)
Assignment: 5 papers on HIV gene function with 250-word review (Introduction)
Experimental design – PCR and Primer design
Assignment: oligo design and description
Molecular Biology Tools – cloning, transformation, colony screening, gel
electrophoresis
Assignment: one-page research proposal with bibliography
Amplification of HIV gene sequences
Assignment: methods write up of PCR protocol
Cloning of PCR product – rapid ligation and transformation
Assignment: methods write up of ligation and transformation
Analysis of transformation and Molecular Biology Tools – Southern blot, Western
Blot, and ELISA
Assignment: results of ligation and transformation
Spring Break – No Classes
Colony analysis – prepare miniprep DNA
Assignment: methods write up of miniprep procedure
Miniprep analysis – restriction enzyme digest and gel electrophoresis
Assignment: (1) methods write up of miniprep procedure; (2) results write up
Data preparation – plasmid maps, restriction maps
Assignment: appropriately labeled plasmid map
Discussion – What does it all mean?
Assignment: discussion
Poster preparation
Poster preparation and wrap up
Poster session
Virology poster session: Each group will prepare a poster that describes their virology lab project. A poster
template will be provided. A discussion on how to prepare a research poster can be found in chapter 10 in your
supplemental text. The poster session will be held on Monday, April 25 at 1PM in the Science Building and will last
approximately 1-hour. During this time, each group will be expected to remain next to their poster to explain their
work and answer questions. The audience will be members of the Biology and Geology faculty, as well as students,
and any other invited guests.
Laboratory Evaluation. Each written lab assignment will by evaluated on a 15-point scale providing a maximum
of 150 points. The poster and poster session will make up the remaining 100 points of the 250 possible points in lab.
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ABIO 340 Virology
Syllabus
WEEK
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Final
DATE
Jan 11
Jan 13
Jan 18
Jan 20
Jan 25
Jan 27
Feb 1
Feb 3
Feb 8
Feb 10
Feb 15
Feb 17
Feb 22
Feb 24
Mar 1
Mar 3
Mar 8
Mar 10
Mar 15
Mar 17
Mar 22
Mar 24
Mar 29
Mar 31
Apr 5
Apr 7
Apr 12
Apr 14
Apr 19
Apr 21
Apr 28
Dr. Wm. Jackson
Spring 2011
TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE
TOPIC
An Introduction to Virology
An Introduction to Virology
An Outline of Virus Replication and Viral Pathogenesis
An Outline of Virus Replication and Viral Pathogenesis
Viral Diseases within Populations and Individual Animals
Viral Diseases within Populations and Individual Animals
Patterns of Some Viral Diseases of Humans
Patterns of Some Viral Diseases of Humans
Exam I
Patterns of Some Viral Diseases of Humans
Virus Structure and Classification
Virus Structure and Classification
The Beginning and End of the Virus Replication Cycle
The Beginning and the End of the Virus Replication Cycle
The Beginning and the End of the Virus Replication Cycle
The Beginning and the End of the Virus Replication Cycle
SPRING BREAK – No Classes
Exam II
Host Immune Response to Viruses
Host Immune Response to Viruses
Viruses Use Cellular Processes to Express their Genetic Information
Viruses Use Cellular Processes to Express their Genetic Information
Replication of Positive-Sense RNA Viruses
Replication of Positive-Senses RNA Viruses
Replication Strategies of RNA Viruses Requiring RNA-Directed
mRNA Transcription in the First Step in Viral Gene Expression
Exam III
Replication Strategies of RNA Viruses Requiring RNA-Directed
mRNA Transcription in the First Step in Viral Gene Expression
Replication of Cytoplasmic DNA Viruses
Replication of Cytoplasmic DNA Viruses
Final Exam at 8:00AM in SBDG 200
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CHAPTER
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
6
6
6
6
7
7
13
13
15
15
16
19
19
19
Cumulative