|
Common Course Objectives
Introduction to Biology
1. Discuss scientific processes and show how it is used in the
study of biology.
2. Differentiate between a hypothesis, a theory and a law.
3. Identify some of the limitations of science.
4. Distinguish between living organisms and nonliving matter.
5. Define evolution, give examples of the evidence for evolution
and how it is a unifying concept for biology.
Basic Chemistry and Biochemistry Back to Top
1. Describe the basic structure of the atom.
2. Interpret chemical and structural formulas.
3. Compare ionic and covalent bonds and describe their characteristics.
4. Discuss hydrogen bonds and non-polar interactions, and their importance for
living organisms.
5. Identify the characteristics of carbon that allow it to play
such an important role in the chemistry of life.
6. Explain isomers in biology.
7. Describe the properties of water and explain their importance to living systems.
8. Explain properties of acids, bases and salts.
9. Explain roles buffers play in living organisms.
10. Understand pH.
11. Identify the functional groups of biological molecules.
12. Describe structures and functions of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins
and nucleic acids.
13. Describe the four levels of protein structure and how they relate to protein activity.
Introduction to Cell Structure and Function Back to Top
1. Describe the cell theory.
2. Explain some factors that limit cell size.
3. Describe the typical prokaryotic cell including size, plasma
membrane, cell wall, cytoplasm, ribosomes, nucleoid and flagella.
4. Describe the typical eukaryotic cell and identify the structure
and function of: nucleus and nucleolus, endomembrane system, ribosomes, mitochondria, plastids,
the cytoskeleton and cilia, flagella and centrioles.
5. Compare and contrast the characteristics of prokaryotes,
eukaryotes and viruses.
7. Discuss diversity among eukaryotic cell types.
Membranes and Cell Transport Back to Top
1. Describe the fluid mosaic model of membrane structure and
explain the structure and functions of component molecules.
2. Compare and contrast diffusion, osmosis and dialysis.
3. Explain cell transport of large and small molecules across biological membranes.
4. Discuss cell signaling mechanisms including the role of cAMP
Principles of Cell Metabolism Back to Top
1. Distinguish between potential and kinetic energy.
2. State the first and second laws of thermodynamics and explain
how they apply to living organisms.
3. Explain what a chemical reaction is and describe changes that take place during a chemical reaction.
4. Distinguish between endergonic and exergonic reactions and
explain how they are coupled in living organisms. Describe the
roles of ATP and ADP in the coupling of chemical reactions.
5. Describe the structure, how enzymes work, regulation of enzyme activity (
e.g. cofactors and inhibitors) and factors that affect enzyme activity.
6. Describe biochemical pathways, substrates, products and intermediate products.
Photosynthesis Back to Top
1. Explain the relationship between structure and function of chloroplasts.
2. Describe the light dependent reaction.
3. Describe the light independent reaction.
4. Summarize the process of photosynthesis and trace movement of carbon dioxide and water through the process.
Respiration and Fermentation Back to Top
1. Describe the process of glycolysis and fates of pyruvate.
2. Explain relationships between structure and function of mitochondria.
3. Describe citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.
4. Summarize the process of aerobic respiration. Trace the fate of glucose and the role of oxygen in the process.
5. Discuss energy capture and release under anaerobic conditions( e.g. alcohol and lactic acid production).
6. Compare and contrast aerobic and anaerobic processes.
7. Explain how other biomolecules can enter these biochemical pathways
Cell Cycles Back to Top
1. Describe the process of binary fission in a prokaryotic cell.
2. Discuss eukaryotic cell cycle and describe the events of interphase.
3. Describe mitosis.
4. Describe cytokinesis and distinguish between mitosis and cytokinesis. Also
distinguish between the cytokinesis of plant and animal cells
5. Describe meiosis I and II.
6. Compare and contrast mitosis and meiosis.
Patterns of Inheritance Back to Top
1. Define and be able to use the following terms correctly: genotype, phenotype, homozygous, heterozygous, alleles and genes
2. Discuss Mendelian model of inheritance.
3. Describe patterns of inheritance (e.g. sex linkage, dominant, recessive, codominant and incomplete dominant).
4. Describe genotypic and phenotypic variation.
5. Discuss chromosomal variations in humans.
DNA Structure and Replication Back to Top
1. Describe the structure of nucleotides.
2. Describe the DNA molecule.
3. Describe DNA replication, including the principle steps and enzymes involved.
4. Discuss the structure of eukaryotic and prokaryotic chromosomes.
5. Discuss DNA repair mechanisms.
6. Define mutation and give examples (e.g. point mutations, chromosome changes).
Protein Synthesis Back to Top
1. Describe the structure of RNA.
2. Compare and contrast RNA and DNA.
3. Describe transcription including the principle steps and enzymes involved.
4. In detail, describe the process of translation, identifying
the principles steps.
5. Describe posttranscriptional modifications of mRNA in eukaryotic cells.
6. Decrribe protein processing and distribution.
7. Use base pairing rules to replicate a segment of DNA, transcribe it and match the anticodon
of tRNA to mRNA. Translate a segment of mRNA using a genetic table.
8. Explain how various types of mutations can alter the structure
of a polypeptide chain.
Gene Regulation Back to Top
1. Describe the process of gene regulation in prokaryotic cells
(operon system).
2. Describe gene regulation strategies in eukaryotic cells.
Virus Structure and Replication
1. Describe the structure of viruses and how they are replicated
Genetic Manipulation Back to Top
1. Compare artificial genetic recombination to natural processes.
2. Describe plasmid and virus vectors.
3. Describe recombinant DNA and cloning techniques.
4. Describe PCR and its utility.
5. Discuss application biotechnology (e.g. RFLPs, VNTR, DNA fingerprinting).
|