652-214 Principles of Genetics

This subject can be taken by itself, but is designed to be part of a two-semester sequence with 652-215.

Both 652-214 and 652-215 (or 652-214, 521-213 and 536-250) are prerequisites for 300-level genetics subjects.

Biology 650-142 or 650-132 (prior to 2004: 600-142 or 600-132). Biology 650-141 or 650-131 (prior to 2004: 600-141 or 600-131) is recommended.

This subject provides a coverage of genetics from the DNA molecule and inheritance to the factors which modulate allele frequencies in natural populations; the genetic and molecular basis of phenotypic variation; genetic analysis in eukaryotes, viruses and bacteria; the nature of the genetic material; gene structure and function; quantitative inheritance; and genes at the population level.

Completion of this subject is expected to enhance a student's ability to understand the fundamental principles of genetics and to describe the experiments used to establish them. Students will develop skills to apply these principles to solve genetic problems and demonstrate how genetic analysis can be used to investigate aspects of biology.

Completion of this subject is expected to enhance the generic skills of a student in the application of fundamental scientific principles to solve new problems; in the application of scientific method through the development of hypotheses based on observations; and in planning efffective work schedules to meet deadlines for assessable work.

Summer Semester: four online tests during semester (40% in total); a 2-hour written examination at the end of semester (60%). Semester 1: one written class test and two online tests during semester (30% in total); a 2-hour written examination in the examination period (70%). The intra-semester tests are of equal value both for the summer semester and semester 1.

• RJ Brooker, Genetics, Analysis and Principles. 2nd Ed. McGraw-Hill.