Biol/ MBioS 301 General Genetics

Fall 2013
Essentials of Genetics, Klug et al 7 /8 Edition Either one will work!
th

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(Prerequisites are Biol 107 and Biol 106 or Biol 120 and Chem 101and Chem 102 or Chem 105
and Chem 106)
Heald Hall G3 Tues and Thurs (10:35am -11:50am)
Dr John Wyrick: Lectures 1- 9
BLS 241
email: jwyrick@vetmed.wsu.edu
office hours: Wednesday 3 4:30 PM
Phone: 335-8785
Dr Todd Farmerie: Lectures 10 -18
BLS 321
e-mail: farmerie@vetmed.wsu.edu
Office hours: Monday 10:3012:00.
Phone: 335-1138
Dr Norah McCabe: Lectures 19-28
BLS 102B
e-mail: nrmccabe@vetmed.wsu.edu
Office hours: Tuesday 1-2:30PM
Phone: 335-1134

Course Overview
Part 1: Mendelian Genetics I have designed this general genetics course to cover, in
varying degrees, the principles of Mendelian genetics, molecular genetics, and population genetics.
The first part of the course will cover Mendelian genetics, which is named after Gregor Mendel
and forms the basics of understanding of the science of heredity. Why are animals and plants like
they are, why do they have particular traits/ characteristics/phenotypes? Why are offspring or
progeny like they are? Are there certain principles-rules that apply to the transmission of traits?
How can we use these principles to explain the inheritance of different traits in organisms, and in
addition, how can we use these principles to determine the probability of future offspring
inheriting these traits? As an extension of this we will move on to some applications of Mendelian
principles, and we will look also at some deviations, or more correctly extensions, of these
principles.

Goals:

Know Mendels Principles and Extensions of Mendels Principles.

Know and draw the stages of mitosis and meiosis and understand the link between meiosis
and Mendels Principles.

Understand Gene Linkage and its use in gene mapping.

Objectives:

Students will determine probabilities of phenotypes in progeny using Punnett squares and
the Forked Line Approach (Monohybrid, Dihybrid, Trihybrid etc).
Students will test hypotheses using the Chi-Squared Test.
Students will know how to map genes (physical and genetic maps).
Students will use Pedigree Analyses to show different modes of inheritance of human traits.

Part 2: Molecular Genetics The second part of the course will cover molecular genetics.
What is the chemical nature of genes? How are genes replicated and transcribed. How is the
information in a gene in the cell translated into a trait or character in an organism? A comparison
of molecular genetics in prokaryotes and eukaryotes will be studied.

Goals:

Know the relationship between genotype and phenotype.

Explain the molecular details of replication, transcription and translation and be able to
explain each of these processes without confusion.
Be able to compare and contrast the processes of replication, transcription and translation
in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

Objectives:

Students will be able to explain and evaluate the seminal experiments that led to the
identification, structure and mechanism of DNA replication.
Students will be able to identify and explain the functions of enzymes important in the
control of replication, transcription and translation.
Students will demonstrate the ability to compare and contrast the molecular genetics of
prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

Part 3: Mutation, Biotechnology, Population Genetics The third part of the course
will look at the effects of gene mutation and the mechanisms that exist to repair or undo gene
mutation. We will then move on to cover the genetics of bacteria and phages. These organisms
have played a huge role in the elucidation of many genetic phenomena. We will see how we can
clone genes, and review the molecular biology techniques used to obtain specific information
about genes. Finally, we will cover population genetics; how the overwhelming genetic variation in
organisms can be measured and what mechanism exists that can cause a change in such genetic
variation. We will end with coverage of Epigenetics and Cytoplasmic inheritance.

Goals:

Know the causes, types and effects of gene mutations.

Be able to apply the content in Part 1 and 2 to research and use in modern medicine and
agriculture.
Understand the power and importance of Population Genetics.

Objectives:

Be able to classify and describe different gene mutations.

Understand the sequential steps of different molecular biology techniques and their
application and importance in research.
To use the Hardy-Weinberg equation in the study of populations.

