BiSc 1111 Introductory Biology for Science Majors Fall 2012

Cells and Molecules

Lecture Syllabus

Instructor

Dr. Ken Brown

office: 332 Lisner Hall

office hours: M 8:30-10; W 2-3:30; or by appointment

email: kmb@gwu.edu (no e-mail questions on course

content please)

Course Description

This 4 credit course includes both lecture and laboratory. Lectures will cover

cell biochemistry, metabolism and nutrition; cell structure and function;

Mendelian and molecular genetics; and embryonic development. Particular

emphasis will be placed on the experiments from which key scientific

principles were derived. The laboratory portion of this course is coordinated

with lecture topics so that students can also perform their own studies to

examine basic scientific concepts discussed in lecture.

Lecture Schedule1

Date Topic Reading2

Aug 28, 30 1. Macromolecules 68-91

Sept. 4

Sept 6, 11 2. Cell Structure and Function 92-118

Sept 13, 18 3. Cell Surface Structure and Function 118-141

Sept 20, 4. Energetics, Enzyme Function,

25, 27 Respiration, Photosynthesis 142-205

Oct 2 Test 1 – 82 pts.

Oct 4, 9 5. Mitotic and Meiotic Cell Cycles 228-261

Oct 11, 16 6. Mendelian Genetics 262-285

Oct 18, 23 7. Genes and Chromosomes 286-304

Oct 25, 30 8. The Genetic Code – from Gene to Protein 305-350

Nov 1

Nov 6 Test 2 – 84 pts.

Nov 8, 13 9. Control of Gene Expression in Procaryotes and 351-366,

Eucaryotes, Molecular Biology of Cancer, Viruses 373-395

Nov 15, 20 10. Development: Fertilization and Embryo Morphogenesis 1021-1035

Nov 27, 29 11. Development: Cell Differentiation 366-373, 412-415,

and Pattern Formation 1038-1044

Dec 4 12. Primary Sex Determination 289-290, 396-416

Dec 6 13. Plant and Animal Cloning, Transgenics, Stem Cell 412-425

Research, Gene Therapy and Therapeutic Cloning

Test 3 – 82 pts. (during final exam week – date and time to be announced) 1 See laboratory syllabus for lab schedule 2Textbook - Reece, J.B. et al. 2011. Campbell Biology 9th ed. with BB My Lab/Mastering (ISBN 13: 9780321847010)

Pearson/Benjamin Cummings

Note: My Lab/Mastering, 9th ed. (an on-line tutorial), is required. My Lab/Mastering and the e-text are included with the book sold in the GW Bookstore (ISBN 13:9780321847010). It can

also be purchased separately from the book, with (ISBN: 13:9780321865045) or without (ISBN: 13:9780321865069) the e-text, from the GW Bookstore or BlackBoard (“Pearson’s

MyLab/Mastering” icon under “Tools”). The ISBN# for the book alone (no Mastering or e-text) is 13:9780321558237 (or 0321558235).

Grading

Lecture

Test 1 (82 points)

Test 2 (84 points)

Test 3 (82 points, not cumulative, given during final exam week)

In-class i>clicker exercises (25 pts)

My Lab/Mastering on-line homework exercises (27 pts)

Total possible lecture points = 300

Course evaluation – 2 extra credit points; NO ADDITIONAL EXTRA CREDIT POINTS ARE POSSIBLE IN

THIS COURSE

Lab

Total possible laboratory points = 200 (See Lab Syllabus for details on lab grading.)

Total Possible Course Points = 500

Registration for i>clicker student response system and for My Lab/Mastering

1) Register your i>clicker and My Lab/Mastering no later than Sept. 4 by selecting this course in BlackBoard

(blackboard.gwu.edu). Select “Tools”. To register your i>clicker, select the icon “Register your i>clicker

remote ID”, and for My Lab/Mastering select the icon “Pearson’s My Lab/Mastering”, and follow the

instructions.

2) To receive any credit, you must register your i>clicker and My Lab/Mastering through BlackBoard and not

through the i>clicker and Mastering web sites. If you have registered through either of these web sites, be

sure to re-register through BlackBoard.

3) You will not receive credit for i>clicker exercises if you lose your clicker or forget to bring it to class, or your

i>clicker didn’t work, or your dog ate your i>clicker, or any excuse other than the special situations

explained below under “Class Policies”.

Class Policies

Make-up lecture exams due to sickness or other hardship will only be given to students with a written excuse from an

appropriate agent. i-clicker exercises can not be made up; however, with the appropriate written excuse or in the case of a

religious holiday (see below), the missed exercise will not count against you.

In the case of religious holidays, students should notify me during the first week of the semester of their intention to be absent

from class on their day(s) of religious observance; I will extend to these students the courtesy of absence without penalty on

such occasions, including permission to make up examinations.

