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		UNIT 1: What is molecular and cellular biology, anyway?  An overview UNIT 2: Why is DNA so important?  Gene expression UNIT 3: Reproduction and inheritance UNIT 4: What makes all of this go?  Metabolism UNIT 5: Molecular biology applied: HIV infection and AIDS

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UNIT 1: What is molecular and cellular biology, anyway?  An overview

Date	Topic	Reading
Mon, Sept 2	Course expectations and introductions	Course syllabus, web site
Wed, Sept 4	The discovery of cells, the cell theory, and cell types	CH 1 (esp. pp.1-9)
Fri, Sept 6	Membranes: structure, function, and composition	CH 4 (entire chapter) ALSO review chapter 2: characteristics of water and polarity/nonpolarity of chemical bonds
Mon, Sept 9	Membrane proteins: function, structure, and composition	CH 4 continued, and CH 3 (esp. pp. 44-46 and 51-55)
Wed, Sept 11	Membrane proteins continued
Fri, Sept 13	Membrane proteins continued, cystic fibrosis
Mon, Sept 16	Enzyme function and kinetics	CH 2 (esp. pp. 25-28), CH 3 (readings listed above and pp. 56-57) and class notes
Wed, Sept 18	Enzyme kinetics, part II
Fri, Sept 20	Review so far
Mon, Sept 23	EXAM I

 

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UNIT 2: Why is DNA so important?  Gene expression

Date	Topic	Reading
Wed, Sept 25	What is the genetic material? How does DNA encode proteins?	CH 11
Fri, Sept 27	The genetic code. Intro to DNA and RNA	CH 13 ALSO review DNA and RNA structure, Chapter 3 (esp. pp. 47-48 and 55-61)
Mon, Sept 30	In-class peer reviews of catalase papers
Wed, Oct 2	Transcription
Fri, Oct 4	Translation
Mon, Oct 7	Control of gene expression	CH 15 (esp. pp. 296-310)
Wed, Oct 9	Special topic: embryonic stem cells	To be assigned
Fri, Oct 11	Analysis of DNA fingerprinting data	Lab manual
Mon, Oct 14	FALL RECESS
Wed, Oct 16	Review so far
Friday, Oct 18	EXAM II

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UNIT 3: Reproduction and inheritance

Date	Topic	Reading
Mon, Oct 21	DNA structure and replication	CH 12 (esp. pp. 232-240 and p. 243)
Wed, Oct 23	Meiosis and sexual reproduction	CH 9 (esp. pp. 176-185)
Fri, Oct 25	Mendelian genetics	CH 10 (esp. pp. 194-209)
Mon, Oct 28	Extensions from Mendel and chi-squared analysis	handout
Wed, Oct 30	How cells make other cells: the cell cycle	CH 8 (entire chapter)
Fri, Nov 1	Checkpoints, cell cycle control, cancer
Mon, Nov 4	Case study discussion: Genetic testing and breast cancer	to be distributed in class
Wed, Nov 6	Review so far
Fri, Nov 8	EXAM III

 

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UNIT 4: What makes all of this go?  Metabolism

Date	Topic	Reading
Mon, Nov 11	Principles of energy flow	CH 2 (esp. pp. 25-32)
Wed, Nov 13	Photosynthesis	CH 7 (entire chapter)
Fri, Nov 15	Photosynthesis, cont.
Mon, Nov 18	Catabolizing food: glycolysis	CH 6 (entire chapter)
Wed, Nov 20	Mitochondrial respiration
Fri, Nov 22	Mitochondria cont.
Mon, Nov 25	Special topic: diabetes	to be assigned
Wed-Fri, Nov 27-29	THANKGIVING BREAK
Mon, Dec 2	Overview of metabolism
Wed, Dec 4	Review so far
Fri, Dec 6	EXAM IV

  

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UNIT 5: HIV infection and AIDS

Date	Topic	Reading
Mon, Dec 9	Intro to HIV/AIDS	NIAID fact sheet: How HIV causes AIDS and CH26 (pp. 501-519)
Wed, Dec 11	Molecular approaches to HIV treatment
Fri, Dec 13	Course wrap-up

 

Friday, Dec 20 (8:30 - 11:30 am): FINAL EXAM

            (approximately 10% on unit 5 and 90% on units 1-4 combined)