BIOL 377: Special Topics: Molecular Genetics, Spring 2011
Instructor: Dr. Kathy Szick-Miranda
Office: Sci I 316
Phone: 654-6165
Email: kszick-miranda@csub.edu
Web: www.csub.edu/~kszick_miranda
Office hours: M 11:00-12:30; T 12:30-3:00
Lecture: M W F 9:30-10:50am, Sci II 343
Required Books:
•Weaver, R. 2008. Molecular Biology, Fourth Edition. McGraw Hill.
•Discussion papers - Will be available via the web.
Course Description:
Evolution and molecular organization of the cell, macromolecules of organisms, and gene expression.
Emphasis placed on recombinant DNA techniques, genetic engineering and biotechnology. Prerequisite:
BIO 304.
Course Goals:
In this course we will examine the core concepts in molecular genetics, including DNA structure,
replication and repair, gene expression, regulation of gene expression as well as topics involved in
biotechnology. Upon completion of this course, you are expected to be able to:
•Define and describe the chemical structure of both DNA and RNA at the molecular and macromolecular
level.
•Describe the process of replication including enzymes involved.
•Describe transcription and translation in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
•Understand how and why mutations occur, what mechanisms are involved in repair of mutations and
what effect mutations have in the short term and evolutionarily.
•Finally, an emphasis will be placed on the ability to interpret data that is the direct result of recombinant
DNA techniques and procedures.
Academic Policies: It is expected that your work is YOUR work. In the unexpected event of plagiarism
and/or dishonesty during exams or for the research term-paper, the student will receive a zero on that
activity and be referred to the campus administration for disciplinary action. Please refer to the campus
2009-2011 catalog page 82.
Attendance and Participation:
I will not record attendance however, the lectures will provide a great deal of information that you may
not find in your text. Your overall grade in the course will reflect the extent to which you participate over
the course of the quarter.
Grading: Grades will be based on the percentage of points accumulated in the course (lecture and lab)
using the scale shown below.
A = 94-100
B- = 80-82.9
D+ = 67-69.9
A-= 90-93.9
C+ = 77-79.9
D = 63-66.9
B+ = 87-89.9
C = 73-76.9
D- = 60-62.9
B = 83-86.9
C- = 70-72.9
F = 0-59.9
*All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the date indicated. Any assignment turned in after
that time will be penalized 10% per day.
Assignment Point Values:
Exam I
Exam II
Exam III
Exam IV (Final)
Independent Study Topic Write-up
TOTAL
100pts
100pts
100pts
100pts
50pts
350pts*
*I will only count your 3 highest exam scores in your final grade calculation.
Reading Assignments:
1. For each lecture, the reading will relate to the topic of that day and should be done in advance of
lecture so that you will be familiar with what will be lectured on.
2. There may be additional handouts and/or reading.
Independent Study Assignment:
You assignment is to find an article in some area of molecular biology that interests you (some examples
of appropriate journals are: Science; Nature; Cell; Plant Molecular Biology; The Plant Cell; Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences, USA; Molecular and General Genetics; EMBO J. (European
Molecular Biology Organization Journal). Once you have selected an article you must get it approved by
me. Submit a PDF file of the complete article to me for approval (see syllabus for deadline). This can be
sent by e-mail. Please send only one article at a time for approval. Once you have received approval, you
are to prepare a detailed description of one of the molecular techniques utilized in the journal article.
Your objective is to prepare a powerpoint presentation that could be used to teach a class about how this
technique works and the type of information that can be gained from running this type of experiment. Be
sure to include the following:
1. The powerpoint presentation (hard copy and electronic copy).
2. Description of the experiment along with results – You have conveyed a good
understanding of how the technique was performed and what type of information was
gained using this technique.
3. Complete reference section.
Lecture Schedule BIOL 377 Spring 2011
WK
Day/Date
Topic
Reading
1
M-Mar 28
Intro to course
Ch1 1-11;Ch2 13-15;Ch3 32-50
W-Mar 30
DNA Structure
Ch2 15-30
F-April 1
Independent Study Topic
M-April 4
Guest Speaker
W-April 6
DNA Structure
F-April 8
Chromosome Structure
Ch13 359-367; 377-383
M-April 11
Replication
Ch20 639-659
W-April 13
Exam I
F-April 15
Replication
M-April 18
Eukaryotic Replication
W-April 20
DNA Damage and Repair
F-April 22
Independent Study Topic
M-April 25
DNA Damage and Repair
W-April 27
Transcription (prokaryotes)
Ch6 126-165
F-April 29
Transcriptional Regulation (Proks)
Ch7 172-183
M-May 2
Exam II
W-May4
Transcription Eukaryotes
Ch10 250-274; Ch11 281-314
F-May6
Transcript Processing
Ch15 444-464
M-May 9
Splicing
Ch14 399-443
W-May 11
Transcriptional Regulation (Euks)
Ch12 321-346
F-May 13
Translation
Ch19 607-633; Ch17 521-546
M-May16
Translation
Ch18 573-599
W-May 18
Exam III
F-May 20
Translation
M-May 23
The Genetic Code
Ch18 564-571
W-May 25
Molecular Tools
CH 5 84-119
F-May 27
Cloning/Biotechnology
Ch24 770-777
M-May 30
HOLIDAY
W-June 1
Biotechnology
F-June 3
Genomics and Proteomics
M-June 6
Genomics and Proteomics
W-June 8
Final 11:00-1:30
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
10+1
Ch21 683-704
Ch20 660-682
CH 24 797-827
*Article selections due Monday April 4th, project due Friday May 27th.