Class structure
Exams and class attendance
Lectures:
Tues- Thurs, 10:35-11:50 am attendance is absolutely essential for success in this
course.It is imperative that you come to class, awake and ready to learn and to actively participate
in class. We want to encourage you to use your text either to pre-read, follow along during the
lectures or post-read. You have to figure out what works most effectively for you. Your attendance
in class, with reading of the text will ensure deep understanding of the concepts and will determine
your preparedness and success in all the exams. Please do not fall into the trap of delusion-- that if
powerpoint lectures are posted in Angel, then you do not need to come to class. History has
indicated that this behavior does not and cannot lead to good student learning outcomes. But
that is your decision!
We will use the Angel course space to post all material related to the course. Some instructors may
use powerpoints and some may not. This will depend on teaching style and the nature of the
material being presented. If you miss a class, you must play catch-up by communicating with
your peers, so we suggest that you get to know some of your class mates immediately. Please do
not expect that a missed lecture will be given to you personally. If you have any questions on any
aspects of the course content, use either instructor office hours or those office hours of your TA.
Recitation sections (RS): Attendance is mandatory at every recitation session and these will be
taught by Teaching Assistants; My-Thanh Vo, Ross Rowsey and Kristen Christensen. These are
graduate students from the School of Molecular Biosciences (SMB). Each TA will have their own
syllabus which will be discussed during the first recitation section. All issues relating to the RS
should be directed to the relevant TA before consulting an Instructor.

Point Distribution for Course Grade

Exam 1
100pts

Exam 2
100pts
Exam 3
200pts (Comprehensive)
Recitation section (RS) 100pts
Total possible points=500pts
Please note the dates of all exams, as make-up exams will not be given unless there are extreme
extenuating circumstances which must be verified by official documentation.
Exam 1:
Thursday, Sept 19th during lecture time
Exam 2:
Thursday, October 24th during lecture time
Final Exam: Tuesday, December 10th 11:00am 1:00pm in Heald Hall
Grades will be not curved and grades will be assigned as follows;
A =(90+), A- =(85-89), B+ =(80-84), B =(75-79), B- =(70-74), C+ =(6569), C =(60-64), C- =(55-59), D+ =(50-54), D =(45-49), FAIL =<45.
Mastery of course content, student expectations and earning grades
Office of Registrar at WSU Grades
A. Student work demonstrates consistently excellent scholastic performance; thorough
comprehension; ability to correlate the material with other ideas, to communicate and to deal
effectively with course concepts and new material; reliability in attendance and attention to
assignments.
B. Student work demonstrates superior scholastic performance overall, reliability in attendance,
and attention to assignments; may demonstrate excellence but be less consistent than the work of
an A student.
C. Student work demonstrates satisfactory performance overall, as well as reliability in attendance,
and attention to assignments.
D. Student work demonstrates minimal, barely passing performance overall; limited knowledge of
subject matter.
F. Student work demonstrates unsatisfactory performance and
comprehension or unfulfilled.
Blooms Taxonomy:
What is higher order learning, how does one measure it?
Different types of learning can be grouped loosely into 6 different categories:
From lowest to highest: Anderson & Krathwahl 2001
6. Highest --- Evaluation
- interpret, judge, solve, rate, decide
5.
--- Synthesis
- create new ideas, build
4.
--- Analysis
- combine, separate, compare and contrast
3.
--- Application
- report, employ relate, adapt
2.
--- Comprehension - summarize, explain, reword

A grade
A grade
B grade
B grade
C grade

1. Lowest --- Knowledge

- remember, repeat, recall

C/D grade

We will try and indicate on the exams using the above numbering system (1-6), what questions are
accessing these different types of learning. Also you will be exposed to Blooms taxonomy in your
recitation sections, where your TA will illustrate different types of questions as they relate to
Blooms. Please see the tips below.
How to be successful answering questions that reflect the 6 different levels of Blooms Taxonomy.
Cognitively passive learning behaviors (surface learning approaches)
I came to class.
I reviewed my class notes.
I made index cards.
I highlighted the text.
Cognitively active learning behaviors (deep learning approaches)
I wrote my own study questions.
I tried to figure out the answer before looking it up.
I closed my notes and tested how much I remembered.
I broke down complex processes step-by-step.
If your most of your learning behaviors are passive, then you should
expect to be successful with Levels 1, 2, and 3 questions. If your learning
is cognitively active then you should expect to be successful with Levels
4, 5 and 6 questions. Please see www.lifescied.org/content/11/3/294.full

