Biol 121: Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology
Fall 2007
Welcome to Biology 121! Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology is designed to
create a foundation for study in the life sciences by introducing students to the biology of
the cell, classical genetics and molecular genetics. The goal for this course is not only for
you to become familiar with life at the cellular level, but the means by which it is
investigated as well. Some outcomes of this familiarity will be an understanding of the:
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cell theory and the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
structure and function of the major organelles of eukaryotic cells.
structure and function of cell membranes.
basic structure and function of the four major types of biological molecules
importance of energy transformations and the role of enzymes in metabolic
pathways.
processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis
cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis.
principles of Mendelian inheritance.
molecular basis of inheritance including DNA replication, transcription and
translation.
control of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
In lab you will gain hands on experience with a diversity of biological systems: from
DNA and enzymes to spinach chloroplasts and jewel wasps. While investigating these
systems you will become familiar not only with a variety of technical skills such as
microscopy, spectrophotometry, and polymerase chain reaction, but you’ll also gain an
understanding of how scientists communicate with each other using descriptive statistics,
graphs and tables, scientific figures and scientific papers.
Course Structure: Your success as a student in this course will require regular
attendance, careful note taking and mastery of the textbook material through careful
study. You will meet for a 70-minute lecture period every other day. Since the labs are
smaller than the lectures, you will probably attend another lab section than most of the
people in your lecture. Labs are taught by professors and student Teaching Assistants,
and meet once every cycle (including cycles 1 and 12). Lab attendance in your lab
section is mandatory. The time scheduled for each lab is 2 hours and 50 minutes, but
occasionally you may need to stay longer to complete assigned work, or come in outside
of the regularly scheduled time to check on the progress of an experiment.
Text: The required text for this course is Biology by Brooker. R.J., E.P. Widmaier, L.E.
Graham and P.D. Stiling (2008, McGraw-Hill, Dubuque, IA). It is available in either a
single hardcover or three separate paperback volumes. We recommend purchasing the
full-text unless you only plan to take the course for a single semester, as for pre-nursing
students or students who are fulfilling a non-majors science core requirement. You
should have received an e-mail regarding this prior to the start of school.
Lab manual and lab notebook: The faculty and staff of this department have written
the lab manual used in this course. It will be handed out at the laboratory orientation
session that you are scheduled to attend. However, you also need to purchase a
carbonless Student Lab Notebook for Life Science, available at the SJU Bookstore.
Evaluation: Your grade in this course will be determined based on your performance on
exams, quizzes, homework and laboratory work. The point breakdown is a follows:
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Final Exam
Assignments, quizzes, seminars, etc.
Lab
15 - 17%
15 - 17%
15 - 17%
20 - 24%
0 - 10%
25%
The instructor for your lecture section will announce exact percentages for exams and
assignments at the beginning of the semester. The format of the exams will vary
according to section. You can expect multiple-choice, short answer, matching, fill in the
blank, label the diagram and essay-type questions. The lecture exams will cover the
chapters indicated on the course syllabus. The final will be approximately 20%
comprehensive and 80% new material. Your instructor may also assign homework, give
quizzes or request your attendance at seminars for a portion of your grade.
Your instructor may schedule a review session prior to the exam. If that is the case,
don’t miss it. It is a valuable opportunity to ask your questions and go over some of the
more difficult points in the text or lecture.
Grading: Letter grades will be assigned as
follows:
Biol 121 is offered for standard, A-F,
grading only. There is no S/U option
available.
A
AB
B
BC
90-100%
87-89%
82-86%
79-81%
C
CD
D
F
72-78%
69-71%
60-68%
<60%
Academic Integrity: The teaching of Biology 121 and other courses in the Biology
Department depend on the highest standards of academic conduct. Cheating, plagiarism
and other dishonest acts will not be tolerated and may result in your expulsion from the
course. Violations of academic integrity will be dealt with according to the procedures
outlined on pages 24-25 of the 2005-2007 Academic Catalog.
Course Instructors: Biology 121 has14 lecture sections and 24 laboratory sections. If
questions or problems arise do not hesitate to contact your instructor or the course
coordinator. We are always willing to talk with you and, if possible, assist you with your
concern. We wish you a successful and exciting semester!
