BIOL 4320: Molecular Biology

Spring 2002 Syllabus

MW 1:00-2:30PM, Room 140 SR

Text: Molecular Biology, 2^nd edition

Instructor: Prof. Paul Hardin, 453G SR2, phardin@uh.edu, 713-743-2652

Office hours: Tuesday 8:00-9:00AM; Friday 8:00-9:00AM; by appointment

Course web address: http://www.uh.edu/~phardin/MolBio-04.html

Date	Lecture Topic	Reading
Jan. 21	Introduction/ Molecular Biology Methods	Chapters 4 & 5
Jan. 26	Molecular Biology Methods	Chapters 4 & 5
Jan. 28	Molecular Biology Methods	Chapters 4 & 5
Feb. 2	Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases and Promoters	Chapter 10
Feb. 4	Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases and Promoters	Chapter 10
Feb. 9	General Eukaryotic Pol II Transcription Factors	Chapter 11
Feb. 11	General Eukaryotic Pol II Transcription Factors	Chapter 11
Feb. 16	General Eukaryotic Pol I/III Transcription Factors	Chapter 11
Feb. 18	General Eukaryotic Pol I/III Transcription Factors	Chapter 11
Feb. 23	Transcription Activators and Activation	Chapter 12
Feb. 25	Transcription Activators and Activation	Chapter 12
Mar. 1	Chromatin Structure and Effects on Transcription	Chapter 13
Mar. 3	Chromatin Structure and Effects on Transcription	Chapter 13
Mar. 8	Exam #1 Grades Practice Exam	Chapters 4, 5  & 10-13
Mar. 10	RNA Splicing	Chapter 14
Mar. 15	SPRING BREAK
Mar. 17	SPRING BREAK
Mar. 22	RNA Splicing	Chapter 14
Mar. 24	RNA Splicing	Chapter 14
Mar. 29	mRNA Capping, polyAdenylation and Stability	Chapters 15 & 16
Mar. 31	mRNA Capping, polyAdenylation and Stability	Chapters 15 & 16
Apr. 5	Translation Initiation	Chapter 17
Apr. 7	Translation Initiation	Chapter 17
Apr. 12	Translation Elongation and Termination	Chapter 18
Apr. 14	Translation Elongation and Termination	Chapter 18
Apr. 19	Ribosome s and tRNAs	Chapter 19
Apr. 21	Ribosome s and tRNAs	Chapter 19
Apr. 26	Genomics	Chapter 24
Apr. 28	Genomics	Chapter 24
May 3	Exam #2 Grades Practice Exam	Chapters 14-19 & 24
May 10	Final Exam 2:00PM - 5:00PM    Grades	Comprehensive

The above schedule and procedures in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.

Grading and Exam Policies:

Grades will be based on quizzes, midterm exams and a final exam. Quizzes will be given before one of the lectures each week and will, as a whole, count as 25% of your grade. Each midterm exam will count as 25% of your grade, and will cover the chapters designated in the schedule. The final exam will be comprehensive, and will count as 25% of your grade. Your lowest grade (i.e. quizzes, either mid-term exam or the final exam) will be dropped in calculating your final grade. If you are satisfied with your grade after the second mid-term, you do not have to take the final exam.

Quizzes and exams may include short answer, problem solving, multiple choice, matching and fill in the blank problems. Questions on exams will cover material presented in the lectures, reading materials and chapter outlines. Lectures will usually not cover all of the material in the text, and lectures/discussions may cover material that is not in the text.

Quizzes will typically be graded and returned within one week. Quiz grades will not be curved. In calculating your overall quiz grade, the lowest quiz grade will be dropped.

Exams will typically be graded within one week. Exams will be returned, and scores will be posted by the last four digits of your SS#. Please let me know if you do not wish to have your grades posted in this way. Each exam grade will be curved depending on the range and the average scores for each of the exams. The average will be 72. The maximum curved exam score will be 100.

Exams will ONLY be given at the scheduled times listed on the course outline.

YOUR FINAL GRADE WILL BE DETERMINED USING THE FOLLOWING GRADING SCALE. THERE WILL BE NO ROUNDING OF GRADES.

A = 92-100, A- = 88-92, B+ = 86-88, B=82-86, B- = 78-82, C+ = 76-78, C=72-76, C- = 68-72,

D+ = 64-68, D=58-64, D- = 55-58, F=Below 55

The above schedule and procedures in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.