BIO 304: General Genetics, Spring 2012
Instructor: Dr. Kathy Szick-Miranda
Office: Science I, 316
Phone: 654-6165
Email: kszick-miranda@csub.edu Web: www.csub.edu/~kszick_miranda
Office hours: M W 2-3; T 3-6
Lecture and Discussion: M W 9:30-11:10
Text Books:
Klug, W et al. 2012. Concepts of Genetics, 10th Edition. Pearson.
Course Description: Physical and chemical basis of inheritance in cells, individuals and populations,
including molecular mechanisms of heredity. Prerequisites: BIOL 201 and 202 or 203; CHEM 211.
Course Philosophy: Genetics is a branch of biology that deals with the heredity and variation of
organisms. The overall objective of this course, is to provide you with a greater awareness and
appreciation of genetics so that you can analyze and interpret “genetics in the news” and come to your
own conclusions based on what you KNOW about genetics.
The specific goals of this course are:
1. To introduce you to the fundamental concepts of classical (Mendelian), molecular and
population/evolutionary genetics with emphasis on the formation, transmission, function and organization
of the genetic material.
2. To provide you with the ability to solve problems and think analytically.
3. To help you become familiar with the language and terminology of genetics.
4. To prepare you for more advanced course work in cell and molecular biology.
Academic Policies: It is expected that your work is YOUR work. In the unexpected event of plagiarism
and/or dishonesty during exams or for the research term-paper, the student will receive a zero on that
activity and be referred to the campus administration for disciplinary action. Please refer to the campus
2009-2011 catalog page 82.
Attendance: I will not record attendance for lecture or for the discussion section, however the discussion
sections are designed to supplement the lecture material and help you in understanding the material. In
addition, there will often be material presented in class that you will not find in your text book. Your
overall grade in the course will reflect the extent to which you participate over the course of the quarter.
Reading and MasteringGenetics: For each day, the reading will relate to the topic of that day and
should be done in advance of lecture so that you will be familiar with what will be lectured on. There may
be additional handouts and/or reading. In addition, you will be assigned numerous problems in
MasteringGenetics, that will allow you to practice problem-solving skills. This is a web-based study
system designed by the publisher of your textbook. Homework assignments will be assigned for each
topic covered in class. Assignments are generally due, one week after they are assigned. These homework
assignments are designed to help you succeed in this course and are worth 25% of your overall grade
The exact problems are TBA. Exam questions will be designed to assess how well these skills have
been mastered, and some questions may come directly from the assigned problem set.
The MasteringGenetics course ID is: SZICKMIRANDA304S12
Grading: Grades will be based on the percentage of points accumulated in the course using the scale
shown below.
A = 94-100
B- = 80-82.9
D+ = 67-69.9
A-= 90-93.9
C+ = 77-79.9
D = 63-66.9
B+ = 87-89.9
C = 73-76.9
D- = 60-62.9
B = 83-86.9
C- = 70-72.9
F = 0-59.9
*Missed lecture exams due to illness or other justified reasons can be made up. If you know in advance
that you must miss an exam, see me and bring documentation to support your anticipated absence.
*All assignments are due at the beginning
that time will be penalized 10% per day.
Assignment Point Values:
Exam I
Exam II
Final Exam (Exam III)
MasteringGenetics
TOTAL
of class on the date indicated. Any assignment turned in after
100pts
100pts
100pts
100pts
400pts
LECTURE/DISCUSSION SCHEDULE & READING ASSIGNMENTS
Wk Date
Topic
Reading
1
M-Apr 2
Intro; History of Genetics
CH 1 1-15
W-Apr 4
Mitosis and Meiosis (review)
CH 2 18-36
Discussion
Film: 100 Greatest
Mitosis/Meiosis
2
M-Apr 9
W-Apr 11
Mendelian Genetics
Mendelian Genetics
CH 3 42-63
Probability and 2
Segregating Maize
3
M-Apr 16
W-Apr 18
Modification of Mendelian Ratios
Modification of Mendelian Ratios
CH 4 71-94
ABO Blood Typing
Problem Solving
4
M-Apr 23
W-Apr 25
EXAM I
Sex Determination
CH 7 174-192
Sex Determination
5
M-Apr 30
W-May 2
Sex Chromosomes
Chromosomal Mutations
CH 7
CH 8 197-216
Human c’some Analysis
Problem Solving
6
M-May 7
W-May 9
Linkage and Mapping
DNA Structure
CH 5 105-123
CH 10 238-258
Mapping Exercise
Mapping Exercise
7
M-May 14
W-May 16
Replication
EXAM II
CH 11 269-284
Problem Solving
8
M-May 21
W-May 23
Transcription
Translation
CH 13 315-338
CH 14 344-364
Problem Solving
Transcrip/Tln Exercise
9
M-May 28
W-May 30
HOLIDAY
Extranuclear Inheritance/Epigenetics CH 9 221-234
Film: Ghost in your Genes
M-June 4
W-June 6
Gene Mutation, Repair
Quantitative Genetics
CH 15 374-392
CH 23 659-673
Problem Solving
Polygenic Exercise
Population Genetics
FINAL 2:00-4:30pm
CH 25 697-715
Pop Gen Exercise
10
10+ M-June 11
F
W-June 13