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Explore the nature of genetic material: DNA organization
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
Criteria
Describe the chemical nature of nucleoside, nucleotide, DNA, RNA, their types, diversity and functions
Explore the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic nucleic acids
Describe the types of DNA regions that do not encode proteins: the general organization, possible function, and frequency of genes and non-gene DNA sequences in a typical eukaryotic genome
Discuss how DNA is packaged in the chromosomes in term of histones, nucleosomes, chromatin
Explain the meaning of ploidy (haploid, diploid, polyploid, aneuploid etc.) and how it relates to the number of homologues of each chromosome
Describe how the positions of individual genes on a given chromosome are related to their positions on the homolog of that chromosome
Differentiate between a gene and an allele, including the recognition that genes may have many alleles
Explain the functional significance of packaging DNA into chromosomes and the lack of correlation between chromosome size and genetic information content
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Explore the molecular components and mechanisms necessary to preserve and duplicate an organism’s genome
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
Criteria
Describe how DNA is replicated in viruses, plasmids, and eukaryotes and identify similarities and differences between these and replication in prokaryotes
Explore the flow of biological information from DNA through RNA to a protein, compare with reverse transcription process
Illustrate a segment of DNA from a gene and its RNA transcript, indicating which DNA strand is the template, the direction of transcription and the polarities of all DNA and RNA strands.
Predict the sequence for the double stranded molecule from a DNA template strand, the mRNA sequence, and the amino acid sequence of the protein.
Explore the enzymes that are responsible for copying and transferring of genetic information
Describe the process of transcription, reverse transcription, and translation with the emphasis on how the mistakes in these processes are identified and corrected
Differentiate between transcription and translation in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
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Explore the ways genetic information is expressed so it affects an organism’s structure and function
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
skills demonstration in the laboratory
Criteria
Explain how the genetic code relates transcription to translation
Describe how expansion or retraction of triplet repeats can alter gene function and create a phenotype
Explain how abnormalities in gene dosage can affect phenotype.
Identify different types of RNA, note their properties, describe how they are processed to yield a functional form, and explore their function in gene expression
Recognize the importance of regulating gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Describe the levels at which gene expression is controlled and the mechanisms used by prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Discuss how various factors might influence the relationship between genotype and phenotype (e.g. incomplete penetrance, variable expressivity, and sex-limited phenotype)
Explore inducible and repressible operon models as the examples of gene regulation in bacteria
Participate in lab activities
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Explore extranuclear inheritance
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
Criteria
Explore organelles inheritance (chloroplasts vs mitochondria)
Define heteroplamsy
Analyze mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA input to organelle heredity, molecular organization and gene products of chloroplasts and mitochondria emphasizing its relationship to organelle heredity
Explain how extranuclear inheritance supports Endosymbiotic theory
Evaluate the role of mutation in mitochondrial DNA and hereditary mitochondrial-based human disorders and prevention of their transmission
Identify maternal inheritance
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Describe how can gene activity be altered in the absence of DNA changes
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
Criteria
Discuss the roles of various types of RNA in expressing genetic information
Defend how most cells can have the same genetic content and yet have different functions in the body. Contrast the packaging of DNA into euchromatin versus heterochromatin in the context of histone modification, and DNA modification (where applicable)
Discuss the potential roles of DNA modification, histone modification, and non-coding RNA in epigenetic inheritance, both somatic and germline
Discuss environmental impacts on epigenetic systems
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Evaluate the mechanisms by which an organism’s genome is passed on to the next generation
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
by solving a problem set
Criteria
Compare and contrast somatic and germline cells
Describe cellular and chromosomal events that occur during the eukaryotic cell cycle and gamete formation
Describe chromosome behavior and changes in chromosome structure and number as a cell progresses through a cell cycle, meiosis I and meiosis II
Explain how meiosis and random fertilization contribute to genetic variation in sexually reproducing organisms
Diagram the sequence of events involving DNA in meiosis from chromosome duplication through chromosome segregation.
Explain how meiosis is different from mitosis.
Distinguish between meiosis in mammalian male and female
Discuss how errors in chromosome number can arise during meiosis, and why such alterations can be detrimental
Calculate the probability of a particular gamete being produced from an individual, assuming independent segregation.
Explain how independent assortment of alleles during meiosis can lead to new combinations of alleles of unlinked genes.
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Examine the classical principles of heredity
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
by solving a problem set
Criteria
Explain Mendel’s principles of inheritance and apply these to problems of inheritance
Describe the different forms of inheritance patterns and identify these in genetic data
Use and interpret probabilities and statistics in the gathering, predicting, and analysis of genetic data
Explain more complex modes of inheritance and how sex influences the inheritance and expression of genes (e.g. sex-influenced traits, cytoplasmic inheritance, genomic imprinting)
Use this information in predicting genetic outcomes and the analysis of genetic data
Draw a pedigree based on information in a story problem
Using pedigrees, distinguish between dominant, recessive, autosomal, X-linked, and cytoplasmic modes of inheritance.
Predict the transmission of phenotypes associated with maternal effect genes.
Interpret pedigree information to determine the suitability of a DNA marker for tracking a disease trait in a family.
