Effective Term: Spring, 2001

New/Current Course Number: 630 - 251 /

New/Current Course Title: Introduction to Genetics

    15 Character Abbreviation: Intro Genetics
    25 Character Abbreviation: Introduction to Genetics

Sponsor(s):        Lance Urven, Daryle Waechter-Brulla
Department(s): Biological Sciences
College(s):        Letters and Sciences

Other Programs Affected: Chemistry

Check if course is required in:

Major/Emphasis (specify): Biology – All, incl. General Science Broadfield
Minor/Emphasis (specify): Biology and Biology Education Emphasis
Other (specify):

I. Detailed explanation of changes (use FROM/TO format)

Genetics is a central, defining sub-discipline in biology. Command of genetics is essential for understanding evolution, ecology, taxonomy, physiology, development, and most other areas of study in the life sciences. It is critical that biology students receive a thorough training in genetics before progressing to advanced course work. In addition, fundamental laboratory techniques taught in genetics laboratory, once limited to molecular biology investigators, have become standard in all biological disciplines for investigation of evolutionary relationships, conservation, population research, and organ and cell functions. Genetics is a pre-requisite course for eight of 25 upper division courses in biology, and is considered fundamental for biology literacy.

To better meet biology students’ need for genetics training, we propose increasing credit, lecture and laboratory hours in Introduction to Genetics. Students have long argued that there was too much content in this course for a two lecture/week format, and instructors felt that the course lacked sufficient depth to serve the central programmatic role for which it was intended. More lecture time should allow instructors to further explore topics that give students particular trouble, and to explain material in more detail, addressing both students and faculty concerns about the course. Longer labs will allow instructors to offer more complete laboratory exercises, teach more techniques, provide more consultation in interpreting results, and supervise more small group work than in the past. The three: one contact: credit hour ratio is in keeping with the departmental trend for labs in majors’ courses, and in keeping with standard practice in the Chemistry and Physics Departments at UWW and biology departments at most universities. No additional topics will be added, but those currently in the syllabus will be covered more clearly and in more depth.

I. Introduction
        A. Background
        B. {review of biology}

II. How Organisms Organize, Store and Transmit Genetic Information
        A. Mendelian Analysis
        B. Complications to Mendel: Multiple Alleles, Gene Interactions, etc.(Quantitative Traits, Polygenic Inheritance)
        C. Chromosomal Inheritance, Sex Determination and Sex-Related Inheritance
        D. Linkage, Recombination and Mapping

III. How Genomes Change
        A. Population Genetics
        B. Evolutionary Genetics

IV. How Chromosomes Change
        A. Eukaryotic Chromosome Structure, Replication, & Assortment
        B. Rearrangements and Changes in Number
        C. Extranuclear Inheritance
        D. Prokaryotic Chromosome Structure
        E. Transposons, Plasmids, etc.
        F. Gene Cloning, Analysis, and Modification

V. How Genes Change
        A. Gene Mutation
        B. Gene Repair

VI. How Genes Function
        A. What Genes Are
        B. What Genes Do
        C. How Genes are Regulated