PCB 4024 - Molecular Biology

College of Natural Sciences

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Fall 2024 (640)

Requisites

(Prerequisite PCB 3063 with a minimum grade of C and
Prerequisite PCB 3063L with a minimum grade of C) and
(Prerequisite PCB 3023 with a minimum grade of C and
Prerequisite PCB 3023L with a minimum grade of C)

Course Description

This course provides a detailed overview of the molecular basis of the biological processes involved in cellular function with emphasis on the activities of DNA, RNA, and the regulation of gene expression. Course content focuses on the processes of transcription, translation and DNA replication in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. This course emphasizes the control mechanisms that influence these cellular activities. Additional topics include post-transcriptional control of gene expression, mobile genetic elements, functional genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. This course will include discussion sessions and problem solving of experimental data that teach interpretation of current molecular biological techniques.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will explain the history and development of modern molecular biology by:
    1. critically reading and analyzing the key experiments associated with the development of molecular biology, including:
      1. describing Beadle and Tatum’s experiments that established the relationship between genes and proteins.
      2. evaluating the experiments of Avery, McLeod and McCarty and how they defined DNA as the genetic material
      3. describing Smith, Boyer and Cohen’s discovery of restriction enzymes and their use in DNA cloning
      4. describing Wilmut’s experiments that resulted in the first cloned animal.
      5. evaluating the techniques and sequence of events that resulted in the successful sequencing of the human genome.
    2. performing library and internet research and then producing a paper describing a seminal set of experiments associated with the establishment of the field of molecular biology.
  2. The student will investigate the methods, tools and techniques involved in the study of molecular biology by:
    1. explaining the role of restriction enzymes in DNA cloning and analyzing the outcome of restriction reactions.
    2. explaining the various nucleic acid hybridization techniques and analyzing the outcomes of various hybridizations experiments.
    3. explaining the process of in vitro transcription.
    4. explaining various polymerase chain reaction techniques and designing appropriate polymerase chain reaction primers.
    5. differentiating between various cloning vectors and describing the appropriate use of these vectors.
    6. designing cloning strategies for prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes.
    7. discussing methods to study protein-protein interactions.
  3. The student will assess an advanced understanding of how molecular biological theories relate to biotechnology and modern biological research applications by:
    1. exploring the association between gene cloning and genetically modified organisms.
    2. evaluating the utility of polymerase chain reaction and identification of unknown organisms.
    3. describing the use of DNA fingerprinting and DNA typing in criminal forensics.
    4. discussing the application of the technique of DNA sequencing to high throughput sequencing and comparing the relatedness of organisms.
    5. performing library and internet research and then producing a paper describing the molecular biology experiments that have resulted in a modern research, commercial and or clinical application.
  4. The student will critically discuss the central dogma of molecular biology by:
    1. illustrating by examples the flow of information in cells, DNA -> RNA -> protein -> trait.
    2. comparing and contrasting the process of prokaryotic and eukaryotic replication.
    3. comparing and contrasting the process of prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription.
    4. comparing and contrasting the process of prokaryotic and eukaryotic translation
  5. The student will illustrate the principles underlying the organization of eukaryotic genomes and proteomes by:
    1. describing the nature of the proteome and genome.
    2. explaining co- and post-translational modifications of proteins and how these modifications affect their function.
    3. illustrating the importance of specific proteins by comparative proteomics.
    4. analyzing the chemical modifications to DNA and how they impact both chromatin remodeling and gene expression.
    5. defining transposition and rearrangement of DNA segments.
    6. discussing post-transcriptional control of gene expression, specifically the:
      1. role of RNAi in gene silencing
      2. control of translation by miRNA
      3. function of Piwi-interacting RNAs
  6. The student will analyze, and interpret scientific data to gain confidence and skill in problem-solving techniques by:
    1. reviewing, analyzing and critiquing published experimental data and presenting this information in group discussion sessions.
    2. developing new hypotheses related to unanswered molecular biology questions and developing experiments that could be performed to refute these hypotheses.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

C&I Approval: 02/17/2024, BOT Approval: 03/19/2024, Effective Term: Fall 2024 (640)

Related Programs

  1. Biology (BIOLOGY-BS) (670) (Active)
  2. Biology (BIOLOGY-BS) (640) (Draft)