DEPARTMENT - LIFE SCIENCES 

 COURSE PACK
for
MOLECULAR-BIOLOGY AND BIOPHYSICS - BTY331
 

BTY331 -  MOLECULAR-BIOLOGY AND BIOPHYSICS

Total Teaching Hours For Semester :

60                                                                                                                                                                                                          No of Lecture Hours/Week : 4

Max Marks :
100                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
:4

Course Description and Course Objectives:

The paper introduces the students with the fundamentals of molecular biology and biophysics. It also gives a clear out look on the molecular biology
techniques used in the laboratory.

Course Outcomes

1.CO1 - Examine the basic concepts of molecular biology with depth understanding of cellular machinery.

2.CO2 - Illustrate the structural and functional aspects of basic biomolecules such as DNA, RNA and protein and the mechanisms of DNA replication, transcription, translation.

3.CO3 - Explain how gene expression is regulated.

4.CO4 - Relate the molecular basis of life and the underlying genetic principles.

5.CO5 - Describe the principle and applications of various bio analytical techniques.

Unit-
1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Hours:4

Syllabus Unit Mapping

1.Development Needs:None,

2.Skill Focused:Skill Development,

3.Integration of Cross Cutting Issues:None,

Introduction to Macromolecules and Molecular Biology

Nucleic Acids:- DNA and RNA as genetic material and the proof (Griffith Experiment, Avery-McCarthy-McCleod Experiment, Hershey Chase Experiment,
Biochemical evidences, Experiments using HRV and TMV )

Unit-
2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Hours:15

Syllabus Unit Mapping

1.Development Needs:Global,

2.Skill Focused:None,

3.Integration of Cross Cutting Issues:None,

DNA Structure, Properties and Replication

Watson and Crick model of DNA (Structure of Bases, Nucleosides and nucleotides, Chargaff Rule, Watson and Crick base pairing, Hoogsteen base pairing, physical
measurements of DNA, antiparallel nature), Different forms for DNA (A, B and Z), chemical and spectroscopic properties of DNA (Effect of temperature:-
denaturation and renaturation kinetics, Absorption of UV light, density gradient centrifugation, intercalating agents, effects of Acid and Alkali on DNA, solubility of
DNA), DNA supercoiling (negative and positive supercoiling), Topoisomerase (Types and mechanisms). Hypothesis on DNA replication, Proof for Semi
conservative model of replication of DNA (Meselson and Stahl Experiment, Thymidine incorporation Assay), Polarity of DNA replication, Prokaryotic DNA
Replication Machinery: Gyrase, helicase, DNA polymerases (types, functions, properties) Origin of replication of DNA, Primer, Growing Fork, Mechanism of DNA
replication (initiation, elongation (lagging and leading strand synthesis) and termination. Eukaryotic DNA replication – Multiple origins of replication, enzymes and
proteins involved in replication, End replication problem and its solution (Telomere and telomerases and its significance in replication and involvement in cancer and
aging). Models of DNA replication: Theta model and Rolling circle model, D-loop method. Inhibitors of DNA replication.
Unit-
3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Hours:11

Syllabus Unit Mapping

1.Development Needs:Global,

2.Skill Focused:Skill Development,

3.Integration of Cross Cutting Issues:Environment,

Alteration of Genome in Prokaryotes

Mutation: Definition and Types (Point mutation: Substitution, Addition, Deletion; Frame-shift Mutation, Missense and nonsense mutation, forward and reverse
mutation, suppression mutation. Somatic and germline mutation, Transition and transversion, Neutral nonsynonymous and synonymous mutation, lethal mutation)
causes of mutation: Spontaneous (Wobble base pairing, addition and deletion by DNA looping out, spontaneous chemical changes: oxidative damage, alkylation and
deamination) and Induced mutations (UV, base analogues, alkylating, Hydroxylating and deaminating agents. Repair mechanisms - photoreactivation, Mismatch
repair, excision repair (BER and NER), SOS repair and recombination repair, Transformation – Tatum and Lederberg’s experiment, Conjugation – F+ and F- strains,
Hfr strains. Transduction - Lytic and lysogenic life cycles of bacteriophage, generalized and specialized transduction.

