MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND MICROBIAL GENETICS

Paper Code: 
MBL 301
Credits: 
02
Contact Hours: 
45
Objective: 

This paper will enable students to:

  •  Understand the basic mechanism involved in the flow of genetic information
  •  Understand molecular mechanism of mutations and DNA repair
  •  Understand recombination in bacteria
  •  Have an idea of cloning vectors
10.00
Unit I: 
DNA Structure and Replication

DNA as a genetic material, structure of DNA and RNA. DNA replication (conservative and semi conservative replication, conformational flexibility of DNA), Replication in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

8.00
Unit II: 
Transcription

 Mechanism of Transcription in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, Enzymes and transcription factors, Posttranscriptional modifications of eukaryotic mRNA.

10.00
Unit III: 
Translation and Regulation of Gene Expression

The genetic code, central dogma. Translational machinery in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Mechanism of initiation, elongation and termination. Inhibitors of protein synthesis.

Regulation of Gene expression in prokaryotes-operon concept, positive and negative regulation of lac operon.

10.00
Unit IV: 
Mutations and Mutant Selection

Molecular mechanism of mutation, forward and reverse mutation, transition, transversion, Spontaneous and induced mutations, mutation frequency, applications of mutation.

Methods for mutant selection- direct selection, antibiotic selection, replica plating, conditional lethality and its use in mutant selection.

Mechanism of DNA repair-photo reactivation, excision repair, mismatch repair, SOS repair.

7.00
Unit V: 
Recombination in Bacteria

Transformation, transduction and conjugation.  Use of transformation, transduction and conjugation in genetic mapping.        

A brief idea of cloning vectors (plasmids, cosmids, bacteriophages).

 

ESSENTIAL READINGS: 

 

  1. Principles of Genetics, 8th edition, Gardener E J, John Wiley and Sons Publications, 2005.
  2. Gene VI, Lewin, B, New York, Oxford University Press, 2000.
  3. Cell and Molecular Biology, 4th edition, Gerald Karp, John Wiley and Sons. 2005
REFERENCES: 
  1. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 3rd edition, Elliott W H and Elliot D C, Oxford University Press, 2005.
  2. Essentials of Molecular Biology, 3rd edition, Malacinski G M and Freifelder D Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 1998.
  3. Instant Notes, Molecular Biology. Turner P.G., Mc Lennan, Bates A D, and White M R H, 2nd edition. Bios Scientific Publishers. 2002.
  4. Cell and Molecular Biology, 3rd edition, Philip Scheeler and Donald E Bianchi, John Wiley and Sons. 1987.
  5. Microbial Genetics, 2nd edition, Stanley R Maloy, John E Cronnan, David Freifelder. Jones and Barlett Publishers, 1994.
Academic Year: 
2014-2015
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