Biology 230 Syllabus

Genetics

Spring 2017

Dr. Erin Gestl

Office: SSN 282

Phone: 610-436-2760

Email:

Office Hours:Tuesday from 1:00-2:30pm

Wednesday from 9:30-11:30am

Thursday from 1:00-2:30pm

Genetic Review Sessions

Monday from 1-2pm, SSN190

Wednesday from 6-7pm, Mer309

By appointment

Lecture Time: Tuesday and Thursday 9:30–10:50am

Room 151, Schmucker Science Link

Text: (Required) Introduction to Genetic Analysis, 11th Edition

Course Description and Objectives: This course is an examination of the basic principles of genetics in prokaryotes and eukaryotes at the level of molecules, cells and multicellular organisms, including humans, plants and fungi. Topics include, but are not limited to, the nature of genetic material and its qualitative and quantitative variation, Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance, structure and function of chromosomes and genomes, biological variation resulting from recombination, interaction of gene products, regulation of genetic material, mutations, natural selection, and population genetics. We will also cover current topics in genetics with selected readings and podcasts.

Attendance:

  • Attendanceat allcourse sessions is required andnecessary foryoursuccess in the course. The activities during class area crucial partof the learningexperience.
  • No makeup quizzes, homework or assignments will be given.
  • There will be 4 exams given this semester, three unit exams and one comprehensive (optional) final exam. The top 3 tests will be used to calculate your final exam grade.
  • Only students missing exams due to school sanctioned events (conferences, sporting events, etc…) will be allowed to take a makeup exam.All makeup exams for school sanctioned events mustbe scheduled to be completed prior to the date of the scheduled exam. Exams missed due to illness requires a doctor’s note. NO OTHER MAKEUP EXAMS! Makeup exams may not be the same exam questions or may take another form.
  • In the unlikely chance a student misses two exams, the student needs to talk to Dr. Gestl immediately. This situation will be addressed on an individual basis.

Notes: Lecture notes/presentations will be posted on my website, by

5pm on the previous day before the scheduled lecture. It is your responsibility to have them on

hand for lecture if desired. The lecture topics may change with regards to dates and

subjects due to conflicts.

Cell Phones and Computers: Cell phones are to be either turned off or set them to vibrate or other silent mode. In any case, do not answer them during class. This includes texting. Please be considerate of the rest of the group. Laptops are permitted during class for the use of lecture topics only,butthose found abusing this privilege will nolonger be allowed to have a laptopinclass. Disregard of this policy will negatively impact your grade.

Academic Integrity: It is the responsibility of each student to adhere to the university’s standards for academic integrity. Violations of academic integrity include any act that violates the rights of another student in academic work, that involves misrepresentation of your own work, or that disrupts the instruction of the course. Other violations include (but are not limited to): cheating on assignments or examinations, plagiarizing, which means copying any part of another’s work and/or using ideas of another and presenting them as one’s own without giving proper credit to the source; selling, purchasing, or exchanging of term papers; falsifying of information; and using your own work from another class without significant modification. Proof of academic misconduct can result in the automatic failure and removal from the course.

For questions regarding Academic Integrity, the No-Grade Policy, Sexual Harassment, or the Student Code of Conduct, students are encouraged to refer to the Biology’s Department’s Undergraduate Handbook, the Undergraduate Catalogue, the Ram’s Eye View, and the University website at

Disabilities: We at West Chester University wish to make accommodations for persons with disabilities. Please make your needs known by contacting the faculty and the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at ext. 3217. Sufficient notice is needed in order to make the accommodations possible. The University desires to comply with the ADA of 1990.

WCU’s Department of Public Safety: 610-436-3311

Late Assignments: Assignments are due in class and will be considered late if they are handed after class. The grade of the assignment will be reduced by 10% for each week it is late.

Grades: Your final grade will be determinedas follows:

Reading and Podcasts Assignment10%

Homework10%

In class quizzes10%

Exams I, II, III23.33% each (70% total)

Optional Final Exam23.33%

The grades will follow university standards, for example:

A93-100%

A-90-92.99%

B+87-89.99%

B83-86.99%

Etc…

Assignments:

  • Non-textbook readingsand Podcasts willbe posted aheadof time onmy website.
  • Readings and Podcastsand their write-ups must be completed by the assigned date.
  • Homework problems must be completed by the assigned date.
  • No late/makeup assignments will be taken for full credit.