Unit-
4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Hours:4

Syllabus Unit Mapping

1.Development Needs:Global,

2.Skill Focused:Skill Development,

3.Integration of Cross Cutting Issues:Environment,

Genome Organization

Organization of genomes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes- concept of Gene, structure of genes, monocistronic and polycistronic genes, C value paradox, Gene
organization and expression in mitochondria and chloroplast, functions, significance, role in evolutionary studies. Transposable elements – classes, transposons in
bacteria, maize and Drosophila, retrotransposons, LINEs and SINEs, transposons and mutations.

Unit-
5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Hours:8

Syllabus Unit Mapping

1.Development Needs:Global,

2.Skill Focused:Skill Development,

3.Integration of Cross Cutting Issues:Sustainability,

RNA Structure, Function and Synthesis

Structure and functions of mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, snRNA, hnRNA, long noncoding RNA (LNC RNA) miRNA and siRNA. Ribozymes: Types of ribozymes, role of
RNA in ribosome catalytic core). Types of RNA polymerases in prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. Sigma factors and subunits of RNA polymerase in prokaryotes.
Transcription – initiation, elongation, and termination. Structure of promoter, initiation factors. Elongation factors and mechanism. Termination, types of
termination: ATP dependent and independent, transcription factors and its importance, post transcriptional modifications of eukaryotic mRNA: capping and polyA
tailing. RNA splicing. Introduction to CRISPR-Cas9: guide RNA.

Unit-
6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Hours:7

Syllabus Unit Mapping

1.Development Needs:Global,

2.Skill Focused:None,

3.Integration of Cross Cutting Issues:None,

Protein Synthesis and Modification

Properties of Genetic code and Wobble hypothesis. Mechanism of translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (activation and attachment of amino acid to tRNA,
initiation, elongation and termination of polypeptide chain), role of Ribosomes in Protein synthesis, post translational modifications of proteins- (glycosylation,
protein folding, acetylation, phosphorylation), polysomes.

Unit-
7                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Hours:6
Syllabus Unit Mapping

1.Development Needs:Global,

2.Skill Focused:None,

3.Integration of Cross Cutting Issues:None,

Regulation of Gene Expression in Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes

Operon concept and its advantages, anabolic (trp operon) and catabolic operon (lac operon), Regulation of Gene expression in Eukaryotes -DNA (methylation) and
Histone (acetylation) modifications.

Unit-
8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Hours:5

Syllabus Unit Mapping

1.Development Needs:Global,

2.Skill Focused:Skill Development,

3.Integration of Cross Cutting Issues:None,

Principles and Applications of Bioanalytical Techniques

Chromatography (Paper, Thin layer, column and GLC). Spectroscopy (Visible, Fluorescence, UV), Flow cytometry.

Essential References:

1) G. M. Malacinski, Freifelder's Essentials of Molecular Biology, 4th ed. New Delhi: Narosa Publications, 2013.

2) K. Wilson and J. Walker, Principles and Techniques of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 7th ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010.

3) B. Lewin. Genes IX. Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2007.

Recommended References:

1) H. Lodish, A. Berk, P Matsudaira, C. A. Kaiser, M. Krieger, M. P. Scott, L. Zipursky and J, Darnell, Molecular Biology of the cell. 5th ed. New York: W.H.
Freeman and company, 2008.

2) D.L. Nelson and M. M. Cox. Lehninger’s Principles of Biochemistry, 6th ed. USA. W. H. Freeman and company. 2013.

3) D. Voet and J. G. Voet. Biochemistry. 4th ed. USA: Wiley. 2011.

4) M. L. Srivastava. Bioanalytical Techniques, New Delhi: Narosa Publications. 2011.

5) J. D. Watson, T. A. Baker, S.P. Bell, A. Gann, M. Levine and R. Losick, Molecular biology of gene, 7th ed. USA: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2014.

6) R. M. J. Cotterill, Biophysics: An Introduction. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2002.

7) B. R. Glick, J. J. Pasternak and C. L. Patten, Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and application of recombinant DNA. 4th ed. Washington DC: American
Society for Microbiology Press, 2010.

Evaluation Pattern

Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA)

 CIAI – Assignments/test/presentation/etc – 10%

 CIAII – Midsemester exam – 25%

 CIAIII - Assignments/test/presentation/etc – 10%

 Attendance – 5%

 End Semester Theory Exam – 50%