MCCCD Program Description

General Genetics

Course: BIO240

First Term: 2023 Fall

Lecture 4 Credit(s) 4 Period(s) 4 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S - Standard Load

Description: In depth examination of the field of genetics.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Describe the structure of nucleotides, the structure of DNA, and the process of DNA replication. (I, II, III) 2. Explain the processes and central dogma of gene expression. (II, III) 3. Apply basic Mendelian principles, deviations from classical Mendelian principles, the chromosome theory of heredity and cell division to solve genetic problems. (IV, V) 4. Use statistical methods to test hypotheses relevant to genetic problems. (IV, VII, VIII, IX, XII) 5. Apply knowledge of gene regulatory processes in prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and bacteriophages to solve problems in gene regulation. (VI) 6. Use knowledge of population genetics to describe how evolutionary forces lead to population change and speciation. (VII, VIII, XI) 7. Use various methods of phylogenetics to reconstruct the evolutionary history of species groups. (VIII, XI) 8. Use quantitative genetics to estimate how phenotypes can be influenced by multiple genes and environmental factors. (IX) 9. Describe model systems of developmental genetics. (X) 10. Explain gene manipulation, analysis, and their applications in biotechnology. (XIII) 11. Discuss epigenetic principles and emerging theories in the field of genetics. (XIII)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Genetic material A. DNA Structure B. Experiments to determine DNA Structure 1. Griffith 2. Hershey-Chase 3. Meselson-Stahl 4. Watson and Crick model C. RNA structure II. DNA replication process A. Prokaryotes and eukaryotes B. Specialized functions of proteins and enzymes III. Central Dogma of Gene Expression A. Transcription processes B. Translation processes C. Control of translation D. Post translational modifications E. Protein structure and function F. Cause and effect of mutations IV. Mendelian A. Experimental design B. Mathematical analysis C. Simple exceptions D. Pedigree analysis E. Extensions of and complex exceptions to expected Mendelian ratios F. Non-Mendelian mechanisms of inheritance V. Chromosomal theory of heredity A. Chromosome structure and organization B. Cell division C. Diseases of chromosome abnormalities VI. Gene regulation A. Prokaryotic B. Eukaryotic VII. Population genetics A. Forces of evolution B. Hardy-Weinberg principles and equilibrium C. Chi-squared testing VIII. Evolutionary Genetics A. Population divergence B. Speciation mechanisms C. Reconstructing evolutionary history IX. Quantitative genetics A. Expected distributions B. Statistics of central tendency C. Polygenic traits D. Heritability X. Developmental Genetics XI. Behavioral Genetics XII. Genetic basis of cancer and other diseases XIII. Biotechnology, Epigenetics, and Emerging Theories

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: December 13, 2022

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.