MCB 7200: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(Class Number 6576 – 3.0 Credit Hours)-Fall 2013
Time & Place: Tuesdays & Thursdays 9:00 - 10:20 AM in Porter Hall, Room 429.
Instructors: Allan Showalter, John Kopchick and Frank Horodyski
Text: Molecular Cell Biology-(7th edition) ©2013 by Harvey Lodish et al.; Supplemental readings will also be
assigned in class.
Course web site: http://www.ohio.edu/plantbio/staff/showalte/MCB%20720/
Prerequisites: CHEM 5901 or permission
Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the basic concepts and techniques used in molecular biology.
Learning Objectives:
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Understand current experimentation in the field of molecular biology.
Learn how to read and understand primary publications in molecular biology.
Learn how to present molecular biology research data to an audience.
Understand basic and advanced molecular biology concepts and techniques.
Gain an appreciation and knowledge of how to deal with ethical issues relating to science.
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Grades will be based on the following:
1.
A take-home exam (Exam I) on the first third (AS lectures) of the course (100 points).
2.
An exam (Exam II) based on the second third (JK lectures) of the course (100 points).
3.
An exam (Exam III) based on the last third (FH lectures) of the course (75 points) in addition to paper
presentations and discussions (25 points).
Thus, there are 300 points possible. Typically, 93.3% and above will earn an A, 90-93.3% an A-, 86.7-90% a B+,
83.3-86.7% a B, 80-83.3% a B-, 76.7-80% a C+, 73.3-76.7% a C, 70-73.3% a C-, 66.7-70% a D+, 63.3-66.7% a D,
60-63.3% a D-, and below 60% an F.
Office Hours & Communication Information:
Allan Showalter- by appointment, Porter Hall-Room 504, phone: 740-593-1135, email: showalte@ohio.edu
Frank Horodyski- by appointment, 235 Life Sciences Building, phone: 740-593-0851, email: horodysk@ohio.edu
John Kopchick-by appointment, Konneker Research Center 206A, phone: 740-593-4534, email: kopchick@ohio.edu
Academic Conduct/Misconduct:
The penalty for course-related academic dishonesty (i.e., cheating on exams, plagiarism, etc.) will be failure of the
entire course along with a report of the incident being sent to University Judiciaries. Note that University Judiciaries
may impose additional sanctions, and students may appeal academic sanctions through the grade appeal process.
Cell phones must be turned off during class; violators will be asked to bring treats for the class.
Attendance Policy:
Attendance records will not be maintained; however, please keep in mind that the examinations will be based on the
material covered in the lectures as well as in the assigned course readings.
Intellectual Property:
The lectures, classroom activities, and all materials associated with this class and developed by the instructors are
copyrighted in the names of Allan Showalter, Frank Horokyski, and John Kopchick on August 26, 2013.
Accommodations for Students with a Disability Policy:
Any student who suspects s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the
class instructor privately to discuss the student’s specific needs and provide written documentation from the Office
of Student Accessibility Services. If the student is not yet registered as a student with a disability, s/he should
contact the Office of Student Accessibility Services.
MCB 7200: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (Fall 2013 – Syllabus)
Instructors: Drs. Allan Showalter (AS), Frank Horodyski (FH) and John Kopchick (JK)
WEEK DATE
READINGS*
TOPICS
1
Aug. 27
Aug. 29
1, 2.2, 4.1-4.4, 13
6.1, 7.1-7.4
Introduction; central dogma of biology** (AS)
Prokayotic & eukaryotic gene organization** (AS)
2
Sept. 3
Sept. 5
5
5
REs, vectors, hosts, molecular cloning** (AS)
Construction & screening of DNA libraries** (AS)
3
Sept. 10
Sept. 12
5, 3.5, p. 321-323
5
Clone verification and blotting methods** (AS)
DNA sequencing and PCR** (AS)
4
Sept. 17
Sept. 19
1.1, 1.2, 5, 6.5
3.5, 3.6
Genomics and microarrays** (AS)
Proteomics and bioinformatics** (AS)
5
Sept. 24
Sept. 26
5.5, 21.1
Animal genetic engineering and cloning (AS)
Plant genetic engineering (AS)
Take-home Exam I-due Oct. 3 (AS)
Oct. 1
Oct. 3
p. 124-145, 225-244
Oct. 8
Oct. 10
p. 324-325
Oct. 15
Oct. 17
p. 160-70, 186-8, 234-40, 663-4, 1124-54
Oct. 22
Oct. 24
p. 124-133, 254-55
-
Protein engineering (JK)
Protein engineering (JK)
10
Oct. 29
Oct. 31
-
Controversial Issues in Biotechnology (JK)
Exam II (JK)
11
Nov. 5
Nov. 7
p. 223-25, 256-66
Chromatin Structure (FH)
Heterochromatin (FH)
Nov. 12
Nov. 14
p. 327-35
Nov. 19
Nov. 21
p. 115-20, 145-51, 273-4, 894-7, 1148-50
Nov. 26
Nov. 28
p. 370-74
Dec. 3
Dec. 5
p. 1143-44
p. 234-35, 1073-81, 1111-12
Biological Roles of microRNAs (FH)
Recombination and Transposition (FH)
Dec. 12
(Thursday)
Exam III (FH), 8:00 a.m.
6
7
8
9
12
13
14
15
p. 507
p. 282-343, 350-365
p. 673-772
-
p. 315-20
-
p. 51-59, 1144-48
-
Transcription and translation (JK)
Control of gene expression (JK)
Hormones, receptors and signal transduction (JK)
Hormones, receptors and signal transduction (JK)
Retroviruses (JK)
Virus practicum (JK)
Epigenetics (FH)
Imprinting and Dosage Compensation (FH)
DNA Replication (FH)
Mutation-DNA Repair (FH)
Posttranscriptional Gene Silencing (FH)
No Class (Thanksgiving Break)
*These assigned readings (chapters, chapter sections, or page numbers) are from your required
textbook Molecular Cell Biology-(7th edition) ©2013 by Harvey Lodish et al.
**Molecular biology techniques to be covered include restriction enzyme digestions, molecular cloning,
footprinting, gel-shifts, construction/screening of genomic DNA and cDNA libraries, oligonucleotide synthesis,
Southern blotting, northern blotting, western blotting, antibody production, hybrid-select translation, in vitro
translation, expression systems, reporter genes, yeast two hybrid system, DNA sequencing, PCR, genomics,
microarrays, proteomics, bioinformatics, animal transfection and transformation, mammalian cloning, and plant
transformation.