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Course Description

MCB 250 is a lecture/discussion course that provides detailed coverage of the fundamentals of molecular genetics, including key molecular biology concepts, structure of DNA, RNA and proteins, mechanisms of DNA replication, transcription and translation, gene organization, genetic variation and repair, and regulation of gene expression in Bacteria and Eukarya. There are three lecture reviews each week delivered by faculty members from the Department of Microbiology and Cellular and Developmental Biology, and one discussion section each week led by graduate teaching assistants from the School of MCB. Prerequisites: MCB 150 and CHEM 102/104 (or equivalent) or consent of instructor. Credit: 3 hours. This course is available during fall, spring and summer terms.

Course Objectives

Content:

1. Students will gain a fundamental understanding of the structural basis for and the function of DNA, RNA, and proteins and their interactions with each other.

   • Students will be able to explain how ionic, hydrophobic, and hydrogen-bonding interactions affect DNA, RNA, and protein structure and binding interactions.

2. Students will understand the "central dogma" of molecular biology, the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and protein in model bacterial and eukaryotic systems.

   • Students will be able to compare and contrast the mechanisms of bacterial and eukaryotic DNA replication, DNA repair, RNA transcription, and protein translation.

   • Students will be able to explain how DNA topology, chromosome structure, and histone modifications affect DNA replication, DNA repair, and RNA transcription.

   • Students will be able to explain how DNA damage, homologous recombination, site-specific recombination and transposition can lead to genetic diversity.

3. Students will, by specific examples, understand the mechanisms of regulating DNA, RNA, and protein production and function and how these regulatory mechanisms relate to the overall physiology and biology of living organisms.

   • Students will be able to explain how mRNA splicing occurs and how alternative splicing and developmental regulatory patterns can generate protein diversity.

   • Students will be able to explain how gene regulation occurs in bacteria and eukaryotes at the transcriptional and translational level and by small RNAs and modification of proteins.

Skills:

1. Students will understand the conceptual basis for experimental design to study biological systems at the molecular level.

2. Students will gain a working knowledge of how to choose and apply the predominant experimental techniques used to study biological systems at the molecular level and understand limitations of these techniques.

   • Given a particular biological question, students will be able to identify which experimental techniques would be best to use for answering the question.

3. Students will be able to distinguish among different molecular biological techniques that are used to isolate, separate and probe for specific nucleic acids or proteins and their interactions.

4. Students will gain a working knowledge of how to interpret data obtained from experimental techniques used to study biological systems.

5. Students will be able to refine problem-solving skills both independently and as part of a collaborative team.

6. Students will be able to develop oral presentation skills through discussion of papers.