There will be two term exams and one final comprehensive exam. Exams count for 80% of your
total grade 400/500pts. Exams 1 and 2 will consist of multiple choice questions and short answer
questions. Exam 3 will also consist of multiple choice questions and short answer questions.
Exams 1 and 2 will cover content specific to the immediate previous lectures, however exam 3 will
be comprehensive, with questions on lecture content from the whole semester. All three instructors
will be responsible for writing and grading all exams, so that consistent rigor is maintained
throughout the course, and sample exams will be posted in Angel. The remaining 100pts will be
administered by the teaching assistants during the recitation section (RS) and will be explained in
greater depth during your first meeting. There will be 11 RSs. Please see the syllabus for weeks of
recitation sections (RS). Attendance at these is mandatory and highly recommended for success in
the course.
Recitation Sections (RS)
Briefly the recitation points will be divided into points for homework questions and points for
participation. Homework questions: you will be assigned seven homework questions every
Monday morning that will be taken from the questions at the end of the chapters and will be over

content covered during lectures on Tuesday of the current week and Thursday of the previous week
(so that you have time to study before the RS on Thursday). These questions will be posted on
Angel by the instructor. You are expected to complete all 7 homework questions and 2 of these
with some changes will be assigned to you during the first 10 minutes of the RS. These will be
graded by your TA and given back to you for your use as a study guide. There will be 11 recitation
sections which are all mandatory, and each set of 2 homework questions will be worth a total of 6
points. This totals 11x 6 = 66 pointsyou will be allowed to drop one homework set, so the
maximum points you can receive for homework questions is 60 points. The remaining 40 points
will be distributed over the 11 recitation section as 11 x 4 =44, with max points possible =40 (so
you can drop one score). After you have completed the homework questions, your TA will give a
brief lecture on a concept that was covered during the week. He/she will then follow up with 8
questions, which will be discussed by 8 different students. These questions will vary in degree of
difficulty to reflect Blooms taxonomy (see above). Students will be chosen at random to discuss
the answer to the questionthe purpose of this exercise is to get students to participate in a
discussion of possible answer. You will not be graded on the accuracy of your answer; rather you
will be graded on your willingness to participate in getting the answer. To ensure participation, 8
students will be called upon to participate, and even though a student may not know the answer
students are expected to come up with a reasonable answer based at least on Biol 107 material
( remember Biol 107 is a prerequisite for this course). Your TA will keep a roster of all students
and each student will be called upon 3 times during the semester. If you are absent for this
exercise, you will be deducted 4 points, if you are called upon and do not participate in answering
the question, you will be deducted 4 points. There will be 11 RSs, and at 4 points a session, the
total points will be 11 X 4 = 44, however the max points possible will be 40 points.
So in summary the 100 pts possible from the RSs will be Homework questions (60) + Participation
(40) = 100 points. Please read your TAs syllabus for more details.

Contactingtheinstructors:Wewelcomeyourquestionsandcommentsandwelookforwardto
interactingwithallofyou,sothatyoulearnGeneralGenetics.Wepreferfacetofacecontact,
eitherimmediatelyafterthelecture,duringofficehours,oratanarrangedappointmenttime.You
mayalsoemailtheinstructors,however,pleasebecarefulwiththeuseofemails.Sometimesthe
contentofemailsisrudeandopentomisinterpretation,sopleasetakecarewiththeuseofthisformof
communication.Inaddition,wearenotfansofemaillanguage,andasthisisaUniversitywherewe
arepromotinggoodwritingskills,pleaseusecorrectgrammar,conventionsandspelling.Ifwe
receivearudeorcarelesslywrittenemailwewillaskyoutoresendit.Also,pleaseexpecttowait
2448hours(weekdayhours)foraresponsetoanemail(althoughyoumaygetaresponsesooner)so
planaccordingly.Therefore,ifyouemailaquestionaboutanexam,theeveningbeforetheexam,do
notexpecttogetaresponsebeforetheexam!Asyouareseasonedcollegestudents,please
rememberthatstudentslackofpreparednesswillnottreatedasanemergencybyinstructors.
Netiquette Tips: ( from WSU online courses)

A feeling of respect is basic for any collaborative dialogue, think about what you write and
how it might be interpreted by the reader.

