The course deals with the impact of molecular genetics on basic concepts
of heredity
and evolution. The class will meet twice weekly to discuss the underlying
science and
theoretical significance of discoveries presented in Scientific American
articles
dealing with the classical view of the gene, genetic structure in the molecular
era,
transcriptional regulation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, genetic engineering,
mobile
genetic elements, bacterial antibiotic resistance as an evolutionary case
study, DNA
repair systems and mutagenesis, and the action of the genome in development.
In
addition to participating actively in class discussions, students will
be expected to
write a ten-page paper utilizing additional source material on the following
question:
o What is an example of how the draft sequence of the human genome illustrates
a
fundamental change in our basic genetic and evolutionary concepts?
(The students will have to have their paper topic approved by the instructor.)
PAPERS FOR DISCUSSION (*) AND BACKGROUND
3/29/01 The classical view of the gene
*Beadle, G.W. 1948. The genes of men and molds. Sci. Amer. 179(3),
30.
*Benzer, S. 1962. The fine structure of the gene. Sci. Amer. 206(1), 70.
* Yanofsky, C. 1967. Gene structure and protein structure. Sci. Amer. 216(5),
80.
4/3 - 4/5/01 Genetic structure in the molecular era.
*Fiddes, J.C. 1977 The nucleotide sequence of a viral DNA. Sci. Amer. 237(6),
55.
*Chambon, P. 1981. Split genes. Sci. Amer. 244(5), 60.
Scheller, R.H. and R. Axel. 1984. How genes control an innate behavior.
Sci. Amer.
250(3), 54
Moyzis, R.K. 1991. The human telomere. Sci. Amer. 265(2), 48.
*Britten, R.J. and D.E. Kohne. 1970. Repeated segments of DNA. Sci. Amer.
222(4),
24.
*Doolittle RF. Bork P. Evolutionarily mobile modules in proteins.
Scientific
American. 269(4):50-6, 1993 Oct.
4/10 - 4/12/01 Transcriptional regulation
*Jacob, F. and E. Wollman. 1961. Viruses and genes. Sci. Amer. 204(6),
93.
Ptashne, M. and W. Gilbert. 1970. Genetic repressors. Sci. Amer. 222(6),
36.
Maniatis, T. and M. Ptashne. 1976. A DNA operator-repressor system.
Sci. Amer.
234(1), 64.
*Ptashne, M., A.D. Johnson and C.O. Pabo. 1982. A genetic switch in a bacterial
virus. Sci. Amer. 247(5), 128.
O'Malley, B.W. and W.T. Schrader. 1976. The receptors of steroid hormones.
Sci.
Amer. 234(2), 32.
Moses, P.B. and N.-H. Chua. 1988. Light switches for plant genes. Sci.
Amer. 258(4),
88.
Ptashne, M. 1989. How gene activators work. Sci. Amer. 260(1), 41.
*McKnight, S.L. 1991. Molecular zippers in gene regulation. Sci. Amer.
(4), 54.
*Tjian R. Molecular machines that control genes. Scientific American.
272(2):54-61,
1995 Feb.
4/17 - 4/19/01 Splicing and RNA processing
*Chambon, P. 1981. Split genes. Sci. Amer. 244(5), 60.
Darnell, J.E. 1983. The processing of RNA. Sci. Amer. 249(4), 90.
*Cech, T.R. 1986. RNA as an enzyme. Sci. Amer. 255(5), 64.
*Steitz, J.A. 1988. "Snurps." Sci. Amer. 258(6), 56.
Ross, J. 1989. The turnover of messenger RNA. Sci. Amer. 260(4), 48.
4/24 - 4/26/01 Genetic engineering
*Cohen, S.N. 1975. The manipulation of genes. Sci. Amer. 233(1), 25.
Gilbert, W. and L. Villa-Komaroff. 1980. Useful proteins from recombinant
bacteria.
Sci. Amer. 242(4), 74.
*Chilton, M.-D. 1983. A vector for introducing new genes into plants.
Sci. Amer.
248(6), 51.
Pestka, S. 1983. The purification and manufacture of human interferons.
Sci. Amer.
249(2), 36.
*Murray, A.W. and J.W. Szostak. 1987. Artificial chromosomes. Sci. Amer.
257(5), 62.
*Capecchi MR. Targeted gene replacement. Scientific American. 270(3):52-9,
1994
Mar.
5/1-5/3/01 Transposable elements
*Cohen, S.N. and J.A. Shapiro. 1980. Transposable genetic elements. Sci.
Amer. 242
(2), 40-49.
*Federoff, N.V. 1984. Transposable genetic elements in maize. Sci. Amer.
250(6),
85.
*Varmus, H. 1987. Reverse transcription. Sci. Amer. 257(3), 56.
Verma, I. 1990. Gene therapy. Sci. Amer. 263(5), 68.
J. Brosius. 1991. Retroposons--Seeds of evolution. Science 251, 753.
5/8/01 An evolutionary case study
*Watanabe, T. 1967. Infectious drug resistance. Sci. Amer. 217(6), 19.
*Novick, R.P. 1980. Plasmids. Sci. Amer. 243(6), 103.
5/15 - 5/17/01 Repair systems and mutagenesis
Devoret, R. 1979. Bacterial tests for potential carcinogens. Sci. Amer.
241(2), 40.
*Howard-Flanders, P. 1981. Inducible repair of DNA. Sci. Amer. 245(5),
72.
*Radman, M. and R. Wagner. 1988. The high fidelity of DNA duplication.
Sci. Amer.
259(2), 40.
5/22 - 5/24/01 The genome in development and cell biology
De Robertis, E.M. and J.B. Gurdon. 1979. Gene transplantation and the analysis
of
development.Sci. Amer. 241(6), 60.
*Gehring, W.J. 1985. The molecular basis of development.Sci. Amer. 253(4),
152B.
*De Robertis, E.M., G. Oliver and C.V.E. Wright. 1990. Homeobox genes and
the
vertebrate body plan. Sci. Amer. 263(1), 46.
Tonegawa, S. 1985. The molecules of the immune system.Sci. Amer. 253(4),
122.
Holliday, R. 1989. A different kind of inheritance. Sci. Amer. 260(6),
60.
McGinnis W. Kuziora M. The molecular architects of body design. Scientific
American. 270(2):58-61, 64-6, 1994 Feb.
W. K. Cavenee & R. L. White. 1995.The genetic basis of cancer. Sci
Am 272: 72-79
*Robert Weinberg, "How Cancer Arises," Scientific American 275, no. 3 (September
1996), pp. 62-70.