A. CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION: 

Prerequisites: BIO 211A, B; CHEM 320A or 327 with grade C or better. Compliments and builds upon BIO 211A (Biological Sciences I: Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology). A detailed study of the molecular and supramolecular organization and functioning of organelles and cells. Cell bioenergetics and metabolism with special emphasis on the access of biological information and structure function relationships. Individual research paper on a current aspect of cellular/molecular biology required. (Lecture 3 hours). 


B. COURSE OBJECTIVES: 

Biology 340 is an upper division course in Molecular Cell Biology that assumes prior exposure to Bio 211A or an equivalent introductory course in molecular and cellular biology. The course will build upon many of the facts and concepts introduced in Bio 211A and compliments the introductory course by providing a more thorough presentation of some of the major aspects of cellular functioning. In addition, this upper level course will also cover new material beyond the scope of the introductory class. Organic chemistry is a prerequisite for this course and students may find that prior exposure biochemistry is beneficial. The required textbook is Molecular Cell Biology (3rd Edition, 1995; ISBN# 07-7167-2380-8) by Lodish, Baltimore, Beck, Zipursky, Matsudaira and Darnell. 

Our understanding of cell biology has grown rapidly over the last two decades and the information upon which this understanding and knowledge is based is growing exponentially. This rapid expansion in knowledge has been made possible by the development of new experimental techniques, particularly in recombinant DNA technology, monoclonal antibody production, cell culture and organismal cloning. In combination, these techniques have allowed any desired segment of DNA to be isolated, purified, transferred and sequenced and have enabled the gene products to be purified, identified and localized within the cell. 

Many of the long held biological axioms concerning genetics, differentiation, structure, development and even taxonomy have been dismissed or disproved by these powerful "definitive" techniques. Consequently, any attempt to portray or study cell biology as a encyclopedic compilation of facts is doomed from its conception since many of the "facts" are constantly evolving or being proved incorrect. 

Therefore, the course will approach this field by exploring a series of basic questions which will provide a conceptual framework for dealing with our evolving understanding of cells. We will also discuss some of the classic experiments which served to define and answer some of these questions and examine some of the more recent and current experiments which provide a basis for our present understanding of how cells function at the molecular level. In these discussions on cellular organization we will stress the importance of understanding underlying mechanisms.