James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2004

Offerings
View how BC2023 is offered in 2004

(Also shows pre-requisites and inadmissible combinations if applicable)

BC2023:03

Molecular Biology

Townsville

HECS Band 2

36 hours lectures, 30 hours practicals. Semester 2.

Staff:

Dr D Miller,

Assoc. Professor G Meehan,

Professor J Burnell,


Dr G Munch.

The technology of molecular biology has had a major impact on every area of the life sciences, from medicine to ecology, so that knowledge of this area is now an essential component of degree programs in the biological and biomedical sciences. This is the foundation subject in molecular biology and provides a strong foundation in molecular biology for application in all fields of biology. It explores the structure of DNA, the mechanism of replication of DNA, genetic recombination and repair of DNA, transcription, translation, chromatin structure, comparison of eukaryotic and prokaryotic genome structure, the operon model, bacteriophage, viruses and techniques in recombinant DNA technology.

Learning Objectives:

how genetic information is stored and propagated;

the central dogma of molecular biology;

elements of gene regulation based on the operon model;

how bacteriophage and viruses have been important in the development of molecular biology;

the applications of recombinant DNA techniques and their potential in basic science, medicine, agriculture and biotechnology.

Assessment by one two-hour examination (65%); tutorial sheets/essays (15%); practicals (20%).