PLB 101: Introductory Genetics
Credit Hours: 3 (2+1)
Full Marks: 75 (Theory: 50, Practical: 25)
Course Objectives
Upon completion, students will be able to:
- Understand the basic principles and history of genetics.
- Analyze chromosomal characters and inheritance patterns.
- Solve numerical problems related to qualitative, quantitative, and cytoplasmic traits.
- Apply knowledge of nucleic acids, gene regulation, mutations, and chromosomal aberrations.
I. Syllabus Overview
- Introduction and history of genetics, relationship with other sciences.
- Cell cycle and cell division (mitosis and meiosis).
- Life cycles of maize, human, virus, and bacteria.
- Mendelian genetics, gene actions, and interactions.
- Probability and chi-square testing.
- Linkage, crossing over, sex determination, and sex linkage.
- Extra-nuclear/cytoplasmic inheritance.
- Nucleic acids, DNA replication, transcription, translation, and genetic code.
- Gene regulation, transposable elements, mutations, and mutagens.
- Structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations.
II. Course Outline
A. Lectures (30)
| S.N. | Topic | Subtopic | No. of Lectures |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Genetics | Scope, history, relationships | 1 |
| 2 | Cell cycle & division | Mitosis, Meiosis | 2 |
| 3 | Life cycles | Maize & human, Virus, Bacteria | 3 |
| 4 | Mendelian genetics | Mendel’s laws, back cross, test cross | 3 |
| 5 | Gene actions & interactions | Gene action, gene interactions | 2 |
| 6 | Probability & Chi-square | Probability, chi-square test | 2 |
| 7 | Linkage & crossing over | Linkage, crossing over | 2 |
| 8 | Sex determination & linkage | Animals, plants, sex linkage | 3 |
| 9 | Cytoplasmic inheritance | Genes in organelles, male sterility, restorer/non-restorer | 2 |
| 10 | Nucleic acids | DNA structure & replication, RNA types, transcription, translation | 4 |
| 11 | Gene regulation & transposable elements | Regulation, transposons | 2 |
| 12 | Mutation & mutagens | Types of mutations, mutagens, applications | 2 |
| 13 | Chromosomal aberrations | Structural, numerical | 2 |
| Total | 30 |
B. Practical (15)
| S.N. | Topic | Subtopic | No. of Practicals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitosis | Diagram study | 1 |
| 2 | Meiosis | Diagram study | 1 |
| 3 | Mitosis | Microscopic study | 1 |
| 4 | Meiosis | Microscopic study | 1 |
| 5 | Mendelian laws | Numerical problems: segregation | 1 |
| 6 | Mendelian laws | Numerical problems: independent assortment | 1 |
| 7 | Gene actions | Numerical problems | 1 |
| 8 | Gene interactions | Numerical problems | 1 |
| 9 | Probability | Computation | 1 |
| 10 | Chi-square test | Computation | 1 |
| 11 | Linkage | Numerical problems | 1 |
| 12 | Crossing over | Numerical problems | 1 |
| 13 | Sex determination & linkage | Numerical problems | 1 |
| 14 | DNA & RNA | Microscopic study | 1 |
| 15 | Cytoplasmic inheritance | Field demo of male sterility | 1 |
| Total | 15 |
References
- Gardner, E.J., Simmons, M.J., & Snustad, D.P. (2011). Principles of Genetics (8th Ed.). John Wiley & Sons Pvt. Ltd., Singapore.
- Griffiths, A.J.F., Wessler, S.R., Carroll, S.B., & Doebley, J. (2012). An Introduction to Genetic Analysis (10th Ed.). W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, USA.
- Singh, B.D. (2007). Fundamentals of Genetics (3rd Ed.). Kalyani Publishers, India.
- Strickberger, M.W. (2012). Genetics (3rd Ed.). PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India.