Ms. Carol Jansky
NSC 218: 363-3178
Lab Coordinator; Lab
Dr. Bill Lamberts
PENGL 353; 363-3160
Course Coordinator; Lecture
Dr. Phil Chu
PENGL 307; 363-3561
Lecture & lab
Dr. Charles Rodell
PENGL 357; 363-3174
Lecture
Dr. Ellen Jensen
NSC 206: 363-3092
Lecture and Lab
Dr. Stephen Saupe
PENGL 335; 363-2782
Lecture and lab
Dr. Cheryl Knox
NSC 254: 363-3224
Lecture and lab
Dr. Shawn Thomas
PENGL 303; 363-3275
Lecture and lab
Dr. Jeanne Marie Lust
NSC 208; 363-2777
Lecture and lab
Ms. Kristina Timmerman
PENGL 301; 363-xxxx
Lecture & lab
Dr. Barbara May
NSC 204; 363-3173
Lecture
Dr. Marcus Webster
PENGL 313; 363-3176
Lab
Dr. Michael Reagan
NSC 216; 363-3110
Lecture
Syllabus
Cycle
I
Class
1
2
Date
Topic
Aug 29/30
Introduction – evolution, hierarchy
Aug 31/ Sept 1 Intro – Proteomes & genomes,
3
4
5
Sept 4/5
Sept 6/7
Sept 10/11
III
6
7
Sept 12/13
Sept 14/17
IV
8
9
10
11
Sept 18/19
Sept 20/21
Sept 24/25
Sept 26
Sept 27/28
12
Oct 1/ 2
science
Atoms, bonding and molecules
Water & pH
Properties of carbon, isomers,
functional groups
Survey of macromolecules
Cells – pro vs. eukaryotes,
organelles, cytosol, cytoskeleton
Cells – nucleus, etc.
Exam 1 (8 classes; chapters 1 – 4)
Membranes – structure
Common Day
Osmosis & transport across
membranes
Cell systems
13
14
15
Oct 3 / 4
Oct 5/8
Oct 9/10
Energetics & metabolism
Enzymes
Respiration – glycolysis
16
Oct 11/12
Oct 15/16
17
18
19
20
Oct 17/18
Oct 19/22
Oct 23/24
Oct 25/26
21
Oct 29/30
Free Day
Respiration – Citric acid cycle &
oxidative phosphorylation
Photosynthesis – Light dependent
Photosynthesis – Calvin cycle
Exam 2 (9 classes; chapters 5 – 8)
Multicellularity – ECM, cell
junctions, tissues
Mitosis & cell cycle
VIII
22
23
24
Oct 31/Nov1
Nov 2/5
Nov 6/7
IX
25
26
27
Nov 8/9
Nov 12/13
Nov 14/15
X
28
29
Nov 16/19
Nov 20/26
Nov 21-25
Nov 27/28
Nov 29/30
Dec 3/4
II
V
VI
VII
XI
30
31
32
Meiosis
Simple patterns of inheritance
More simple inheritance
Complex patterns of inheritance
More complex patterns
Exam 3 (7 classes; chapter 10 &
15-17)
DNA structure
Replication
Thanksgiving Break
Gene expression & transcription
Translation
Gene regulation
Chap
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
Lab
Lab Orientation
Observation of
Freshwater
microorganisms
Organelles in
Eukaryotic Cells
4
5
5
6
7
7
7
7
Investigating the
effect of starvation
on food vacuole
formation in
Tetrahymena
pyriformis
Osmosis and
Diffusion in
Decalcified Chicken
Eggs
Enzyme Activity-Testing Catalase
Activity
8
8
Spectroscopy
10
9.4,
15
15
16
16
17
17
11
11
12
12
13
Investigating
Factors Affecting
the Rate of
Photosystem II
(PSII)
Lab 9: Mendelian
Genetics
Mitosis & meiosis
Amplification of
Mitochondrial DNA
XII
33
Dec 5/6
Mutation, DNA repair, cancer
14
34
35
Dec 7/10
Dec 11/12
18
20, 21
36
Dec 13/14
Bacterial & viral genetics
Genetic technology, genomes,
proteomes, bioinformatics
Catch-up Day
Dec 18 (Tues) Exam 4 (Final Exam); 8 – 10:00
AM
by the Polymerase
Chain Reaction
(PCR)
Genetics of Nasonia
vitripennis Eye
Color and
Electrophoresis of
PCR Products