Biology 340 Genetics Spring 2007

Dr. Mark S. Wilson Science B Rm 222 826-5557

email: msw13 Office Hours: M/W 4-5, T/R 2:30-4

Lecture MWF 3 - 3:50 SciB 133 Discussion F 8-9:50, 10-11:50 SciB 126

Course Description: This class serves as an introduction to classical and molecular genetics, and provides the foundation for advanced biology courses such as Cell Biology, Bacteriology, Genetics Laboratory, and Evolution (340 is a prerequisite for each of these classes). We will cover major aspects of classical genetics, including segregation of alleles, linkage, recombination and mapping. We will then study molecular genetics in detail, including experimental methods in genetics, DNA replication, genome structure, chromosomal aberrations, transcription and translation, gene regulation, mutations and DNA repair. Finally, we'll look at population genetics and evolution.

Required Textbook: Genetics:From Genes to Genomes, Hartwell et al, 2nd ed. 2004 McGraw-Hill ISBN: 0072462485

Moodle site: I'm going to primarily use the Moodle site for the course. Here you can get lecture notes that include images from the book, readings for discussion, learning objectives, sample tests and answer keys, etc

Grades:

Points	Component
300	Tests, 3 @ 100 pts each
200	Final Exam, May 7th at 3 pm
50	Writing Assignment
50	Discussion presentations
600	Total

Exam questions will ask you to solve a problem, provide a short answer in a few words or sentences, or to interpret a diagram or figure. Exams will be based on material covered in lecture and discussion sections, and on material in assigned readings. The final exam is cumulative, with an emphasis on the new material. Exams are given during discussion sessions. (90+%=A, 80-90=B, 70-80=C, 60-70=D,<60=F) The exams are targeted at the level you are expected to master the material. Therefore, do not count on a generous grade curve. Attendance at discussion sections is required and monitored and points will be deducted for absences/ unprepared dates.

Exams: Feb 9, Mar 9, Apr 13, May 7

Schedule

Date	Topic	Page numbers
1-17/19	Introduction, history of genetics	1-12
1-22	DNA	161-167
1-24	Transcription/ Translation	237-247
1-26	Introduction to Mendelian Genetics	13-31
1-29	Family Pedigree Analysis	29-33
1-31	Extensions to Mendelian Genetics	43-68
2-2	Extensions to Mendelian Genetics cont.
2-5/7	Chromosomes:Mitosis and Meiosis	77-95
2-9	Gametogenesis / X-linked genes Exam # 1 (through 2-5)	95-105
2-12	Gene Linkage/recombination	113-125
2-14	Chi-square/Mapping	125-132,140-141
2-16	Mapping
2-19/21	DNA/DNA Replication / Recombination	155-159, 171-186
2-23	Mutation	191-206
2-26/28	Complementation testing/ Mutation	206-207, 213-219
2-28	Mutation	222-227
3-2/5	Transcription/Translation	247-255
3-7	Transcription/Translation	256-268
3-9	Transcription/Translation Exam # 2 (through 3-5)
3-12/16	Spring Break
3-19/21	Experimental Methods	277-294, 294-307
3-23/28	Experimental Methods	376-380, 383-387, 395
3-30	Cesar Chavez holiday
4-2/4	Genomes/Human Genome	339-348, 415-431
4-6	Chromosome rearrangements	441-474
4-9/11	Prokaryotic Genetics	487-509
4-13	Prokaryotic Gene Regulation Exam # 3 (through 4-9)	551-569
4-16	Prokaryotic Gene Regulation
4-18/23	Eukaryotic Gene Regulation	581-596, 603-605
4-25/30	Cancer Genetics	617-643
5-2/4	Population Genetics	677-699
5-7	Final Exam, 3 pm (cumulative)

Strategies for Success in this Course:

Extensive out-of-class work is expected and assumed.

This course covers a great deal of material in one semester. Most students find it difficult and time-consuming, but also rewarding and fascinating. It is imperative that you attend all lectures, take good notes and review them frequently, and do all the assigned readings.

The pathway to success in this course is as follows:

1. Attend every lecture. When traveling, don't leave early on a Friday - the Friday lectures are 3-3:50.

2. Read your textbook. "Reading" is very different than "looking at" or "scanning".  We live in an age of information overload, and many of you have become excellent scanners.  This is to your detriment when trying to read. Set up the proper environment. You want to be in a quiet, well-lit comfortable place (ergonomically correct) without distractions. Schedule the time.  It takes a considerable amount of time to read.  Several small chunks of time (45 min - 1.5 hrs) are better than marathon sessions, in terms of retention and comprehension. Consciously discard your scanning skills.  For example, when you come to a word that you don't know, look it up before proceeding.  When you don't understand a sentence, re-read it.  Spend time thinking about, reviewing, and summarizing what you have just read.  Real comprehension and understanding doesn't come until you have re-read the material, sometimes several times.

3. Spend your time focusing on the material that we are focusing on in this class. The material emphasized in lecture is the material that will be emphasized on exams. I've written out learning objectives for each chapter that we are going to cover.  Print these out and use them extensively: bring them to lecture and refer to them when you are reading the chapters and reviewing your notes. Look through the learning objectives before reading a chapter. When studying for exams, use them as checklists to see whether you are prepared. These objectives will help you to know what is important and will help you focus your efforts on key points. 

4. After each lecture, go over you lecture notes (for many, this means re-writing their lecture notes).  Compare your lecture notes to the learning objectives to understand where the concepts fit in with those objectives, review the information, and identify areas that were unclear to you. Then, read the corresponding material in the textbook. 

5. Form study groups that meet regularly.

6. For each of our exams, there is an old exam (and, separately, answer key) available on Moodle. Use the practice tests wisely.  Take the exams; don't simply read the questions and the answers.  If you get a multiple choice question wrong, then write out a one sentence statement that tells why your answer was incorrect and why the correct answer is better.

This is a lot of work, probably 15 hours /week.  However, unless you approach it correctly, you can easily put in 15 hours/week and not learn the material.  Spend some time consciously developing an effective strategy and setting up a realistic schedule. We are studying a lot of different topics in this course - if you fall very far behind, you will have a lot of difficulty catching up while also learning the new material. Keep up! Do not wait until a few days before an exam to study, because you need to be learning this material at a steady pace if you are going to retain it.

Discussion section (required): We will spend some discussion sections working problems and reviewing material for exams, or taking exams. Other times there will be readings that you will go over before discussion section, so that we can participate in group activities. The focus of these discussions will be contemporary issues in genetics: genetic testing, forensics, DNA databases, genetically-modified crops, genetic privacy, synthetic biology, and genetic insights on human migration and history.

Discussion Section topics

Week of	Topic
1-19	Introduction - Genetic Testing/ Genetic Databases Discussion (Innocence project reading )
1-26	Movie - Genetic Testing/ Genetic Disorders Discussion
2-2	Discussion / Synthetic Life
2-9	Exam #1
2-16	Genetics and Human History - human/ neandertal evolution
2-23	Genetics and Human History - human migration
3-2	Genetics and Human History - discussion
3-9	Exam #2
3-16	Spring Break
3-23	Genetically-modified organisms
3-30	Cesar Chavez day
4-6	Student Presentations and discussion
4-13	Exam #3
4-20	Student Presentations and discussion
4-27	Student Presentations and discussion writing assignment due
5-4	Gattaca

More information on student presentations and writing assignment can be found on Moodle.