Genetics - Spring 2022


Evolving Syllabus

Subject to some change during the course of the semester.


Prerequisites


Administrative details

Meetings:TuTh 8-9:15am, GOS-2154
RecitationMonday 10-10:50am, GOS-1305
Credits3
Required text Essential Genetics, 7th ed, by Hartl and Jones
iClicker will be required.
Instructor:Michael Osier
Office:08-1338
Schedule
Contact:mvoscl@rit.edu

Topics

Monday recitation

Tuesday lecture

Thursday lecture

Week 1 - Jan 10 Introduction Why study genetics?; Phenotypic Variation Mendel and Darwin (Chapter 2.1-2.6; Chapter 15.1-15.2, look over OMIM)
Week 2 - Jan 17 Online activity this week - NIH Genetic Testing Registry Quiz 1 Genome structures; Organization of the Chromosome; Mitosis and Meiosis; Mutation and Repair; Eukaryotic gene structure (Chapters 3.1-3.5, 6.1-6.5, 12.1-12.6) Polymorphism; Model organisms
Week 3 - Jan 24 CoT in the Act by Dr. Rothman Quiz 2 Sex-linked inheritance; Sex determination and the Lyons hypothesis (Chapters 3.6, 5.1-5.2) Trancription, splicing, and translation (Chapter 8)
Week 4 - Jan 31 Activity: sex-linked Drosophila phenotypes, Exam review Exam 1 Prokaryotic gene expression (Chapter 9.1-9.3)
Week 5 - Feb 7 Exam 1 followup Quiz 3 Mapping prokaryotic genes (Chapter 7.1-7.5) Eukaryotic gene expression (Chapter 9.4-9.7)
Week 6 - Feb 14 Parada et al., 2002 Quiz 4 Independent assortment (Chapter 2.3-2.4, 3.7 [just Chi-square Goodness-of-Fit], Chapter 4.1-4.2) Independent assortment (Chapter 2.3-2.4, 3.7 [just Chi-square Goodness-of-Fit], Chapter 4.1-4.2)
Week 7 - Feb 21 Online activity this week - Prokaryotic mapping practice worksheet Quiz 5 Tetrad analysis (4.5 [not including section on Gene Conversion]) Linkage (Chapter 4.1-4.2, 4.5 [not including section on Gene Conversion])
Week 8 - Feb 28 Exam review Exam 2 Exam 2 followup
Week 9 - Mar 7 Spring Break
Week 10 - Mar 14 Mid-semester review Segregration analysis; start Eukaryotic gene mapping (Chapter 2.5, 5.1-5.3, 4.1-4.3) Eukaryotic gene mapping; Karyotype analysis (Chapters 5.1-5.3, 4.1-4.3)
Week 11 - Mar 21 Activity: finding double-recombinants Quiz 6 Quantitative genetics (Chapters 15.1-15.2, 15.4-15.5) Introduction to Population Genetics: Random mating, non-random mating, and HWE (Chapters 14.2-14.3, 14.9)
Week 12 - Mar 28 Patsalis et al. paper; Xu et al. paper Activity: Forensics and HWE Quiz 7 Activity: Random genetic drift; Random Genetic Drift (Chapters 14.2-14.3, 14.9)
Week 13 - Apr 4 Exam review Exam 3 HWE and selection (Chapters 14.2-14.3, 14.9)
Week 14 - Apr 11 Exam 3 followup Quiz 8 Complementation (pp 17-19 for Complementation), Activity: Epistasis Pleiotropy and Penetrance and Phenocopies, oh my! (Chapter 2.6-2.7)
Week 15 - Apr 18 Lyons, Cox, and Dancis paper Quiz 9 Catchup, open course review Activity: Doing the pathway shuffle (Genetics board game)
Week 16 - Apr 25 Exam review Exam week


Grading

Quizzes (2 points each x 9)18%
Participation12%
Exam 114%
Exam 218%
Exam 318%
Final Exam20%
Total100%

If your final exam grade is higher than your average for the first three exams, your final exam grade will replace your lowest grade in Exams 1 through 3. So if you earn 90% on your final, and your exam average was 83%, and your lowest grade was a 70%, the 90% will replace the 70%, plus you get a 90% on the final.
There will be no other makeup assignments without extreme circumstances.

