Molecular Biology

课程简介

/ Indicative Syllabus Mendelian Genetics Non-Mendelian Genetics The genetic materials and chromatin: Composition and structure of DNA and RNA, organization of DNA in chromosomes. Chromosomes: viral genomes. Bacterial genomes. Eukaryotic chromatin and chromosomes, centromeres, telomeres. Chromosomal inheritance and chromosomal abnormalities DNA replication: semi-conservative and semi-discontinuous replication of DNA; the replicon, initiation, DNA polymerases, primase, leading strand and lagging strand; Okazaki fragments. Transcription: prokaryotic promoters and terminators; RNA polymerase and sigma factors. Eukaryotic promoter elements, promoter proximal elements, enhancers, general transcription factors, activators; 5’-capping, 3’- polyadenylation, splicing of transcript. Translation: Initiation, elongation, and termination processes; the ribosome and the rRNAs. Transposable elements: transposons, jumping genes and retrotransposons. Regulation of prokaryotic gene expression: positive and negative controls, the operon, regulatory RNA (attenuation and termination), phage strategies (lytic vs lysogenic pathways). Regulation of eukaryotic gene expression: Different levels of control, -- 1 of 2 -- transcription factors and transcription regulator proteins; chromatin remodeling; gene silencing by methylation; alternative polyadenylation and alternative splicing.

目标

In this subject, students will learn the molecular processes of the genes, and the importance of these processes in living organisms.

先修要求

General Biology

Teaching Pattern

Methodology The basic concepts of these molecular processes will be explained in lectures with the inclusion of interactive animations to aid the student to understand the more complex molecular events. In tutorials, students will have discussion sessions to enhance their learning while probing questions and exercises will be used to gauge the learning outcomes of the students. Students should also reinforce their learning through self-learning from the textbook and from the web learning facilities available from the publisher.