BIOLOGY 220 - GENETICS
FALL SEMESTER 2004
INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. Nancy S. Kirkpatrick
220 Crawford Hall - 635-2894
nkirkpatrick@lssu.edu
OFFICE HOURS:
MWF - 11:00-11:50; TW - 1:00-1:50
PREREQUISITES:
BL132 or BL110/111, CH116
TEXTBOOK:
Genetics: A Conceptual Approach, by Benjamin A. Pierce
Laboratory Manual of Genetics, 4th ed. by Winchester & Wejksnora
COURSE ORGANIZATION: This course is divided into three major subdivisions - Mendelian
or transmission genetics, molecular biology, and population genetics. During the section on
Mendelian genetics, we will cover mitosis and meiosis, traditional genetics problems, modes of
inheritance, and chromosomal structure. The section on molecular biology will include
information on DNA structure and replication, transcription, translation, gene cloning, genomics,
and current research in DNA technology, and ethics in genetics. Topics in population genetics
will include aspects of the Hardy-Weinberg theory.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: At the conclusion of this course, a student will be able to:
Solve and analyze genetics problems at the multi-gene level
Analyze pedigrees for an unknown genetic trait
Calculate chi-square values for a given set of results
Identify the stages of mitosis at the microscopic level
Contrast the stages of meiosis with that of mitosis
Construct a DNA molecule
Recognize and discuss the essential elements of DNA replication, RNA transcription, and
protein translation
Discuss areas of current research in DNA technology
Construct a simple restriction enzyme map
Carry out an experiment in gene transmission using Drosophila as a test organism
Perform simple population problems using the Hardy-Weinberg equation
EXAMS: There will be four hourly exams worth 15% each. These will be a combination of
problems, essays and objective questions.
MAKE-UP EXAM POLICY: Make-up exams are time-consuming and a general pain in the
neck. Therefore, you must have a very good excuse to not take an exam at the regularly
scheduled time. If you have to miss an exam, you must inform me ahead of time either in
person, by phone or phone mail, or via e-mail. The make-up exam will take place within one
week's time of the original test at the Testing Center in the Library. Contact Carol Boger, x2452,
to make arrangements, then let me know so that I can take the test to her.
HOMEWORK & QUIZZES: Each week several questions and/or problems from the current
chapter will be assigned. Completion of all homework assignments will be worth 2.5% of your
final grade. Every Friday you will have a "Homework Quiz" consisting of one or two problems
very similar to the assigned homework problems. These quizzes will be graded and comprise
7.5% of your final grade. No one will be permitted to make up a quiz; however, each student
will be able to drop his/her lowest quiz .
LABORATORY: Check to be sure that you have signed up for a lab section. The lab will
constitute 30% of your total grade. The laboratory syllabus will explain the lab in more detail.
Feel free to ask about homework problems in lab.
GRADE DETERMINATION:
4 exams @ 15%
Homework quizzes
Homework
Laboratory
60%
7.5%
2.5%
30%
100%
CHEATING: Will not be tolerated. See current university catalog for policies regarding
cheating and plagiarism.
LAB QUIZ
SCHEDULE:
Tues./Wed. Oct. 112/13
Tues/Wed. Dec. 14/15
EXAM SCHEDULE: Monday, September 20
Monday, October 18
Monday, November 15
FINAL EXAM:
Thursday, December 16 @7:30 a.m.
ALL DATES ARE SUBJECT TO
CHANGE AT THE DISCRETION
OF THE INSTRUCTOR.
In compliance with Lake Superior State University policy and equal access laws,
disability-related accommodations or services are available. Students who desire such
services are to meet with the professor in a timely manner, preferably the first week of
class, to discuss their disability-related needs. Students will not receive services until
they register with the Resource Center for Students with Disabilities (RCSD). Proper
registration will enable the RCSD to verify the disability and determine reasonable
academic accommodations. RCSD is located in the Library basement, extension 2454.
