521-302 Gene Structure & Expression

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 521-211, 212 and 521-222, or 521-024, or (pre-1997) 521-201 and 521-202.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

By the end of the program the student should have developed: a detailed understanding of current concepts concerning molecular aspects of evolution, the molecular bases of genome structure and gene expression and the regulation of gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms (animals and plants); a theoretical background to recombinant DNA technology and an appreciation of its biomedical and biotechnological applications; an appreciation of the significance and applications of Human and related Genome sequencing programs; the ability to read critically original scientific literature in the field. Subject content includes: Structure of genes and chromosomes; molecular aspects of transcription and mRNA maturation; regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional and translational levels; ribosome biogenesis as a major example of the co-ordination of gene expression and RNA processing; post-translational modification of proteins; re-arrangements of the genome; structure, function and regulation of immuno-globulin genes and proto-oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes; molecular aspects of evolution; ribozymes and the catalytic and antisense functions of RNA; recombinant DNA technology, including recombinant protein expression systems with particular reference to investigations based on transfected cell culture, transgenic and gene knockout systems; identification and functional characterisation of candidate genes for human familial disease (major example, breast cancer).

Assessment

A 2.5 hour end-of-semester written examination (80%) plus continuous assessment based on up to four short multiple choice tests (20%).

Prescribed Texts

• Lodish, H. et al, Molecular Cell Biology. 3rd ed. 1995 Sci.Amer.Books.
  or
  Lewin, B, Genes VI. 1997 Oxford University Press. Access to both of these texts is desirable.