BIOLOGY 205 Spring 2008
Lecture Sections: MWRF 10 am SL110
MTWF 11 am SL110
Dr. Carol Trent trent@biol.wwu.edu
Office Hours: Mon & Wed 1:30-2:30 pm BI 408
If you need to see me outside of office hours, please contact me
via email to set up a specific appointment time.
Course Web Site http://fire.biol.wwu.edu/trent/trent/Biol205index.html
*******This is not a Blackboard site
NOTE: this is not a blackboard site
The 20th
Century cell:
black and
white era
This is cell biology
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Ah, This is more like it – the
asthetics are a bit more inspiring
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But wait now we have:
The 21 st Century: The U-tube Cell!
http://aimediaserver.com/studiodaily/harvard/harvard.swf
http://www.studiodaily.com/main/technique/tprojects/6850.html
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Course objectives
Content Goals:
1. You should understand and be able to apply
fundamental cell and molecular biology principles,
especially the molecular basis for form and function
of cells and the organization and transfer of genetic
information.
2. You should learn how to perform a variety of lab
techniques and begin to learn how to design
experiments in cell and molecular biology.
Process Goals:
1. You should develop your critical thinking skills
by beginning to identify questions that can be
addressed scientifically and by interpreting data and
drawing conclusions from experiments.
2. You should develop your quantitative reasoning
skills through data analysis.
3. You should develop your written and oral
communication skills by describing and analyzing
biological processes using precise scientific
terminology.
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Required Textbook: Essential Cell Biology by Alberts et
al. Second Edition
Required Lab book: Biol 205 Lab Manual - Spring 2008
You must have a copy of the lab manual in your
possession to attend the first lab, which is scheduled for
the second week of classes. The laboratory schedule and
required reading assignments are included in the lab
manual.
Required reading: Reading assignments will be posted
with the lecture material.
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TERMINOLOGY: Essential to the mastery of
biology is a thorough knowledge and
understanding of the vocabulary of this science.
New terms will be introduced and defined
routinely in the lectures.
☞ You are required to know all terms
defined in lecture.
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EVALUATION: A standard grading scale will be used.
Quizzes 3 @ 20 pts each………………………........ 60
Exams: 2 @ 80 pts. ……....................................…...160
Final Exam: 1 @ 80 pts. each........................…....……80
Laboratory Points ……………………………………..80
Total Points:
380
☞ No points are allocated specifically for class
participation…………...
BUT: if you have a borderline grade at the end of the
quarter and were an active class participant, I will
“bump” you up to the higher grade.
EXAMS:
• The format of the exams and quizzes will be discussed in
class and you will be given practice problems from
previous quarters.
• To take an exam or a quiz at an alternative time, you must make
arrangements with me BEFORE the scheduled exam period. In the
event of an illness, you must have a note from a health
professional indicating that you were too sick to take the exam
during the scheduled period. The "self-described" illness form
from the Student Health Center will not serve as a substitute.
• Requests for regrades of exams must be in writing and must be
submitted within one week of the return date of the graded exam.
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The lecture topics and dates are subject to change, but the quiz and exam dates are fixed.
LECTURE DATE
COURSE TOPICS
Week 1
Introduction to course
April 1-4
Genomes, genome projects & model organisms
Informational polymers: DNA, RNA and protein
Week 2
Protein structure and function (CT will be off-campus)
April 7-11
Guest lecturer for 10am section: Joann Otto
LAB: Exploring
Guest lecturers for 11am section: Yamini Dalal and Sandra Schulze
Protein Structure
Week 3
Basic cell structure and membrane functions
April 14-18
Mitosis, cytoskeleton and molecular motors
LAB: Techniques & Calcs
Quiz #1 on Friday April 18
Enzyme Activity 1
Week 4
Meiosis, transmission genetics and Mendelian terminology
April 21-25
How are gene defined? From gene to phenotype
LAB: Enzyme Activity 2
Exam #1 on Friday April 25
Week 5
Structure of DNA and RNA; DNA replication
April 28-May 2
Decoding genetic information:
LAB: Microscopy:
Transcription and Translation
Diffusion/osmosis
Week 6
Regulation of Gene Expression: the lac operon
May 5-9
Membranes: Active and Passive transport
LAB: Bacterial Genetics I&II Quiz #2 on Friday May 9
Microscope Check
Week 7
Energetics and redox reactions
May 12-16
Glycolysis and the Krebs cycle
LAB: Bacterial Genetics I&II Quiz #3 on Friday May 16
Viewing stained mitotic cells
Week 8
Electron transport and chemiosmosis
May 19-23
ATP synthase: a protein machine with moving parts
LAB: DNA Sequence Analysis The Chloroplast; Photosynthesis: dark and light reactions
Exam #2 on Friday May 23
Week 9
Controlling biological processes: regulation of metabolic processes
May 27-30 (Monday holiday) Signal transduction
LAB: Photosynthesis
Week 10
Signal transduction and regulation of gene expression in euks
June 2-6
Special Topics
LAB: Lab Final Exam
Finals Week
10am SECTION: Final Exam on Thursday June 12 at 8:00 am
11am SECTION: Final Exam on Monday June 9 at 8:00 am
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Biology 205
Week 1: Reading Assignments in Alberts
Chapter 1: Introduction to Cells
• Focus on pp. 1-5, 27-35
• Browse through the rest of the chapter (cell
structure) which we’ll come back to in a couple of
weeks
Chapter 2 Chemical Components of Cells
Review basic chemistry in preparation for Week 2
lectures on protein stucture
• We will be discussing the structure and function of
many molecules in the cell, as well as several major
biochemical pathways.