CHAPTERS TO BE COVERED IN PIERCE:
1, 2, 3, 4 - Exam I (Sept. 20)
5, 6, 7 - Exam II (Oct. 18)
10, 12, 13, 18 (Nov. 15)
15, 16, 20, 23 (Dec. 16)
Expanded Contents:
Ch. 1 - Introduction to Genetics
Ch. 2 - Chromosomes & Cellular Reproduction
 Eukaryotic Cell Reproduction
 The Cell Cycle & Mitosis
 Sexual Reproduction And Genetic Variation
 Meiosis
Ch. 3 - Basic Principles of Heredity
 Mendel's Success
 Genetics Terminology
 Monohybrid Crosses
 The Testcross
 Incomplete Dominance
 Dihybrid Crosses
 Independent Assortment
 Trihybrid Crosses & The Forkline Approach
 Goodness-Of-Fit Chi-Square Test
Ch. 4 - Sex Determination & Sex-Linked Characteristics
 Chromosomal Sex-Determining Systems
 Genetic Sex-Determining Systems
 Sex Determination In Drosophila
 Sex Determination In Humans
 Sex-Linked Characteristics
 X-Linked White Eyes In Drosophila
 Nondisjunction
 Z-Linked Characteristics
Exam I - Monday, September 20
Ch. 5 - Extension & Modifications Of Basic Principles
 Lethal Alleles
 Multiple Alleles
 ABO Blood Group
 Epistasis
 Sex-Influenced & Sex-Limited Traits
 Cytoplasmic Inheritance
 Environmental Effects On Gene Expression
Ch. 6 - Pedigree Analysis & Applications
 Analyzing Pedigrees
 Autosomal Recessive Traits
 Autosomal Dominant Traits
 X-Linked Recessive Traits
 X-Linked Dominant Traits
 Y-Linked Traits
 Twin Studies
 Adoption Studies
 Genetics Counseling & Testing
Ch. 7 - Linkage, Recombination, & Eukaryotic Gene Mapping
 Complete Linkage Compared With Independent Assortment
 Crossing Over With Linked Genes
 Calculation Of Recombination Frequency
 Coupling & Repulsion
 Physical Basis of Recombination
 Gene Mapping With Recombination Frequencies
 The Two-Point Testcross
 Gene Mapping With the Three-Point Testcross
 Deletion Mapping
 Somatic Cell Hybridization
EXAM II - Monday, October 18
Ch. 10 - DNA: The Chemical Nature Of the Gene
 Early Studies of DNA
 DNA As The Source of Genetic Information
 Watson & Crick's Discovery of the Three-Dimensional Structure Of DNA
 RNA as Genetic Material
 Primary Structure of DNA
 Secondary Structure of DNA
Ch. 12 - DNA Replication
 Semiconservative DNA Replication
 Meselson & Stahl's Experiment
 Modes of Replication
 Requirements of Replication
 Direction of Replication
 The Mechanism of Replication
 Bacterial DNA Replication
 Eukaryotic DNA Replication
Ch. 18 - Recombinant DNA Technology
 Recombinant DNA Techniques
 Cutting & Joining DNA Fragments
 Viewing DNA Fragments
 Locating DNA Fragments With Southern Blotting And Probes
 Cloning Genes
 Finding Genes
 Polymerase Chain Reaction
 DNA Sequencing
 Applications of Recombinant DNA Technology
 Pharmaceuticals
 Specialized Bacteria







Agricultural Products
Oligonucleotide Drugs
Genetic Testing
Gene Therapy
Gene Mapping
DNA Fingerprinting
Concerns about Recombinant DNA Technology
Ch. 13 - Transcription
 The Structure of RNA
 Classes of RNA
 The Template
 The Substrate for Transcription
 The Transcription Apparatus
 The Process of Bacterial Transcription
 Initiation
 Elongation
 Termination
 The Process of Eukaryotic Transcription
 Transcription & Nucleosome Structure
 Transcription Initiation
 RNA Polymerase II Promoters
 RNA Polymerase I Promoters
 RNA Polymerase III Promoters
 Evolutionary Relationships & the TATA-Binding Protein
 Termination
EXAM III - Monday, November 15
Ch. 15 - The Genetic Code & Translation
 The Structure & Function of Proteins
 Breaking the Genetic Code
 The Degeneracy of the Code
 The Reading Frame & Initiation Codons
 Termination Codons
 Universality of the Code
 The Process of Translation
 Binding of Amino Acids to tRNAs
 Initiation of Translation
 Elongation
 Termination
Ch. 16 - Control of Gene Expression: Prokaryotes
 Levels of Gene Control
 Genes & Regulatory Elements
 DNA-Binding Proteins
 Operon Structure
 The lac Operon of E. coli
 lac Mutations
 The trp Operon of E. coli
 Attenuation
Ch. 20 - Organelle DNA
 Mitochondrion & Chloroplast Structure
 The Genetics of Organelle-Encoded Traits
 The Endosymbiont Theory
 Gene Structure & Organization of mtDNA
 Replication, Transcription, and Translation of mtDNA
 Evolution of mtDNA
 Gene Structure & Organization of cpDNA
 Replication, Transcription, and Translation of cpDNA
 Evolution of cpDNA
Ch. 23 - Population & Evolutionary Genetics
 Calculation of Genotypic Frequencies
 Calculation of Phenotypic Frequencies
 The Hardy-Weinberg Law
 Assumptions of the Hardy-Weinberg Law
 Implications of the Hardy-Weinberg Law
 Extension of the Hardy-Weinberg Law
 Testing for Hardy-Weinberg Law Population
 Estimating Allelic Frequencies with the Hardy-Weinberg Law
 Nonrandom Mating
 Changes in Allelic Frequency
 Mutation
 Migration
 Genetic Drift
 Natural Selection
EXAM IV - 7:30 a.m., Thursday, December 16