Course Description
A laboratory course where students will carry out experiments in classical transmission genetics, as well as modern molecular genetics.
Athena Title
Experimental Genetics
Prerequisite
GENE 3200-3200D or GENE 3200H
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The first half of the course deals with classical bacterial genetics. In this section, students will carry out experiments involving conjugation and transduction. In addition, a longer term experiment will involve the characterization of mutants that are sensitive to DNA damage. Grading for this section of the course will be based on laboratory technique and written reports for each of the experiments. The second part of the course involves using molecular genetics to study an important problem in post-transcriptional control of RNA metabolism in the model organism, Escherichia coli. These experiments will involve isolation and characterization of specific types of mutants in the structural gene for RNase E. Students will learn important techniques of modern molecular genetics including gene cloning, PCR, and DNA sequencing. Grading for this part of the course will be based on an exam given at the end of the course. The exam will cover all the experiments carried out during the semester.
Topical Outline
1. Introduction, Laboratory Safety and Procedures, Serial Dilutions 2. Growth and Viability Experiment 3. Constructing a genetic map in Escherichia coli using conjugation and time of entry 4. Ordering genes on E. coli genome via three-factor transductional crosses utilizing bacteriophage P1 5. Characterization of UV-sensitive mutants of E. coli 6. Constructing new strains of E. coli. Characterize new mutant using PCR and other techniques 7. Isolation of suppressor mutations of a temperature sensitive mutation in the structural gene for the E. coli ribonuclease RNase E 8. Characterization of potential suppressor mutations 9. PCR amplify the RNase E gene 10. Determine the DNA sequence of the cloned RNase E gene 11. Analyze the DNA sequence data
Syllabus