Genetics 314 – General Genetics Instructor: Dr. R.S. Zemetra Office: Ag Biotech 111 Office hours: MW 2:30-4:30, F 2:30-3:30 Textbook: Genetics Analysis and Principles 3rd edition by R.J. Brooker

Powerpoint presentations, old exams and exam keys will be available on the web address: ~rzemetra/SWWW

Keys to success in the course: - Read the textbook before class - Review powerpoint presentation before class - Review previous lecture’s notes before class - Study previous exams - Ask questions

Grading based on: - Assignments - 3 written assignments - 1 problem set - Exams - 4 exams - Comprehensive final

Written Assignments: 3 – 25 points each - 2 to 3 pages - Topics: First: Use of gene therapy in humans, has its time finally arrived? Due : February 13th Second: Larmarck and epigenetics, was Lamarck right after all? Due: April 3rd Third: Describe a new way genetics could be used to address a problem in your field of interest. Due: May 1st

Problem set: - 25 points - Associated with section 4 Exams points each Final Exam - Cumulative points

Exam schedule: 1st exam – Friday, February 6 th 2nd exam – Friday, March 6 th 3rd exam – Friday, April 3 rd 4th exam – Friday, April 24 th Final – Wednesday, May 13 th, 12:30-2:30

Grading Assignments 100 points Exams 400 points Final Exam 150 points Total 650 points

Final grade based on your total divided by the total number of points. A = 90% = 585 points B = 80% = 520 points C = 70% = 455 points D = 60% = 390 points Percentages for each grade may change but only downward (i.e. 89% for an A instead of 90%)

What makes genetics an exciting field to study? - As a science just over 100 years old - Discovery of how genetic information is packaged (DNA) occurred just over 50 years ago - Field of genetics rapidly changing, especially in the area of molecular genetics

New areas of study in genetics: - genomics - proteomics - epigenetics

Why should you understand genetics?

New uses of genetics/genetic tools:

All of genetics revolves around the gene - What is it? - How is it expressed? - How is it inherited? - How does the environment influence expression? - How does it behave in an: - individual? - population?

To answer these questions we will study several areas of genetics: - Molecular/biochemical genetics - Microbial genetics - Cytogenetics - Qualitative genetics - Quantitative genetics - Population genetics

Since the course revolves around the gene, we will start with the gene itself and work our way up. Molecular Cytological Individual Population

So the first questions that need to be answered are: - What is a gene? - What is it made of? - How does it replicate? - How is it expressed?

Gene: The fundamental physical unit of heredity whose existence can be confirmed by allelic variants and which occupy a specific gene locus. A gene is a DNA sequence coding for a single polypeptide, t-RNA or r-RNA.

Question: How is the information carried in a cell? Characteristics needed of the carrier of genetic information: - Highly accurate replication - storage - transmission - Large carrying capacity - Capable of variation

In a eukaryotic cell there were two candidates for the carrier of genetic information: - proteins - nucleic acids - deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) - ribonucleic acid (RNA)

First indirect evidence: Griffith (1928) – Transformation of Pneumococcus Two types of Pneumococcus bacteria - R – rough – non-virulent - S – smooth - virulent

Bacteria were injected into mice and the mice were then watched to see their reaction: ExpectedObserved R S S heat-killed R +heat-killed S

What happened? Heat-killed S cells transformed R cells Griffith speculated that the transforming factor was DNA