Academic Integrity

I personally support the GW Code of Academic Integrity. It states: “Academic dishonesty is defined as cheating of any kind,

including misrepresenting one's own work, taking credit for the work of others without crediting them and without appropriate

authorization, and the fabrication of information.” For the remainder of the code, see: http://www.gwu.edu/~ntegrity/code.html

Support for Students Outside the Classroom

Dissability Support Services (DSS)

Any student who may need an accommodation based on the potential impact of a disability should contact the Disability Support

Services office at 202-994-8250 in the Marvin Center, Suite 242, to establish eligibility and to coordinate reasonable

accommodations. For additional information please refer to: http://gwired.gwu.edu/dss/

University Counseling Center (UCC) 202-994-5300

The University Counseling Center (UCC) offers 24/7 assistance and referral to address students' personal, social, career, and

study skills problems. Services for students include:crisis and emergency mental health consultations confidential assessment,

counseling services (individual and small group), and referrals

http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/CounselingServices/AcademicSupportServices

Security

In the case of an emergency, if at all possible, the class should shelter in place. If the building that the class is in is affected,

follow the evacuation procedures for the building. After evacuation, seek shelter at a predetermined rendezvous location.

Bloom's Levels of Understanding

("Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain")

6. Evaluation: think critically about and defend a position

5. Synthesis: transform, combine ideas to create something new

4. Analysis: break down concepts into parts

3. Application: apply comprehension to unfamiliar situations

2. Comprehension: demonstrate understanding of ideas, concepts

1. Factual knowledge: remember and recall factual information

(see ST, p. 12)

1

2

3

4

5

6

Bloom's Levels of Understanding

Example: Questions from a virology course

2. Comprehension: demonstrate understanding of ideas, concepts

Explain, Summarize, Interpret, Describe, Diagram

Diagram the life cycle of a typical lytic DNA animal virus.

1. Factual Knowledge: remember and recall factual information

Define, List, State, Name, Cite

Name the coat components of a typical lytic animal virus.

From Allen, D. and Tanner, K., Cell Biol. Educ. 1: 63-67 (2002)

Example: Questions from a virology course

6. Evaluation: think critically about and defend a position

Judge, Justify, Defend, Criticize, Evaluate

Would you argue that viruses are alive? Why or why not?

5. Synthesis: transform ideas into something new

Develop, Create, Propose, Design, Invent

Propose a way in which viruses could be used to treat a human disease.

4. Analysis: break down concepts into parts

Compare, Contrast, Distinguish

What features distinguish the replication processes of RNA and DNA viruses?

3. Application: apply comprehension to unfamiliar situations

Apply, Use, Compute, Solve, Predict

Based on your knowledge of viral life cycles, what do you predict might be the mechanism of an anti-viral drug?

From Allen, D. and Tanner, K., Cell Biol. Educ. 1: 63-67 (2002)

Macromolecules

Molecules in a Cell

Macromolecules are Built from

Monomers by Dehydration Reactions

and Broken Down by Hydrolysis

Carbohydrates

Monosaccharides – Structure

Glucose Ring Structures

Isomers – Same Chemical Formula but Different

Structures

1) structural isomers – different chemical groups off one or

more carbons

2) stereoisomers – different spatial arrangements of

chemical groups around one or more carbons

Enantimorphs – mirror image

stereoisomers

Monosaccharides – Functions

Disaccharides

Polysaccharides – General

Storage Polysaccharides

1) starch

2) glycogen

Structural Polysaccharides

1) Cellulose

1) Chitin--like cellulose except

off carbon #2 instead

of -OH

Lipids

1. Little or no affinity for water

2. Types:

a) lipids with glycerol as a backbone

b) lipids without glycerol as a backbone:

Fats and Oils

Saturated Fats, Unsaturated Fats, Trans Fats

Phospholipids

Lipids without Glycerol as a Backbone

1) steroids

2) terpenes

3) waxes

4) prostaglandins

Proteins

-- many functions:

Protein Structure -- proteins are constructed from amino acid monomers

-20 different amino acids

-- polypeptides

-- proteins

Peptide Bond

Protein Primary and Secondary Structure

Protein Tertiary and Quaternary Structure

Sickle-Cell Disease

-- from only 1 amino acid change in β hemoglobin

Protein Folding -- denature (unfold) if temperature, pH, salt

concentration or other aspects of environment are

altered loss of function

Nucleic Acids (DNA and RNA) are Polynucleotides

Polynucleotides 1) ribonucleic acid (RNA)

2) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

DNA Synthesis

5' 3' Direction of Polynucleotide Synthesis

From Gene (DNA) to Protein