1. Instructor: Dr. Alison Crowe 426A Hitchcock Hall 616.6945
Course: Biol 401
Instructor: Dr. Alison Crowe
426A Hitchcock Hall
Office Hours: Wed 4:30-5:30 PM
HCK 426A
or by arrangement
Teaching Assistant: Qing Feng
Office Hours: TBA
NOTE: CHANGE OF ROOM FOR AB TO LOW 216
Loew Hall

2. You will need the following info to access
Required Text:
Lodish et al., 2013, 7th edition, Molecular Cell Biology
Required Course Manual: Professional Copy’n Print
4200 Univ. Way NE
Course website:
You will need the following info to access
the readings folder on the course website:
Login: biol401 Password: cell
New web site

3. Schedule in course manual: Topics, Assignments, Due dates
Important dates:
Midterm: April 30 10:30-11:20 AM MGH 231
Final: June 10:30AM-12:20 PM MGH 231
Discussion sections are mandatory
Readings: To be completed each week BEFORE lecture
and discussion sections
This week: How we study cells & protein trafficking
Overview of cell biology approaches: Chp 1.2 p (Fig. 1-13, 1-14)
Gene and protein tagging: Chp 5 pp (Fig. 5-34)
Organelles of the eukaryotic cell: Chp. 9 pp (Fig. 9-32)
Overview protein trafficking: Chp. 13 p (Fig. 13-1)

4. W.A. #1 - nuclear transport I 15* W.A. #2 – nuclear transport II 10
POINTS AVAILABLE IN CLASS
Individual Points
Diagnostic Test
W.A. #1 - nuclear transport I 15*
W.A. #2 – nuclear transport II 10
W.A. #3 – critical analysis 10
W.A. #4 – figure analysis 5
MCQ answers
Practice Midterm
Midterm Exam 60
Final Exam pts
Subtotal pts (70%)
WA#1 based on this week’s discussion, due in lecture next week
* Due in Lecture Next Week

5. Group Points
Reading Quiz #1 (group)
Reading Quiz #2 (group)
Nuclear Transport Experiment
Group presentation of figures 10
W.A. # 5 – Critical Analysis pts
Subtotal pts (16%)
Group Participation Score
Group Assessment #1 20
Group Assessment #2 20 pts
Subtotal 40 pts (14%)
Total pts
*Access your scores on course web page: “scores” link on left-hand menu

6. Learning Goals for Course:
Evaluate the relative merit of using a particular
molecular technique to address a specific research question
Interpret cellular and molecular data (e.g. gels, graphs)
Predict outcomes of future experiments based on existing
data
Develop new hypotheses and design experiments
to test those hypotheses
Draw a model for a molecular process
based on existing data
Recognize assumptions inherent in a given molecular model
Evaluate the merits of a scientific study
Communicate scientific ideas and/or interpretations
articulately, both in writing and orally.

7. How People Learn Imagination Expertise Rudderless learners Adaptive
experts
synthesis
evaluation
analysis
Imagination
application
knowledge
comprehension
Routine
experts
Expertise
John Bransford

8. Course Outline
Protein Trafficking
Nuclear transport
Nuclear environment
Nuclear pore structure
Spatial and dynamic organization of nucleus
Eukaryotic transcription regulation
Epigenetic regulation
Cell memory
Cell specialization
Embryonic Stem Cells
Epigenetic modifications during differentiation
Maintenance of pluripotency

9. What are the advantages and challenges of eukaryotic
and prokaryotic cells?
Review organelles in readings:
know primary function of cell organelles
Fig. 1-11, Lodish et al. 2013

10. To understand how genes are regulated, need to understand
the nuclear environment: structure, spatial organization
Know these Terms:
Nuclear envelope (NE)
Nuclear pore complex (NPC)
Nuclear lamina
Nucleolus
Chromatin (heterochromatin and euchromatin)

11. Overview of Protein Trafficking
Signal sequences
on proteins target
them to locations
within the cell
Protein Sorting Animation

12. Protein Trafficking Workshop
You have the following tools:
A cell into which you can introduce (tranfect) DNA
A DNA plasmid into which you can clone any gene you like
A fluorescent-labeled antibody to any protein you want to detect
A piece of double-stranded DNA encoding a potential mitochondrial
signal sequence 

13. Signal Sequences Have Been Identified Which Target
Proteins to Locations Within the Cell
Ended here – asked students to think about location of signal sequence when designing an experiment
Start next lecture: What conclusion could you draw from this experiment? Use the word SUFFICIENT