• For these topics, you must have a working knowledge
of basic chemistry that you should have acquired in
CHEM 121 and high school.
• This material is reviewed in pp. 39-50, 68-69, and
78-79 in Alberts. Read these pages during the first
week of class.
• Although we will not discuss this material in detail in
class, I will assume you know it.
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Tips for success in Biol 205
by Joann Otto & Carol Trent
In Biol 205, we examine a variety of processes that occur in cells. Often we will be discussing a
topic over several days. Some students lose sight of the ‘forest for the trees’; in other words,
they become lost in the details and how they relate to the big picture. Further, we cover a great
deal of material, and students who wait until the last minute to study are overwhelmed. There are
several strategies to learn the material in the course efficiently. These are outlined below:
1. Read the text to get the major ideas and terms related
to a topic BEFORE lecture. The text contains far more material than
can possibly be discussed in lecture so do not worry about the details. The figures in the text
illustrate the major ideas and should be very useful. By doing this reading prior to class, you will
come to lecture prepared to listen and learn and to take accurate notes. At a minimum, read the
bold headings of sections and the definitions of words in bold, study the figures and legends, and
read the section or chapter summary prior to coming to class.
2. Soon after lecture, check your notes to be sure
they are clear to you. Then, knowing the parts of
the reading that were emphasized in the lecture,
reread the text more thoroughly and focus on the
parts that were emphasized in lecture. You can use the text to
clarify your notes and cross reference figures that help you understand lecture material. It is very
useful to write a paragraph summarizing the main points of the lecture or to make a list of the
main points. If you cannot list only 4-5 main points, you probably do not understand the
material (the forest vs. the trees problem).
3. Be an efficient learner. In the few minutes
before class starts, review your notes from the
previous lecture. Often, our discussion of a topic will span several lectures and by
reviewing the previous lecture, you will get your brain ready for the new one.
4. Form study groups. There are different strategies to make a study group
successful but all require that all the participants have studied the material prior to meeting.
Groups may want individuals basically to teach the others how a process works; teaching is the
best way to learn something. Alternatively, participants can quiz each on the study questions
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provided by the instructor. Taking the questions as a mock exam (and grading each other) is an
excellent way to learn the material.
5. Take advantage of office hours. I am very
willing to help you.
6. When taking an exam, carefully read the
questions. The, reread each question to be certain
that you understand it.
All of the above might seem to require a
great deal of time. However, if you keep up
as the quarter goes along, you will not be
panic stricken the day before an exam.
Further, keep in mind that, at the college
level, you should be spending 3-4 hours
studying for each hour you spend in lecture.
As with any endeavor, you will get out of
this class what you put into it.
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Becoming an Effective Learner for Biol 205
Adapted from A Miniature Guide for Students on How to Study and Learn a
Discipline using Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools by Richard Paul and Linda
Elder
Effective Reading
1) Become an active reader. First read your textbook structurally.
Examine the table of contents for a chapter and summarize in your
own words the main points of the chapter. Then use close reading
to learn about the specific ideas which supporting the main points.
After each paragraph, summarize the essential idea behind the
paragraph using key terms. Also be sure to examine each figure or
diagram carefully and summarize their important points. Be sure
to read the figure legend.
2) Learn to associate particular people with scientific discoveries –
this helps to put scientific discoveries in a context. Summarize the
importance of an investigator’s research and explain why it is
relevant for this area of biology.
3) Consider that this class is training you to think like a biologist,
and more specifically, like a molecular and cell biologist or
biochemist or geneticist. You should pay close attention to key
experiments that help define these sub-disciplines. Look for
interconnections that unify these sub-disciplines.
Effective Listening
1) Read your textbook in advance of lecture. Oftentimes, lectures
will use the textbook readings as background and will not make
sense if you have not kept up with the assigned readings.
2) Test yourself before class by summarizing the main points of the
previous class. If you cannot summarize main points, you have
not learned them.
3) During class, actively listen. Ask questions to fill in missing
pieces. Make interconnections with previous lectures or courses.
Your lecturer loves questions as.
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4) Note-taking is important tool for becoming an active learner. So,
detailed lecture notes (except for the figures not found in textbook)
will typically not be posted on the web.
5) Test yourself soon after class by summarizing the main points of
the class. Identify the key questions in the lecture.
Effective Learning
1) Learn how to identify what you do not understand, and, if
possible, why you do not understand it.
2) Test your understanding of biology by explaining what you have
learned to someone who is not taking Biol 205 – mom, dad and
sibs are fair targets.
3) Always ask for clarification – by email, or questions in class or in
office hours.
4) Understand the philosophy of testing. In general, our philosophy
in testing for Biol 205 is to include on tests a mixture of factual
recall, experimental analysis and applications of concepts to new
situations. With this approach, students who try to memorize the
textbook do very poorly. One way to prepare for the more
challenging tests is to think about what would happen if one
component involved in a process is not working.
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During the past few years, molecular geneticists
and cell biologists have announced
(usually with great fanfare and attention
from the popular press) specific
accomplishments with respect to the study
of biology
Biology in the Popular Press
What topics appear regularly?
What topics have interested you?
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Consider the following questions:
1. How does a living system differ from one
that is not alive?
In other words:
• What essential characteristics are found in
all living systems yet known?
• What does a cell need to do to be alive?
2.What is the program or information center
that directs the living system?
3.How ancient are the lineages of various
types of organisms?
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