Biology 306 Genetics

Spring 2003

Syllabus

Course Organization

A brief overview of the classroom topics and laboratory investigations follows; see the Class and Lab Schedule for a calendar of the course events.

Classroom Meetings

The "content" of the course, the principles of genetics, will largely be discussed and presented during the classroom meetings. In addition to standard lectures, classroom meetings will also incorporate "active-learning" exercises.

The schedule of class topics follows an organization that integrates the presentation of "classical" and "modern" genetics. (Note that population genetics, which is covered in-depth elsewhere in the departmental curriculum, is not considered in this course.) Since the class organization closely parallels the textbook, see its preface for an overview of the course organization.

Problem Sets: A weekly set of genetics problems from the textbook will be assigned for each lab/recitation period. These problems provide a valuable opportunity to apply and extend the concepts introduced in the readings and class meetings. Each problem set should be completed by the next lab/recitation period, when you will have the chance to address any questions you have. Once again, to succeed in this course it is essential that you are well-prepared and ready to discuss the assigned problems at the recitation period.

A number of tools are available to help you with the problem sets. First, each chapter's "Questions and Problems" section is preceded by advice on how to solve genetic problems related to that chapter. Be sure to carefully read these "Analytical Approaches for Solving Genetics Problems" sections before attempting to solve the assigned problems. In addition, solutions to selected problems can be found at the end of the textbook. Finally, you are also encouraged to work together on the assigned problem sets.

A word of warning: Solving Genetics Problems takes time, so plan accordingly. Don't wait to start until the night before the exam!

Laboratories

Laboratory investigations provide the best opportunity for actively "doing science" and becoming familiar with the commonly used methods and systems of a discipline. In addition, labs allow you to further explore topics introduced in the classroom, although in general, the lecture topics and lab investigations are not tightly linked to each other, in part because some labs span two or more weeks.

In this course, you will pursue several extended lab investigations, as well as several shorter lab exercises that illustrate important genetics concepts. The extended labs, in particular, are designed to provide rich opportunities for honing the skills of scientific investigation necessary for Independent Study in Biology.

TranslationLab is an on-line laboratory module that simulates one of the methods used by mid-20th century biologists to deduce the genetic code.

The Mitosis and Meiosis Workshop is a lab exercise that briefly reviews, through microscopic observation and an "interactive" exercise, the basic principles of chromosome mechanics during cell division.

GCK (Genetics Construction Kit) is simulation software that allows you to perform and analyze genetic crosses quickly. Like the early 20th century biologists who rediscovered Mendel's work, you will test and extend his basic principles of inheritance.

PedigreeLab is an on-line laboratory module that simulates the work done in human gene mapping. With this Web-based application, you will have an opportunity to determine the inheritance patterns of human genetic diseases and to map the chromosomal location of disease genes using molecular markers.

Yeast Genetics is a multi-week laboratory investigation that requires you to conduct genetic analysis using brewer's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Please note that because we will be working with live organism , you should expect to perform lab work outside the regularly scheduled lab hours.

Molecular Genetics is a multi-week laboratory exercise providing experience in recombinant DNA techniques. In this extended exercise, genetic variation will be detected using the Southern blot technique.