An introduction to cell structure and function. Major topics include the molecules and structures that comprise prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, the mechanisms by which energy is harvested and used by cells, how cells reproduce, and how information is stored and used within a cell via the processes of DNA replication, transcription, and translation. Prerequisites: Biology 30 and Chemistry 30. Note: BIOL 107 is not a prerequisite for BIOL 108. BIOL 107 and 108 can be taken in either term.
Application of molecular biology to the study of systematics, structure of natural populations, mating systems, and forensics. Among the topics discussed are molecular techniques used to detect genetic variation in natural populations, methods to construct phylogenies using molecular data, mathematical models of population structure, paternity analysis, and DNA fingerprinting. Prerequisite: BIOL 207. BIOL 221 recommended.
This course examines in detail: how to induce mutations in plants by means of chemicals and transgenes; how to use mutagenized and transgenic plant populations for forward and reverse genetic approaches; how to molecularly identify genes defined by mutations in plants; how to infer gene functions and genetic interactions from single and double-mutant phenotypes, respectively, with emphasis on genetic redundancy and functional compensation; and how to visualize gene expression and protein localization with fluorescent proteins. Prerequisite: GENET 270.