A[95-100]
A-[90-95)
B+[86.7-90)
B[83.4-86.7)
B-[80-83.4)
C+[76.7-80)
C[73.4-76.7)
C-[70-73.4)
D[60-70)
F<60

Participation

Participation will be determined based upon a combination of factors, including but not limited to, attending sessions on time, participating in all iClicker questions for the day, and properly wearing a mask covering both the nose and mouth throughout the session.


iClicker

I will be using iClicker to make our class time more engaging. This will help me understand what you know, give everyone a chance to participate, and increase how much you learn in class. This will also provide you with feedback on how well you are comprehending course concepts, and help you master challenging concepts.

You are required to participate with the iClicker student app on a smartphone, tablet or laptop in a timely fashion. It is also your responsibility to regularly check your iClicker records for any discrepancies.

You can use an existing iClicker account if you have one...please do not create a new account if you already have one. If you do not have an account yet, you can create a new iClicker account using the instructions here. There is a fee for using the iClicker service. Subscriptions can be purchased within the app.

Next, you can add our course per the instructions here. The course will be under "Biology" and named "BIOL-321 Genetics Osier".


Optional homework assignments

The below homework questions are not required, but may be reflective of some questions on quizzes and exams. With the exception of dates without assigned problems, for every completed homework assignment submitted on paper in handwriting before the start of the following class (e.g. Homework for Week 1 due Tuesday of Week 2), students will earn 1/2 bonus point toward their final grade. No late submissions will be accepted for bonus, but feedback will be given as soon as possible.

All numbers below are Concepts in Action problems from the end of the corresponding chapter. "2.1" corresponds to Chapter 2, first Concept in Action problem. All even numbered problems have answers in the back of the text. Problems from outside the textbook may also be indicated.

Week AssignedWeek DueAssignment
1 2 2.1, 2.2, 2.5, 2.16, 2.20; Search OMIM for a disease of interest to you...in no more than one-half page, describe what is known about the genetics of this human trait.
2 3 3.2, 3.8, 6.4, 6.6, 6.8, 6.10
3 4 2.18, 3.10, 3.12, 5.4, 5.6, 5.8, 8.2, 8.6, 8.8, 8.14, 8.20, 12.2, 12.6, 12.8, 12.12, 12.16
4 5 9.2, 9.16, 9.18
5 6 9.6, 7.10, 7.14, 7.18, 7.20
6 7 3.16, 3.18
7 N/A None
8 10 4.2, 4.6, 4.8, 4.10
9 N/A None
10 11 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, 2.21, 4.20 a & b, 5.12
11 12 14.2, 14.4, 14.6, 14.8, 14.10, 14.12
12 N/A None
13 14 Worksheet in myCourses
14 15 2.12, 2.14, 2.17, 4.13, 4.16, 4.20 (a and b), 15.2, 15.4, 15.10, 15.12, 15.20
15* 16* 2.3, 2.11, 2.15, 4.17, 9.13, 9.20, 12.9, 12.11, 14.9, 14.17, 2.13, 4.11, 4.14, 4.19, 9.15, 12.17, 14.11, 14.13, 14.15, 15.5
* Week 15 problems due before the final exam.

Quiz and Exam policy

No electronics except for a calculator. The calculator must not be a graphing or programmable calculator. No caps or hats.

Quizzes will be allowed ten minutes starting exactly at the start of class.

There will be one makeup for any exam or quiz, on a date and time to be determined by the instructor. Please email the instructor as soon as possible if you are unable to make an exam or quiz.


Links

Spreadsheets to practice with

Supporting information


COVID-19 Syllabus Addendum

We are all cognizant of the unique circumstances resulting from the worldwide COVID-19 SARS-2 pandemic. RIT has consulted federal, state, and local guidelines and policies to implement a safe, yet educational environment for students, staff, and faculty. These guidelines, located at http://www.rit.edu/ready/ are routinely updated as conditions change.

What do these mean for this class? As noted in the above syllabus, students are expected to be active participants in the course. I encourage your communication direclty to me about any special needs or concerns. Together we will learn in a safe and productive format.

For the duration of the semester, all in-person sessions (e.g. lecture and recitation) will require masks being properly worn to cover the mouth and nose. This will be a component of participation, above. Additionally, please observe social distancing. Students not properly wearing a mask or maintaining sufficient distancing will be asked to leave the room.

Tardiness to class or in submitting assignments/quizzes/exams due to non-compliance with Covid testing or other Institute requirements will not be excused.

COVID-19 policies will be adjusted as necessary and appropriate.


Contents last updated 4/25/22