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Handbook 1997 : Faculty of Science : Botany

606-313 Origin and Early Evolution of Cells

Note:

This is a joint Botany/Microbiology subject.

Credit Points:

10.0

Coordinator:

Dr G McFadden (Botany) and Dr M Dyall-Smith (Microbiology)

Prerequisite/s:

Biochemistry 521-211 + 521-212 (1996; 521-201) or Genetics 652-204 + 652-205 (1996: 652-201).

Timetable:

Semester 1

Contact:

26 lectures (2 a week)

Objectives:

By the end of this subject students should be able to:

  • understand theories of how life arose and have an overview of the main cellular forms it has taken during the course of evolution;

  • appreciate salient features of the several key metabolic processes especially respiration and photosynthesis;

  • know the principle differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes at the structural and molecular levels and understand how these differences might have arisen;

  • appreciate the significance of the eukaryotic condition in relation to evolution.

Content:

Spontaneous origin of life and concept of chemical evolution. The RNA world. Formation of protocells. Origin of the genetic code. Overview of bacterial diversity (Bacteria, Archaea). Similarities between Archaea and eukaryotes. Origins of eukaryotic specialisations (mitochondria, chloroplasts, introns, linear chromosomes, mitosis, sex).

Assessment:

A 3-hour written examination at the end of semester.

Prescribed Texts:

  • Maynard-Smith, J. and Szathmáry, E. (1995), The Major Transitions in Evolution, W.H. Freeman.
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Handbook 1997 : Faculty of Science : Botany 
Status:                   OFFICIAL 1997
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Copyright © University of Melbourne 1997.