BASIC PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY -
ENT 591B



Discussion Topics

1.   Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids
2.   Plasmid and Lamda Biology
3.   Basic Techniques in Microbiology
4.   Purification of mRNA and DNA
5.   cDNA Library Construction
6.   Polymerase Chain Reaction
7.   Design and Synthesis of Oligonucleotide Probes
8.   Monoclonal Antibody Production and Use of Antibodies as Probes, ELISA
9.   Screening of cDNA Libraries
10.  Restriction Mapping
11.  DNA Sequencing
12.  Computer Assisted Analysis of Nucleic Acids
13.  Mass-Spectroscopy of Large Molecules
14.  Biotechnology Inventions:  What is Patentable?
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Course Objective:  Introduce students to the terminology, basic principles, and techniques
of molecular biology and to discuss the modern applications of biotechnology.


Topics Covered:  hybridoma technology, nucleic acid biochemistry, bacterial and viral     
biology, basic principles in microbiology and cell biology, nucleic acid purification, molecular
cloning, probe design, PCR, DNA sequencing, computer analysis of DNA, mass-spectroscopy of
large molecules, and patenting of biotechnology.


Course Credit: 2 credit hours on Fridays 8:05 - 9:55 a.m.


Prerequisites:  12 hours of biology and 9 hours of chemistry.


Grading System:Final exam (mid-term optional).

                    90-100%   A
                    80-89%     B
                    70-79%     C
                    60-69%     D


Required Text:  None

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References

Berger, S. L. and A. R. Kimmel.  1987.  Guide to Molecular Cloning Techniques.  Academic
Press, Orlando.  812 pp.

Brown, T. A.  1986.  Gene Cloning.  An Introduction.  Chapman & Hall, New York.  
286 pp.

Drlica, K.  1984.  Understanding DNA and Gene Cloning:  A Guide for the Curious.  John Wiley
& Sons, New York.  205 pp.

Lewin, B.  1987.  Genes III.  John Wiley & Sons, New York.  761 pp.

Maniatis, T., E. F. Fritsch and J. Sambrook.  1982.  Molecular Cloning:  A Laboratory Manual. 
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor.  545 pp.

Miller, J. H.  1972.  Experiments in Molecular Genetics.  Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold
Spring Harbor.  466 pp.

Perbal, B.  1988.  A Practical Guide to Molecular Cloning.  John Wiley & Sons, New York.  811
pp.

Pritchard, R. H. and I. B. Holland.  1985.  Basic Cloning Techniques.  A Manual of 
Experimental Procedures.  Blackwell Scientific Publications, Boston.  193 pp.

Silhavy, T. J.  1984.  Experiments with Gene Fusion.  Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold
Spring Harbor.  303 pp.

Walker, J. M. and W. Gaastra.  1983.  Techniques in Molecular Biology.  Macmillan, New York.