Quizzes:

In class unannouncedquizzes will be given throughout the semester at any time during the class. No make-up quizzes will be allowed. However, you can drop your 2 lowest quizzes.

Tutoring/Review Sessions:

A LARC tutor will be available for this course. Times and locations will be announced in class. Additional office hours/review sessions will be available weekly throughout the semester.

CourseLearning Goals and Outcomes:

Upon completion ofthis course, students will know/understand: / Upon successfulcompletion of this course, studentswill be able to:
The Mendelian and non- Mendelian modes of inheritancethatgovern passage ofgenetic traits across generations / Usethis knowledge of inheritanceto track alleles through generations and categorize andpredictgenotypes andphenotypes
Perform a quantitative analysis to assess whether or not two genes are linked on the same chromosome and extend analysis to several loci / Successful map DNA loci/genes using recombinant frequency and with molecular markers. Understand chi-square tests and molecular mechanisms for crossing over
The Genetics of Bacteria and viruses, including conjugation, transformation and transduction / Know three ways of bacteria gene exchange, map phage genomes, and understand the differences in viral genomes
Understand how different genes/alleles interact with each other and with pathways to result in various phenotypes. / Design experiments to test two or more mutations for allelism, infer various types of dominance and how different genes interact with each other
Thebasic structure and function of DNAand chromosomes aswellas how chromosomes movethrough mitosis and meiosis / Drawthe stages ofmitosis and meiosis and explainhowthe process of mutation occurs and generates phenotypicdiversity
Thebasicsof the molecular processes of DNA replication, transcription and translation as well as the important characteristics of thegenetic code / Drawand name allthe relevant machineryforDNA replication, transcription, andtranslation AND
identify the partsofa gene, how it is transcribedandthen translated
Contrast positive and negative regulation of gene expression, including the lac operon, trans-acting and cis-acting components / Compare how simple molecules trigger changes in gene expression and explain the roles of sequence-specific DNA binding proteins and DNA regulatory sequences
How to design/make a genetically modifiedorganism / Describe the steps inmaking a geneticallymodifiedorganism andbe able to predictthe outcome of makinga mistake in the process
What causes cells to become cancerous. / Explain why mutagenic agents can cause some cancers and understand why treatments and cures for cancer are difficult to identify.

Lecture Schedule

Jan 24TuesdaySyllabus, The Genetics Revolution, Chap. 1

Jan 26ThursdaySingle-Gene Inheritance, Chap 2

Jan 31TuesdaySingle-Gene Inheritance, Chap 2

Feb 2ThursdayIndependent Assortment, Chap 3

Feb 7TuesdayMapping Eukaryotic Chromosome by Recombination, Chap 4

Feb 9ThursdayMapping Eukaryotic Chromosome by Recombination, Chap 4

Feb 14TuesdayThe Genetics of Bacteria and Their Viruses, Chap 5

Feb 16ThursdayExam I

Feb 21TuesdayThe Genetics of Bacteria and Their Viruses, Chap 5

Feb 23ThursdayGene Interactions, Chap 6

Feb 28TuesdayGene Interactions, Chap 6

Mar 2ThursdayDNA: Structure and Replication, Chap 7

Mar 7TuesdayDNA: Structure and Replication, Chap 7

Mar 9ThursdayRNA: Transcription and Processing, Chap 8

Mar 14TuesdayNo class (Spring Break)

Mar 16ThursdayNo class (Spring Break)

Mar 21TuesdayRNA: Transcription and Processing, Chap 8

Mar 23ThursdayProteins and Their Synthesis, Chap 9

Mar 28TuesdayProteins and Their Synthesis, Chap 9

Mar 30ThursdayExam II

Apr 4TuesdayRegulation of Gene Expression in Bacteria and Their Viruses, Chap 11

Apr 6ThursdayRegulation of Gene Expression in Bacteria and Their Viruses, Chap 11

Apr 11TuesdayRegulation of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes, Chap 12

Apr 13ThursdayRegulation of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes, Chap 12

Apr 18TuesdayGene Isolation and Manipulation, Chap 10

Apr 20ThursdayGene Isolation and Manipulation, Chap 10

Apr 25TuesdayGenomes and Genomics, Chap 13

Apr 27ThursdayExam III

May 2TuesdayTBA

May 4ThursdayOpen

TBAFinal Exam

Schedules: The lecture topics may change with regards to dates and subjects due to conflicts.