The objectives of this course are to take students through basics of genetics and classical genetics covering prokaryotic/ phage genetics to yeast and higher eukaryotic domains. On covering all classical concepts of Mendelian genetics across these life-forms, students will be exposed to concepts of population genetics, quantitative genetics encompassing complex traits, clinical genetics and genetics of evolution.
Concept of a gene in pre-DNA era; mapping of genes in bacterial and phage chromosomes by classical genetic crosses; fine structure analysis of a gene; genetic complementation and other genetic crosses using phenotypic markers; phenotype to genotype connectivity prior to DNA-based understanding of gene.
Meiotic crosses, tetrad analyses, non-Mendelian and Mendelian ratios, gene conversion, models of genetic recombination, yeast mating type switch; dominant and recessive genes/mutations, suppressor or modifier screens, complementation groups, transposon mutagenesis, synthetic lethality, genetic epistasis.
Monohybrid & dihybrid crosses, back-crosses, test-crosses, analyses of autosomal and sex linkages, screening of mutations based on phenotypes and mapping the same, hypomorphy, genetic mosaics, genetic epistasis in context of developmental mechanism.
Introduction to the elements of population genetics: genetic variation, genetic drift, neutral evolution; mutation selection, balancing selection, Fishers theorem, Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium, linkage disequilibrium; in-breeding depression & mating systems; population bottlenecks, migrations, Bayesian statistics; adaptive landscape, spatial variation & genetic fitness.
Complex traits, mapping QTLs, yeast genomics to understand biology of QTLs.
Laws of segregation in plant crosses, inbreeding, selfing, heterosis, maintenance of genetic purity, gene pyramiding.
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● Principles of genetics, D Peter Snustad; Michael J Simmons, 7th edition, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2017
● Microbial Genetics, Stanly R Maloy, John E Cronan Jr. and David Freifelder. 2nd edition, Narosa publishing house, New Delhi. 2006.
● iGenetics- A Molecular Approach, Russell PJ., 3rd edition, Benjamin Cummings. 2009.
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● Molecular Genetics of Bacteria, Larry Snyder, Joseph E. Peters, Tina M. Henkin, Wendy Champness, 4th edition, American Society for Microbiology, Washington. 2013.
● Principles of Genetics, (7th edition), D P Snustad and M J Simmons, John Wiley & Sons Inc., USA., 2015
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● Principles of Genetics, (12th edition), E J Gardener, M J Simmons and D P Snustead, John Wiley and Sons Publications, 2012
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