BSCI 410 
Molecular Genetics 
Fall 2006 

 

Instructor:
Steve Mount  (smount@umd.edu)

 

TA:
Siqian Feng  (sqfeng@umd.edu)

HOME Textbooks Syllabus Grades Readings Homework 
and Exams
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Organisms
Links NCBI 
tutorial
Connotea PubMed 
Online Books

Syllabus (2006)

Section I -- Introduction, Background and Review

Date

What

Title

Readings

8-31

Lecture 1
PowerPoint
Links

Introduction -- What is Molecular Genetics? 
DNA as information and an overview of gene expression. 
Homology, model species and Boveri's precondition
Handout (pdf, abbreviated)

H Ch. 1, pp. 1-12; Ch. 6, pp. 155-169 DNA as the genetic material 
H Ch. 8. Gene Expression
Links including NCBI 
Hiding messages in DNA microdots

9-05

Lecture 2

DNA -- replication and segregation of chromosomes

(mechanism, cell biology, mitosis)

H Ch. 6 (168-178) DNA replication
Alberts Cell Biology (see books at NCBI)
(cytoskeleton, cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis)
H Ch. 4 pp. 77-105 (esp. 83-87)
Ch. 5 pp. 140-143; 
Ch. 18, pp. 617-627 and Fig. 18-24.

9-07

Lecture 3  

Meiosis, the basis of Mendel's laws 
and probability for genetics
H Ch. 2 Mendel's breakthrough
H Ch. 4 The chromosome theory, esp. 87-98. Binomial and Poisson distributions (also see  Griffiths)
9-12

Lecture 4  

Genetic linkage and maps H Ch. 5 Linkage and Mapping, esp. pp. 113-132 
Chalfie 1997 (200 k. PDF) 
Supplemental text Hawley and Walker Ch. 7
9-14

Lecture 5  

Linkage continued: 
tetrad analysis and Hardy-Weinberg

H Ch. 5, esp. 132-145 tetrad analysis
H Ch. 20, pp. 677-682 Hardy-Weinberg 
H Ch. 4 pp. 98-10 Validation of the chromosome theory  (Bridges 1916)
Hawley and Walker Ch. 7.3 & 7.4
9-19 no class ExonHit conference

9-21

Lecture 6  

Genomics and Internet Resources 

H Ch. 10 Reconstructing the Genome 
NCBI and NCBI tutorial
Young text: Exploring Genomes 
My own handout for exploring the NCBI siite

Section II -- Methods of Molecular Biology

Date

What

Title

Readings

9-26

Lecture 7  

Escherichia coli as a model organism and as a host for molecular cloning 
Homework 1 is due

H Ch. 14 Genetic analysis in bacteria  
H Ch. 9 DNA at high resolution, esp. pp. 277-297.

9-28 no class Mount has jury duty  
10-03 Lecture 8  
Labeling, hybridization, microarrays and PCR 
Homework 2 is due
H Ch. 9 DNA at high resolution, esp. pp. 297-310.  H. Ch. 11. web sites
10-05 Lecture 9  
Mutagenesis, sequencing and DNA-protein interactions 
Review for exam 1
H Ch. 9 pp. 297-310; 
H. Ch. 11 Direct detection of phenotype 
Fig. 16.15 on pg. 563.
10-10 EXAM Exam on lectures 1-6 (Exam answers)  
10-12 Lecture 10  
Genome organization: Genome structure and change H. Ch. 10, pp. 339-363 
H. Ch. 13 Chromosomal rearrangements 
H. Ch. 21 Molecular evolution 
Nature Genome Gateway (incl. Chimp)
Fitch 2000 on homology (PDF, PubMed)
10-17 Lecture 11  
Repair and recombination 
begin transcription
H. Fig. 6-22; pp. 182-185; Ch. 7  
Hartwell pp. 247-250; 581-586. 
Roeder 1996
Alberts online (transcription and repair).
10-19 Lecture 12   Transcription 
Homework 3 is due

H. Ch. 16 Gene regulation in Prokaryotes;  
H. Ch. 17 Gene regulation in Eukaryotes
Alberts and/or Gilbert online; 2006 Nobel Prize Chemistry (nobelprize.org; PDF)

Section III -- Molecular Genetics -- Gene Expression

Date

What

Title

Readings

10-24

Lecture 13  

Regulation of transcription

H Ch. 17, especially 581-602 
H Ch. 12 The eukaryotic chromosome 
Alberts online (switches and mechanisms
H. Appendix D, pp. 828-833

10-26 Lecture 14  
RNA Processing, translation, stability and localization
H pp. 239-268 and 602-609 
Nature: RNAi (esp. Matzke & Birchler)
2006 Nobel Prize in Medicine (Figure)
10-31 EXAM This exam will cover lectures 7-12 ( Exam answers)  
11-02

Lecture 15 

Genetic and physical maps -- positional cloning
H Ch. 5; Ch. 10, esp. 321-339; Ch. 11  
Human Molecular Genetics II (online)
11-07 Lecture 16 (2006
LOD scores, complex traits and allelic association H Ch. 5; Ch. 11; Ch. 20, esp. 692-699 
Human Molecular Genetics II (online) 
Also see HAPMAP project in Nature (with commentary ) and HMGII (Chs. 11 and 12)
11-09 Lecture 17 (2006
Types of allele. H. Chs. 3, 5, 7 (pp. 221-227), 11 (esp. 398-404) and 20 (esp. 692-699)

Section IV -- Molecular Genetics -- Model Organisms and Genetic Analysis

Date

What

Title

Readings

11-14 Lecture 18 (2006
Genome Projects and the relationships among species  
begin genetic analysis. Homework 4 is due
H. Chs. 21, 19, and 10 (339-363)
11-16 Bioscience Day
Bioscience Day (homework handed back ~11:10-11:15).
Recommended and extremely relevant sessions are:
9:00: The Genomic Revolution: Comparative Analysis of Chimps, Humans & Dogs
11:30: Keynote speaker Eric Green: ""Sequence-based Exploration of the Human Genome: Circa 2006"
2:30: Genomics and the Future of Health Care
No class due to Bioscience day. Homework 4 will be returned at 11:10-11:15.
11-28 EXAM (review Exam answers) review (.pdf)
11-30

Lecture 19 (2006

Genetic analysis: Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)

Hartwell Ch. 19, Ref. A

12-05 Lecture 20 (2006
C. elegans and D. melanogaster Hartwell, Ref. C and Ref. D
12-07 Lecture 21 (2006
Arabidopsis thaliana and Mus musculus 
Genetic analysis with inbred lines
Hartwell Ref. B and Ref. E 
HMG II online
12-12

Lecture 22
(2006)

Genes in pathways: epistasis; review for final exam. Homework 5 is due

Hartwell 660-673 (esp. 660-665, pathways) 
772-775 (ethylene) and 605-609 (sex determination)

12-14 Final Exam 
Comprehensive final exam (one hour will be on section IV, lectures 18-23, and one hour will be comprehensive) All readings!

 



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