Design genetic crosses to provide information about genes, alleles, and gene functions.
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Analyze how the linkage affects the assortment of alleles during meiosis
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
by solving a problem set
Criteria
Use statistical analysis to determine how well data from a genetic cross or human pedigree analysis fits theoretical predictions including an explanation of the appropriate statistical test
Explain the meaning of a LOD score
Diagram the process of homologous recombination during meiosis and explain how it can lead to new combinations of linked alleles
Explain the role of homologous recombination in ensuring proper segregation of homologs in meiosis I
Explain how a specific combination of linked alleles (haplotype) can persist through many generations (linkage disequilibrium)
Calculate gene linkage and genetic map distances and interference from the frequencies of progeny with recombinant phenotypes from genetic crosses
Explain how genetic distance is different from physical distance
Calculate the probability of a particular gamete being produced from an individual, provided map distance
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Analyze eukaryotic gene mapping
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
Criteria
Compare the effect of linkage and independent assortment on genetic outcomes and assess data to determine if genes are linked or are located on separate chromosomes
Explain how crossing over produces recombination and use recombination frequencies to construct a genetic map
Use genetic maps to predict gametic and mating outcomes
Describe some of the methods that can be used to place a gene on a particular chromosome (e.g. FISH)
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Describe genetic analysis and gene mapping in bacteria and bacteriophages
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
skills demonstration in the laboratory
Criteria
Compare vertical and horizontal gene transfer in bacteria
Describe the process of conjugation, define F+ and F- , Hfr; analyze how are they used in bacterial chromosome mapping; the role of recA protein;
Describe the process of transformation, cotransformation;
Describe bacteriophages as model organisms for genetic research; structure and life cycle of T4 phage;
Describe the nature of transduction/cotransduction processes;
Recognize mutations and mapping in bacteriophages
Summarize the steps in a bacteriophage assay
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Describe how different types of mutations affect genes and the corresponding mRNAs and proteins
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
Criteria
Describe how duplications, deletions, inversions, and translocations can affect gene function, gene expression, and genetic recombination.
Describe how mutations arise and how environmental factors can increase mutation rate.
Cite examples of mutations that can be beneficial to organisms.
Interpret results from experiments to distinguish between different types of DNA rearrangements.
Distinguish between loss of function and gain of function mutations and their potential phenotypic consequences.
Predict the most likely effects on protein structure and function of null, reduction-of-function, overexpression, dominant-negative and gain-of-function mutations.
Compare the role of both loss and gain of function mutations in the origin of tumors
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Explain the concept of cancer genetics
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
Criteria
Diagram of the cell cycle; label all phases and indicate key checkpoints in cell cycle control
Define apoptosis and state under what circumstances it occurs
Explain how DNA damage acquired during DNA replication can be repaired before mitosis
Explain the difference between saying cancer is inherited and saying that a predisposition to cancer is inherited; explain the concept of loss of heterozygosity
Define the terms proto-oncogene and tumor suppressor gene; give examples of each category
Describe how mutations in proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes lead to cancer development
List the evidence for a clonal origin of cancer and explain how this finding is related to the cancer stem cell hypothesis
Describe the mutational events necessary for the development of cancer; differentiate between driver and passenger mutations
Defend the statement: viruses cause cancer
Compare and contrast normal cells and cancer cells in terms of responses to mutation and DNA damage
List environmental agents that contribute to cancer development in humans
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Identify the processes that can affect the frequency of genotypes and phenotypes in a population over time
Assessment Strategies
through a written product
by accurately answering questions about the concepts supporting this competency, on one or more written exams
by solving a problem set
Criteria
Describe the mechanisms by which variation arises and is fixed (or lost) in a population over time. Calculate allele frequencies based on phenotypic or genotypic data for a population, and be able to explain the assumptions that make such a calculation possible
Model how random mating yields predicted genotype frequencies in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE), and how non-random mating affects allele and genotype frequencies
Test whether HWE has been reached in a population
Explain how inbreeding increases the number of homozygotes (and possibly disease) in comparison to HWE
Explain how natural selection and genetic drift can affect the elimination, maintenance or increase in frequency of various types of alleles (e.g. dominant, recessive, deleterious, beneficial) in a population
Describe how variation can be measured, and what can be done to distinguish genetic and environmental sources of variation
Use comparative data from multiple species to identify which regions of a protein, pathway, regulatory system etc. are critical for function
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Analyze molecular genetics
Assessment Strategies
skills demonstration in the lab
Criteria
Follow the Good Laboratory Practice expectations of the College
Follow the lab protocols for responding to emergencies
Demonstrate proper use of basic laboratory equipment, such as centrifuge, balances, etc.
Demonstrate aseptic technique when handling bacteria in bacteriophage assay
Explain major methods and techniques used in molecular genetics to isolate, recombine, amplify, find and study genes of interest
Interpret experiments to determine the relative influences of genes and the environment on a given phenotype.
Manipulate and analyze DNA or RNA using modern molecular biology techniques, such as polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, microarrays, DNA sequencing, and RNA interference
Use data to prepare a restriction map for a piece of DNA
Interpret complementation tests, including an assessment of the molecular interactions that might yield the results observed