[NOTICE ABOUT THE FINAL EXAM: ANY STUDENTS WHO HAVE MISSED
AN EARLIER EXAM DURING THE SEMESTER NEED TO TAKE THE FINAL.
IF YOU ARE HAPPY WITH THE AVERAGE OF THE FOUR LECTURE
EXAMS AND YOUR RECITATION GRADE, YOU DO NOT NEED TO SHOW
UP FOR THE FINAL. THE FINAL WILL BE DROPPED. ALL STUDENTS
WHO ATTEND LECTURES WOULD ALREADY KNOW THAT ATTENDANCE
AT THE FINAL IS ONLY REQUIRED FOR STUDENTS NEEDING TO MAKE
UP AN EARIER MISSED LECTURE EXAM, OR THOSE WHO WISH TO
BOOST THEIR GRADE BY TAKING THE FINAL AND DROPPING AN
EARLIER, LOWER SCORE.]
SYLLABUS FOR GENETICS:
Instructor:
BIO 304
Dr. Tim Phillips
325 Plant Science Building
phone: 257-5020 ext. 80769
tphillip@uky.edu
FALL 2005
Website: www.uky.edu/~tphillip
Office Hours: WF 1:00-3:00 and by appointment.
Textbook:
Genetics: Analysis of Genes and Genomes, Sixth edition, 2005, by D. L.
Hartl and E. W. Jones.
Content:
Genetics is a broad, rapidly growing field of science. The UK University Bulletin
describes this course in this way: ‘a study of the physical and chemical aspects of the
genetic material and their relationship to the expression and inheritance of the
phenotype’. This course is a required prerequisite for other classes: animal breeding
(ASC 362), molecular genetics (ABT/ENT460), and population genetics
(ABT/BIO/ENT/FOR 461), so we will try to lay a solid foundation for these follow-up
classes. Having said that, it would be very demanding to cover all topics in our textbook.
My background as a trained plant breeder means that I have taken many genetics
classes as a student during the 1980s and early 1990s. Plant breeding is the application of
genetic principles to crop species. I have worked in plant breeding of peanuts, small
grains, and here at U.K., with cool season forage grasses. I am certain to have a bias
toward Mendelian genetics and population genetics, and toward plants rather than fruit
flies, humans, or microbes. However, we will discuss a wide range of topics and use
examples from many life forms.
Our textbook has 18 chapters and treats several subdisciplines as equal parts of an
integrated whole. These divisions of genetics include: transmission genetics (also called
classical or Mendelian genetics), molecular genetics, and population and evolutionary
genetics. The sequence of coverage of these three segments is not necessarily based on
the historical development of the field of genetics, but we will follow the textbook. You
will not be able to learn genetics without having a copy of the textbook. It should be
available from local bookstores, or you can find a copy by shopping on the web.
We will have five hour-long exams, with the fifth one being during the final exam
time. There will be a number of homework assignments and in-class quizzes, all to be
turned in during the recitation periods on Thursday. These components will be weighted
as follows:
4 (best) exams
@ 20 points each
80% of final grade
(~)10 homework/quizzes
@ 2 points each
20 (in recitation sessions)
We will use the typical 90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D format for grading
exams and for determining your course grades.
Regular attendance and participation in class is required to make the experience of
this genetics class more meaningful. Reading the textbook chapter assignments before
class also will help you understand the lectures better, so please try to do this.
Attendance in the recitation sessions is necessary for you to keep up with the topics we
cover, and to do the homework assignments and take the short quizzes, both of which
will be due at the end of the recitation period each week.
Other Course Policies
Make up tests: If you miss an exam or quiz because of an excused absence, contact me
immediately and present me with written validation for your excused absence. Valid
excuses are as described in the University Bulletin. Make-ups for missed exams and
quizzes will be scheduled within one week of the original exam. After that point, the
missed exam will be the dropped exam. If you miss the final exam because of an excused
absence or you miss a scheduled make-up test, you will be given an “I” letter grade for
the course. See me immediately with validation for your excused absence and we will
make arrangements for you to make up the final exam or test and I will change your
grade from “I” to the appropriate letter grade immediately on your completion of the
tests. Other aspects of the policy for make-up work in this course are as described in the
University Bulletin. [THIS ONLY APPLIES TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE
MISSED AN EARLIER EXAM DURING THE SEMESTER. IF YOU ARE
HAPPY WITH THE AVERAGE OF THE FOUR LECTURE EXAMS AND YOUR
RECITATION GRADE, YOU DO NOT NEED TO SHOW UP FOR THE
FINAL!!!]
Cheating: All tests and the final exam are “closed-book”, meaning that you are not
permitted to use written information in the form of notes, books, or “crib-notes” during
these examinations. Cheating for this course is defined as 1) using notes of any kind
during a test or exam; 2) copying from other students during tests or exams; 3) talking to
other students during tests or exams 4) handing in a homework assignments that are not
your own work. The minimum penalty for these offences is an “E” grade in the course,
with suspension and dismissal from UK also being possible.
COURSE OUTLINE
Day/Date
Wed., August 24
Fri., Aug. 26
Mon., Aug. 29
Wed., Aug. 31
Fri., Sept. 2
Mon., Sept. 5
Wed., Sept. 7
Fri., Sept. 9
Mon., Sept. 12
Wed., Sept. 14
Fri., Sept. 16
Mon., Sept. 19
Wed., Sept. 21
Fri., Sept. 23
Mon., Sept. 26
Wed., Sept. 28
Fri., Sept. 30
Mon., Oct. 3
Wed., Oct. 5
Fri., Oct. 7
Mon. Oct.10
Wed., Oct. 12
Fri., Oct. 14
Mon., Oct. 17
Wed., Oct. 19
Fri., Oct. 21
Mon., Oct. 24
Wed., Oct. 26
Fri., Oct. 28
Mon., Oct. 31
Wed., Nov. 2
Fri., Nov. 4
Mon., Nov. 7
Wed., Nov. 9
Fri., Nov. 11
Mon., Nov. 14
Wed., Nov. 16
Fri., Nov. 18
Mon., Nov. 21
Wed., Nov. 23
Fri., Nov. 25
Mon., Nov. 28
Wed., Nov. 30
Fri., Dec 2
Mon., Dec. 5
Wed., Dec. 7
Fri., Dec. 9
Fri., Dec. 16
GENETICS
BIO 304
Topic
Introduction / Overview
Intro to molecular genetics and genomes
DNA structure and manipulation
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Transmission genetics
LABOR DAY holiday (no class)
Transmission genetics
Chromosomes and sex chromosomes
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EXAM 1
Linkage and mapping
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DNA replication and recombination
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Molecular organization of chromosomes
EXAM 2
FALL BREAK – no class
Human karyotypes and chromosome behavior
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Polyploidy in plants
Bacterial and viral genetics
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Gene expression
EXAM 3
Gene expression
FALL 2005
Reading assignment
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
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Chapter 5
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Chapter 6
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Chapter 7
Chapter 8
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Chapter 9
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Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Gene regulation
Chapter 11
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Epigenetic mechanisms
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Genomics, proteomics, and transgenics
Chapter 12
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EXAM 4
Genetic control of development
Chapter 13
Mutation and DNA repair
Chapter 14
Mitochondrial DNA and extranuclear inheritance Chapter 16
THANKSGIVING BREAK - no class
Molecular evolution and population genetics
Chapter 17
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Quantitative genetics
Chapter 18
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Review for final (Exam 5)
EXAM 5
(FINAL)
10:30-12:30