This course introduces the mechanisms of heredity, the expression of genetic information, and the genetic control of development. Special emphasis is placed on genetic and biochemical approaches toward delineating fundamental cellular and developmental processes.

• Attend EVERY class. 100% attendance is expected.
• Be prepared: Complete all assigned reading by the date on the syllabus (i.e. before class).
• Participate actively in class discussion. Your silence tells me that your understanding of the topic is complete, and I am moving too slowly through the material. Your questions direct me to revisit difficult concepts. Your insightful comments demonstrate hard work and commitment to learning biology. Thorough preparation and class participation are viewed very favorably in determination of final grades.
• For additional practice, do the problems and tutorials (found in web notes, text, and text CD) promptly.  These are good preparation for the in-class or take-home quizzes that happen most Fridays.
• Attend review sessions held before tests. These optional sessions offer you another chance to ask your own questions and review difficult topics.
• Review your chemistry. This course presumes a thorough knowledge of at least high school-level chemistry. Get comfortable with electrons, hydrogen bonds, and the important functional groups. The aspects of protein structure and function introduced in BIOL 113 also play a heavy role in understanding the material in this course.
• Stay in contact with your instructor. I read e-mail several times daily. I also send e-mails to the class distribution list. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail, and be sure to read the ones I send you. You are also invited to meet with me personally during my office hours or another scheduled appointment.

Grades.  Grades are based on:

• 20% on ten (10) Friday Quizzes.
  • Brief quizzes during class or longer, graded homework exercises.
• Please note: Make-up quizzes will not be possible. However, to accomodate absences due tofamily crisis, athletic contests, performances, field trips, job interviews, academic overloads, illnesses, senioritis, general malaise, or any other imaginable conflict, you are required to submit only eight (8) scores for calculating the quiz average. Choose the quizzes you want to take; I do not require any notification, excuse, or permission for missing quizzes. If you take more than eight quizzes, only the eight highest scores will be used.

• 70% on Exams:
  • Four exams will be held during the semester.
  • The first three exams (in class) cover material from the immediately preceeding portion of the course; each contributes 15% to the final grade.
  • The fourth exam (25%) will be in two parts. 60% of the questions will address the most recently covered material (Part IV: Developmental Biology). Additional questions will be more comprehensive or integrative in nature, drawing explicitly on material presented in other parts of the course. Exam 4 will take place during the college's final examination period (Monday May 7, 8:30 AM)

• 10% on class attendance and participation.
  • Attendance will be recorded, and 100% attendance is expected. In addition, active, vocal participation is expected from all members of the class and will be a primary determinant of the class participation grade. To participate fully in class, you must thoughtfully read and annotate the assigned material before each meeting.
• In accordance with college policy, athletes and others with excused absences related to college-sponsored activities must notify the instructor of any conflicts with the course during the first week of the semester. Please note that it is the responsibility of the individual student--NOT the Dean of Students, team, club, coach, athetlics department or faculty sponsor--to notify the instructor of conflicts and seek a means of resolution. Timely communication averts nearly all potential problems.

Academic Honesty.  Do not lie, cheat, or plagiarize. This class will follow the official Kenyon College position on academic honesty. Please review and observe the official College policy on academic honesty. Specific instructions on take-home quizzes or other unique assignments will be provided.

Special Needs. College policy provides for reasonable accomodations for documented physical, psychological or learning disabilities that may impact your ability to participate fully in the course. Please speak with me and with Erin Salva, Coordinator of Disability Services (PBX 5453; salvae@kenyon.edu). All information and documentation of disability is confidential. Please see the Disability Services web site for more information. Logistical details of any approved accommodation (e.g. extended exam time) must be arranged with the instructor at least 3 days in advance.

Jan 17

Chromosome structure

Ch. 18 pp. 383-386; Ch. 3, p 130 (nucleoid) and p. 133 (nucleus)

Sex linked traits and pedigree analysis

Ch. 13 pp. 281-282, 294-297; Sex-linked inheritance; X and Y

Recombination and gene mapping;
QUIZ 2: Take-home; due on Monday.

Ch. 13 pp. 287-293

Feb 12

Translation.
QUIZ 4

Applying Central Dogma Concepts I:  Regulation of the eukaryotic cell cycle. QUIZ 5

Problems and Approaches II: Customizing DNA molecules. Recombinant DNA, transgenic organisms, and gene therapy.
Electrophoresis.

Ch. 4 pg. 78; Ch. 19 pp. 401-407, 411-424; Web tutorial 19.1; Restriction enzyme animation; Plasmid cloning animation; Plasmid (downloaded with Flowers); puzzler

Problems and Approaches III: Measuring Gene Expression: northern blots, RT-PCR, western blots, QUIZ 6

Ch. 19 pp. 412-413;

Prokaryotic Gene Expression I:  Operons

Ch. 17 pp. 362-379

Prokaryotic Gene Expression II:  Operon Analysis; Regulons, Promoters QUIZ 7

Ch. 17 pp. 362-379; Web tutorial 17.1

Eukaryotic Gene Expression III:
Nucleosomes and transcription;
post-transcriptional regulation QUIZ 8

Ch. 21 pp. 446-458

Apr 20