Lecture/tutorial: 4 hours/week
Lab: 3 hours/week
Methods of instruction for this course include some or all of the following:
- Instructor tutoring and lectures
- Discussion groups
- Practical applications and lab exercises
- Self-study via print or online materials
- Reading and problem solving assignments
Mechanics of Inheritance
- mitosis
- meiosis
- life cycles
- crossing-over
Mendelian Inheritance
- monohybrid inheritance and the Law of Segregation
- dihybrid inheritance and the Law of Independent Assortment
- allelic relationships
- use of testcrosses
Probability and Statistics
- solving genetic problems using probability rules
- use of the Chi Square test
Non-Mendelian Inheritance
- linkage
- sex-linked inheritance
- sex-influenced inheritance
- sex-limited inheritance
- gene interactions (including epistasis, complementation, duplicate genes)
- multiple allelism
- multigenic inheritance
- inheritance of quantitative (multifactorial) traits
- extra-chromosomal inheritance
Chromosome Mapping in Eukaryotes
- 2 point testcross
- 3 point testcross
Sex Determination and Sex Differentiation
- the XY system
- the ZW system
- the XO system
- the haplo-diploid system
Dosage Compensation
Changes in Chromosome Number
- aneuploidy
- polyploidy
Changes in Chromosome Structure
- duplication
- deletion
- inversion
- translocations (pericentric and paracentric)
Gene Mutation and Mutagenesis
Nucleic Acid Structure and Replication
Protein Synthesis
- transcription
- translation
Control of Gene Expression
- in prokaryotes
- in eukaryotes
Microbial Genetics
- prototrophs and auxotrophs
- replica plating
- transformation, transduction and conjugation
- gene mapping
Viral Genetics
- DNA Viruses
- retroviruses
Transposable Elements
- DNA transposons
- retrotransposons
Population Genetics and Evolution
- Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
- effects of genetic drift and selection
Laboratory Exercises
- mitosis in onion roots
- chi square (corn crosses)
- gene mapping in Drosophila
- polytene chromosomes
- plant viruses
- population genetics (models of drift and selection; field study)
Upon completion of this course, the successful student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the principles of classical and modern genetics, including being able to:
- Describe the physical basis of heredity.
- Describe the experimental basis of Mendelian inheritance.
- Describe sex-determining mechanisms in a wide variety of organisms.
- Describe non-Mendelian inheritance, including linkage, sex-linkage, sex-influenced inheritance, sex-limited inheritance, multiple allelism, polygenic inheritance, and extra-chromosomal inheritance.
- Interpret pedigrees to determine modes of inheritance of genetic anomalies in humans.
- Derive chromosome maps by a variety of techniques, including the analysis of:
- testcross data in higher organisms
- conjugation, transduction and transformation experiments in bacteria
- Describe the cytological and biochemical basis of mutation and mutagenesis.
- Describe the structure, replication, and functions of nucleic acids.
- Describe the process of protein synthesis and the control of protein synthesis in bacteria and in higher organisms.
- Describe the genetic control of metabolism.
- Describe the genetics of populations, including Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, genetic drift, the effects of selection on allele frequencies and the evolutionary implications of population genetics.
- Perform and interpret genetic experiments with a variety of organisms.
- Describe the genetic basis of evolutionary theory.
- Use general principles of genetics to discuss current issues.
Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:
|
Assignments and tests |
10-20% |
| Oral presentation | 0-5% |
| Midterm exams (2) | 25-35% |
| Final comprehensive exam | 25-35% |
| Lab reports and lab quizzes | 25-30% |
| Total | 100% |
Note: A student who achieves less than 50% in either the lecture or laboratory portion of the course will earn a maximum P grade.
Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks and materials may include:
Klug, WS, Cummings, MR, Spencer, CA, Palladino, MA, and Killina, DJ. (2019). Concepts of Genetics, (current edition). Pearson Education, USA.