20806276Principles of Genetics
Course Information
Description
An introduction to the basic concepts of heredity and cytogenetic including Mendelian, molecular, and population genetics; genetic engineering and chromosome behavior. Topics include complementation and linkage analysis, gene mapping, library screening, bacterial transformation, plaque assay, restriction analysis, PCR, sequencing.
Total Credits
4
Course Competencies
  1. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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

  2. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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

  3. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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

  4. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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

  5. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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

  6. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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.

  7. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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.

  8. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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

  9. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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)

  10. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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

  11. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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

  12. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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.

  13. 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 to be scheduled by your instructor at various points throughout the course.
    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

  14. 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