Title: Eukaryotic Molecular Biology, Pharmacology 620/Biochemistry 620
MWF 11:00-11:50 in Microbial Sciences, Room 1420
Professors:
Dr. David Wassarman, 371 MSC / 262-6648 / dawassarman@wisc.edu
Dr. Aseem Ansari, 435C Biochemistry Addition / 265-4690 / ansari@biochem.wisc.edu
Course description: This course focuses on the basic molecular mechanisms that regulate DNA, RNA,
and protein metabolism in eukaryotic organisms. The course is intended for advanced undergraduates and
first years graduate students with a firm knowledge of basic biochemistry.
Prerequisites: Biochemistry 508 or equivalent
Date
(W) Jan 20
(F) Jan 22
(M) Jan 25
(W) Jan 27
(F) Jan 29
(M) Feb 1
(W) Feb 3
(F) Feb 5
(M) Feb 8
(W) Feb 10
(F) Feb 12
(M) Feb 15
(W) Feb 17
(F) Feb 19
(M) Feb 22
(W) Feb 24
(F) Feb 26
(M) March 1
(W) March 3
(F) March 5
(M) March 8
(W) March 10
(F) March 12
(M) March 15
(W) March 17
(F) March 19
(M) March 22
(W) March 24
(F) March 26
(M) March 29
(W) March 31
(F) April 2
(M) April 5
(W) April 7
(F) April 9
Topic
Orientation-The Central Dogma
RNA pol I transcription
RNA pol I & III transcription
RNA pol III transcription & proposal
Discussion-1
RNA pol II-transcription-I
RNA pol II transcription-II
RNA pol II transcription-III
RNA pol II transcription-IV
Discussion-2
Chromatin & epigenetics overview
Chromatin-histone modification
Chromatin-remodeling
Discussion-3
Chromatin-rDNA transcription
Chromatin-dosage compensation
Exam 1
Pre-mRNA splicing-I
Pre-mRNA splicing-II
Discussion-4
Alternative splicing
Capping and polyadenylation
Discussion-5
mRNA decay
siRNAs-RNAi
miRNAs and RNA editing
Discussion-6
tRNA and rRNA processing
Other ncRNAs
Spring break
Spring break
Spring break
Discussion-7
Exam 2
Translation initiation
Highlighted paper
Nat. Cell Biol 7, 1149 (2005)
Genes Dev. 20, 2030 (2006)
Mol. Cell 16, 81 (2004)
Proposal instructions
TBD
TBD
Instructor
W&A
Wassarman
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Ansari
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Ansari
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Wassarman
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Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
W&A
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
Wassarman
TBD
Wassarman
Wassarman
Ansari
To be determined (TBD)
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
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TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Paper-part 1 due
TBD
TBD
TBD
(M) April 12
(W) April 14
(F) April 16
(M) April 19
(W) April 21
(F) April 23
(M) April 26
(W) April 28
(F) April 30
(M) May 3
(W) May 5
(F) May 7
(Th) May 13
Translation elongation
Translation termination
Discussion-8
Translation regulation
Protein chaperones
Discussion-9
DNA replication-I
DNA replication-II
Discussion-10
DNA repair and ageing
Genomics
Proteomics
Exam 3
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Paper-part 2 due
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Ansari
Ansari
Wassarman
Ansari
Ansari
Wassarman
Ansari
Ansari
Wassarman
Ansari
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Ansari
Ansari
Class format: The class will meet MWF for 50 minutes. Information will be presented in two formats. For
two-thirds of the meetings, faculty will present lectures on topics central to the discipline of eukaryotic
molecular biology. For one-third of the meetings (listed as “Discussion” in the syllabus), students and
faculty will discuss the design and interpretation of experiments in eukaryotic molecular biology.
Reading: Highlighted papers should be read prior to the class session. These papers serve two purposes;
they stress key advances in our understanding of eukaryotic molecular biology and the experimental
approaches that have been employed to make the advances.
Writing: The assignment is to choose one eukaryotic gene of unknown function and write a 4-page
research paper that proposes molecular biology approaches to determine the function of the gene (i.e., the
encoded RNA or protein).
Grades: Grades will be assigned based on total points earned, with a maximum of 400. Each exam is
worth 100 points. Exams will follow completion of the major sections of the course; exam 1-transcription,
exam 2-RNA processing, exam 3-translation and DNA metabolism (see syllabus). The paper is worth 100
points.
Web site: The course web site at Learn@UW contains the syllabus, instructions for the research paper,
PowerPoint lecture notes, sample exams from past years, and pdf files of highlighted papers. Research
papers will be turned in through the “dropbox”.