BISC411
EXPERIMENTAL MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
Course Objectives and Background
BISC411 is a course in the Biology majors curriculum stressing
laboratory
investigation and critical thinking related to the experimental aspects
of molecular biology. The techniques of molecular biology and
biochemistry
are to be learned in a larger context using as a model the
bacteriophage
enzyme T4 lysozyme and two other models from the research community in
our department, the sprinter protein that is important for
Drosophila development (under study in the laboratory of Dr. Erica
Selva), and the CIB calcium and integrin binding protein that is
important for signal transduction (under study in the laboratory of Dr.
Uhlas Naik).
Why T4 lysozyme?
- It is very stable.
- It functions as a monomer.
- The 3-D structure of the enzyme has been determined by x-ray
crystallography
and is available on public websites.
- Expression constructs have been constructed that allow enzyme
production
under the direction of an inducible promoter in time-frames suitable
for
undergraduate laboratories.
- Assays for lysozyme activity are straightforward, relatively
inexpensive,
and do not require elaborate instrumentation.
Why Sprinter and CIB?
- The laboratories of Selva and Naik have made expression
constructs of these proteins that can be used in a manner similar to
the T4 lysozyme constructs.
- The 3-D structure of the CIB protein has been determined by
researchers in the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the
University of Delaware, collaborating with Dr. Naik.
- Much less is known about these two proteins compared to the
well-studied T4 lysozyme protein. Therefore, you will be working with
material that is very relevant to scientific inquiry today.
Learning Objectives:
It is hoped that upon completion of this course you will have
- gained experience with several laboratory techniques frequently
used in
molecular biology.
- learned how to construct a written laboratory report in
manuscript
format.
- gained the ability to objectively evaluate data.
- developed skills needed for successfully working as a team to
solve
problems.
- improved your ability to orally communicate about science.
Achievement of these objectives will be evaluated by grades earned on
the
written assignment and laboratory reports and by peer assessment from
your
team members. Discussions about the procedures will happen frequently
throughout
the semester and allow you to gain experience in the final objective,
communication. Communication will also be a component of the oral
presentation that you will participate in.