MBIO Major
Biology Dept
Kenyon College
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BIOL 263: Molecular Biology and Genomics
Dr. Wade Powell
Fall 2012, MWF 10:10-11:00 
SMA 215

Current Syllabus: Fall 2012

Past Syllabus: Fall 2008

The Ancestral Protein of the Glucocorticoid Receptor and the Mineralcorticoid Receptor
by Haley Adcox '11 and Cami Odio '11

This JMOL tutorial examines the structure and function of a ligand-activated transcriptional activator: the hypothetical ancestor to two modern steroid receptors.

From biological molecules to the Human Genome Project,  this course explores the molecular basis of gene function in humans, animals, plants, and bacteria.  Topics include:

  • DNA and protein machines.  How are they built, and how do they perform all the incredible functions of our bodies?
  • Gene structure and regulation.  Human genes are regulated by specific proteins--encoded by yet other genes. How does it all work?  Learn how any gene is regulated through GenBank.   Can knowledge of gene function lead to gene surgery--replacing or repairing defective genes?
  • Chromosome structure and function.  Mechanisms of chromosome division and segregation lead to severe mutations. Why is mental retardation such a common sign of hidden chromosome defects? Yet plants, particularly agricultural crops, are often polyploid. How does polyploidy improve crops and enable production of seedless varieties?
  • Animal and plant models of disease.  How do we get human genes into animals and plants? Transgenic animals create models for disease, such as a mouse line with entirely human hemoglobin--with or without sickle-cell anemia. Transgenic plants reveal surprising affinities to human physiology.
  • Bacterial genetics. Bacterial DNA operates by unique mechanisms, including the promiscuous spread of genes for virulence and drug resistance. How do environmental factors regulate bacterial genes? How do we discover virulence genes and design new drugs against E. coli, tuberculosis, AIDS?
  • Molecular evolution.  Over time, change in DNA sequence leads to new genes and new species.  Molecular evolution explains the structure of mitochondria, and the dimorphism between X and Y chromosomes.
  • Human diversity.  What can DNA tell us about human ethnic diversity?  Do biological races exist?   What are the implications of "ethnic DNA" for human health?