It is difficult to read emotion in emails be clear and concisely express your

feelings with words.
o Use of capitals sends the message that YOU ARE SHOUTING!
Be polite, and avoid hostile or curt comments.
Use the same standards you would follow in a face-to-face discussion.
o

Student code of conduct

Academic dishonesty will result in a grade of F for this course without the option to withdraw.
Formal documentation will be filed with the Office of Student Conduct at WSU. Academic
dishonesty is defined as cheating, falsification, fabrication, multiple submission, plagiarism, abuse
of academic materials, complicity or misconduct in research (WAC 504-25-310 in Standards of
Conduct for Students).
Disruptive behavior in class (loud conversations, newspaper reading, cell phones ringing, surfing
the web, facebooking, texting etc.) is distracting to everyone so please do not participate in any of
these. If your cell phone does ring, please turn it off ASAP and immediately, publically apologize
to your peers and the instructor for the disruption. The assumption is that students registered for
this class to learn and their concentration must not be disturbed by a few inconsiderate individuals.
We also find outward uninhibited yawning, stretching and sleeping, lateness to class and leaving
before the instructor is finished to be very disrespectful and not conducive to either a learning nor a
teaching environment. If you do disrupt the class, you will be asked to leave and such behavior
will result in a loss of points which is at the discretion of the instructor. Please also note that MyThang, Ross and Kris will attend the lectures and they have been asked to help in monitoring
students behavior as this is a large class. If they detect disruptive behavior, they will ask you to
leave, and they will inform the instructor. As above such behavior will result in loss of points at the
discretion of the instructor.
Students with Disabilities Syllabus Statement:
Students with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a
documented disability. If you have a disability and may need accommodations to fully participate
in this class, please visit the Center (Washington Building 217) to meet with an Access Advisor.
All accommodations MUST be approved through the Access Center. Either drop by the Acesss
Center or call 509-335-3417 to schedule an appointment.

SYLLABUS
Text: Essentials of Genetics 7th or 8th Edition,
Klug, Cummings, Spencer and Palladino

Lecture 1
Lecture 2
Lecture 3
Lecture 4
Lecture 5
Lecture 6
Lecture 7
Lecture 8
Lecture 9

8/20
8/22
8/27
8/29
9/3
9/5
9/ 10
9/12
9/17
9/19

Lecture 10
Lecture 11
Lecture 12
Lecture 13
Lecture 14
Lecture 15
Lecture 16
Lecture 17
Lecture 18

Introduction GOALS/GRADING Overview of Genetics.

Mendelian Genetics
3 Recitation Section (RS) 1
Mendelian Genetics
3
Extensions/Human Genetics
4/5 RS 2
Extensions/Human Genetics
4/5
Chromosome /Cell Division
2 RS 3
Gene Linkage
7
Gene Linkage
7 RS 4
Chromosome mutations
6
EXAM 1 Dr Wyrick

9/24
9/26
10/1
10/3
10/8
10/10
10/15
10/17
10/22

Molecular Structure of DNA

DNA replication
DNA replication/Recombination
Transcription
Translation
Gene regulation/ Prokaryotes
Gene regulation/ Eukaryotes
Gene Mutation
DNA Repair/Transposition

10/24

EXAM 2 Dr Farmerie

Lecture 19 10/29
Lecture 20 10/31
Lecture 21 11/5
Lecture 22 11/7
Lecture 23 11/12
Lecture 24 11/14
Lecture 25 11/19
Lecture 26 11/21

Cancer
Cancer
Gene Transfer in Prokaryotes
Gene Transfer in Prokaryotes
Gene Cloning/ Biotechnology
Gene Cloning/ Biotechnology
Application of Genetic Engineering
Qunatitative Genetics

******* 11/25 11/29

THANKSGIVING
Lecture 27 12/3
Population Genetics
Lecture 28 12/5
Population Genetics
12/10

9
10
10
12
13
15
15
14
14

16
16
8
8
17
17
18/19
22
23
23

RS 5
RS 6
RS 7
RS 8

Football
RS9
RS10
RS11

OPTIONAL RS

FINAL EXAM Drs McCabe/Farmerie/ Wyrick

Tuesday 11:00am- 1:00pm in Heald Hall