Download CRS 2109 INTRODUCTION TO GENETICS 2. INSTRUCTOR(s): Dr

CRS 2109 INTRODUCTION TO GENETICS
2. INSTRUCTOR(s):
Dr. Settumba Mukasa (BSc Agric, MUK, Uganda; MSc, UQ, Australia; PhD, SLU,
Sweden) (Senior Lecturer).
3. COURSE TYPE:
Core for: B.Sc. Horticulture I/ BSc HMN I/ BSc Agric II
Prerequisites: None
4. COURSE STRUCTURE:
2 Credit units: 15 lecture hours (1 contact hour per week for 15 study weeks) and 30 practical/ tutorial hours
(equivalent to 1 contact hour per week for 15 study weeks).
5. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Students undertaking this course will be introduced to concepts and applications of genetics in agriculture. Areas to
be covered include: Definition of genetics and role of genetics to humanity; Monohybrid inheritance; Dihybrid
inheritance; Extension of Mendelian analysis; Genome organisation; Genome variation; Gene mutations and their
implications in breeding; Cell division and development; Genetic linkage analysis and genetic maps; Gene structure
and expression; Concepts of population genetics; Concepts of quantitative genetics; Introduction to molecular
markers and their applications; and Recombinant DNA Technology in crop and animal breeding. This course puts an
emphasis on the principles of heredity, genetic problem solving, and their applications in animal and plant breeding.
6. COURSE OBJECTIVES:
General objective
 To equip students with theoretical and technical aspects of genetic analysis for use in classical and
molecular breeding and selection systems of crop plants and animals.
Specific objectives
 To provide students with principles and methods used in the study of genetics
 To enable students understand the current genetic topics and their influence on modern life
 To provide a foundation for more advanced studies in agricultural research
7. RECOMMENDED REFERENCES FOR READING
 Griffiths, A.J.F. et al., 2004. (Eds). Introduction to Genetic Analysis (7th. Edn). Freeman. ISBN-10:
0716749394
 Hartl, D.L. and Jones, B. 2007. (Eds.) Essential Genetics. Paperback. ISBN: 780763735272. Jones &
Bartlett Publishers, USA.
 Lewin B., 2004. (Ed) Genes VIII. Ed. Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN-10: 0131439812
 Website http://www.bilogylabonline.com
8. COURSE CONTENT, METHODS OF INSTRUCTION, AND TOOLS REQUIRED
TOPIC
CONTENT
METHOD OF
INSTRUCTION / Time
allocated
1. Introduction
Interactive lecture (1
 Definition of genetics
hr)
 Role of genetics to humanity
 History of genetics in plant and animal
Tutorial (2 hrs)
breeding
2. Monohybrid
Lecture (1 hr)
 Mendel’s monohybrid crosses.
inheritance
 Genes and alleles defined
TOOLS/
NEEDED
LCD Projector,
BB/Chalk.
LCD Projector,
BB/Chalk
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3. Dihybrid inheritance
4. Extension of
Mendelian analysis
5. Extension of
Mendelian analysis
6. Genome organisation
7. Genome variation
8. Gene mutations and
their importance
9. Cell division and
development
10. Genetic linkage
analysis
11. Concepts of
population genetics
12. Concepts of
quantitative genetics
13. Gene structure and
expression
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The law of segregation
Assignment 1: Probability as applied to
genetics
Mendelian dihybrid experiments
Law of independent assortment
Dihybrid test cross
Assignment 2: The punnet square
Intra-allelic interactions: incomplete and
co-dominance
Lethal genes, Pleiotropism
Penetrance and expressivity
Exercises: Mendelian inheritance
Multiple alleles
Sex linkage in plants and animals
Inter-allelic interactions: epistasis
Tutorial 1: The chi-square test
Definition of a genome
Examples of genomes
Chromosome structure
Tutorial 2: Karyotypes
Chromosome mutation
Aneuploidy and euploidy
Polyploidy and plant breeding
Excursion: Genetic variation
Gene mutations
Types and causes of mutations
Transposable elements
Practical 1: Mitosis
Mitosis and the cell cycle
Meiosis, gametogenesis
Contrast meiosis and mitosis
Sex determination and linkage
Practical 2: Meiosis
The concept of linkage
Recombination and gene linkage
Three-point test cross
Linkage maps and mapping
Tutorial 3: Recombination frequencies
Concept of a gene pool
The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
Evolutionary aspects
Practical 3: Random genetic drift
Quantitative traits
Genotype-phenotype relationship
Estimating genetic variance
Tutorial 4: Heritability estimate
Genes at a molecular level;
Transcription and Translation
Tutorial (2 hrs)
Lecture (1 hr)
BB/Chalk,
Transport (140
Practical -field tour (3 pple) to
hrs)
MUARIK.
Lecture (1 hr)
BB/Chalk,
Transport (140
Practical -field tour (3 pple) to
hrs)
MUARIK.
Lecture (1 hr)
Tutorial/exercises (1
hr)
Lecture (1 hr)
Practical - laboratory
(3 hrs)
Lecture (1 hrs)
Practical - laboratory
(2 hrs)
Lecture (1 hr)
Tutorial/exercises (2
hrs)
Lecture (1 hr)
Tutorial (2 hrs)
Lecture (1 hr)
Tutorial/exercises (2
hrs)
Lecture (1 hrs)
Practical - laboratory
(3 hrs)
Lecture (1 hr)
Tutorial/exercises (2
hrs)
Lecture (1 hr)
LCD Projector,
BB/Chalk
BB/Chalk,
Microscopes,
Laboratory (70
pple x 2)
BB/Chalk,
Microscopes
and accessories
LCD Projector,
BB/Chalk.
LCD Projector,
Lab (70 pple x
2)
LCD Projector,
BB/Chalk.
BB/Chalk,
Handouts,
Lab materials
(70 pple x 2)
LCD Projector,
BB/Chalk
LCD Projector,
BB/Chalk
14. Introduction to
molecular markers and
their application
15. Recombinant DNA
Technology
16-17
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Gene regulation in eukaryotes
Tutorial 5: Gene regulation
The basis of molecular makers
Types of molecular markers
Tutorial 6: Application of molecular
markers in breeding
Definition of gene cloning
Gene cloning procedure
Recombinant DNA technology
Assignment 4: Applications of
recombinant DNA to agriculture
Revision Time
Final Examination
Tutorial/exercises (1
hrs)
Lecture (1 hr)
Tutorial/exercises (1
hr)
Interactive lecture (1
hr)
LCD Projector,
BB/Chalk
Tutorial (1 hr)
9. SUMMARY OF TIME NEEDED:
Lectures
Tutorials (and assignments)
Practicals
10. COURSE ASSESSMENT:
Continuous assessment
(Quizzes tests):
Continuous assessment
(Practicals):
University Examination:
LCD Projector,
BB/Chalk
15 (30) hrs
15 hrs
15 hrs
Three (3) quizzes and tests arising from tutorials and
assignments during semester week 5, 10 and 15.
Students will write 3 practical reports
30%
Final examination during week 16-17 of the semester
60%
10%