GENETICS 244

INTRODUCTORY MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

COURSE OVERVIEW AND OUTCOMES

COURSE CONTENT
The course content is comprehensively covered in Chapters 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 13, 24
and 21 of the prescribed textbook.

Chapter 10: DNA Structure (SELF STUDY) and Analysis

Characteristics of genetic material
Historical perspectives
DNA as genetic material in prokaryotes
DNA as genetic material in eukaryotes
RNA as genetic material
Chemical composition of nucleic acids
DNA structure
RNA structure
Analyses of nucleic acids

Chapter 11: DNA Replication and Recombination

Mechanisms of DNA replication
DNA synthesis in microorganisms
A model of DNA synthesis
Genetic control of replication
Synthesis of eukaryotic DNA
Recombination of DNA
Chapter 14: The Genetic Code and Transcription
Characteristics of the genetic code
Early studies on the mechanism of the code
Deciphering of the code
The code dictionary
Overview of the expression of genetic information
Transcription: RNA synthesis
Transcription in eukaryotes
Introns

Chapter 15: Translation and Proteins

The elements involved in the translation process
The process of translation
The functional prokaryote ribosome
Translation in eukaryotes
The one-gene:one-enzyme hypothesis
The one-gene:one-protein and one-gene:one polypeptide hypotheses
Protein structure and function (SELF STUDY)
Post-translational modification

Chapter 17: Regulation of Gene Expression in Prokaryotes

Overview of gene regulation in prokaryotes
Inducible regulation: lactose metabolism in E. coli
Positive and negative control
Repressible regulation: tryptophan metabolism in E. coli
The arabinose operon

Chapter 18: Regulation of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes

Overview of gene regulation in eukaryotes
Chromosome and chromatin influences on eukaryotic gene expression
Transcriptional regulation at Cis-acting sites
The role of transcription factors
The role of activators and repressors
A eukaryotic gene regulation model: inducible transcription of the yeast GAL genes
Posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression
RNA silencing controls gene expression

Chapter 13: Recombinant DNA Technology

Overview of recombinant DNA technology
The role of restriction enzymes in the construction of recombinant DNA molecules
Cloning vectors
Cloning of DNA in E. coli
Cloning in eukaryotic hosts
Gene transfer in eukaryotic cells
The polymerase chain reaction
Construction of DNA libraries
Identification and analysis of cloned DNA sequences
DNA sequencing

Chapter 24: Applications and Ethics of Biotechnology

AgBiotech and BioPharming
Diagnosis and screening of genetic disorders
Gene therapy
Ethical concerns
Genome analysis and gene mapping
DNA profiling

Chapter 21: Genomics and Proteomics

Genomics: sequencing and assembling of entire genomes
DNA sequence analysis: Bioinformatics tools and genome databases
Functional Genomics: identification of genes and their function
The human genome project
The “Omics” revolution
Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic genomes
Comparative genomics
Metagenomics
Proteomics: identification and analysis of proteins expressed in a cell
Systems Biology
OUTCOMES

Theoretical

At the end of the course the student should, with reference to the prescribed text,
understand, and be able to explain the following concepts:
• Characteristics of genetic material
• DNA as genetic material in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
• RNA as genetic material
• Chemical composition of nucleic acids
• DNA and RNA structure
• Analyses of nucleic acids
• Mechanisms of DNA replication
• DNA synthesis in microorganisms
• A model of DNA synthesis
• Genetic control of replication
• Synthesis of eukaryotic DNA
• Recombination of DNA
• Characteristics of the genetic code
• Early studies on the mechanism of the code
• Deciphering of the code and the code dictionary
• Overview of the expression of genetic information
• Transcription: RNA synthesis
• Transcription in eukaryotes
• Introns
• The elements involved in the translation process
• The process of translation
• The functional prokaryote ribosome
• Translation in eukaryotes
• The one-gene:one-enzyme hypothesis
• The one-gene:one-protein and one-gene:one polypeptide hypotheses
• Protein structure and function
• Post-translational modification
• Overview of gene regulation in prokaryotes
• Inducible regulation: lactose metabolism in E. coli
• Positive and negative control
• Repressible regulation: tryptophan metabolism in E. coli
• The arabinose operon
• Overview of gene regulation in eukaryotes
• Chromosome and chromatin influences on eukaryotic gene expression
• Transcriptional regulation at Cis-acting sites
• The role of transcription factors
• The role of activators and repressors
• A eukaryotic gene regulation model: inducible transcription of the yeast GAL genes
• Posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression
• RNA silencing controls gene expression
• Overview of recombinant DNA technology
• The role of restriction enzymes in the construction of recombinant DNA molecules
• Cloning vectors
• Cloning of DNA in E. coli
• Cloning in eukaryotic hosts
• Gene transfer in eukaryotic cells
 • The polymerase chain reaction
• Construction of DNA libraries
• Identification and analysis of cloned DNA sequences
• DNA sequencing
• Mapping of genes
• Diagnosis and screening of genetic disorders
• Gene therapy
• DNA fingerprints
• Genome analysis
• Biotechnology
• Genomics: sequencing and assembling of entire genomes
• DNA sequence analysis: Bioinformatics tools and genome databases
• Functional Genomics: identification of genes and their function
• The human genome project
• The “Omics” revolution
• Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic genomes
• Comparative genomics
• Metagenomics
• Proteomics: identification and analysis of proteins expressed in a cell
• Systems Biology

Practical

A student should, with the aid of a relevant protocol, be able to demonstrate the following
practical skills:
• correct handling and accurate pipetting using micropipettes
• execution of basic biological calculations like molarities, percentages (v/v) and
(m/v), as well as densities
• execution of plasmid and genomic DNA extractions
• calculation of reaction volumes and execution of restriction enzyme digestions
• calculation of reaction volumes and execution of PCRs
• loading of horizontal agarose gels
• interpretation of gel electrophoresis results

General

The following general principles apply for the course and students are expected to
adhere to these:
• accept responsibility for own learning of the study material
• learn to understand the concepts and principles relevant to the course at all times
(i.e. see the big picture) and know where to find detailed information
• develop an understanding and appreciation for the nature of the experimentation-
based process of scientific discovery
• have the computer literacy to exploit the variety of electronic information sources
available (e.g. internet, CD-ROMs and WebCT)
• effective utilisation of the prescribed text
• have writing skills