Biology 522 Course Syllabus

Bacterial Genetics
Biology 522

Syllabus Spring 2009
This course will meet MWF at 9-10 am in Wilson Hall room 133. It is anticipated that the enrollment will be 5-10 students including undergraduates who did well in Biology 422 and graduate students. The class will be largely discussion with only occasional (and brief) lectures. There will be four reference books 1) C. J. Dorman, Genetics of Bacterial Virulence, Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1994 (QR175.D67 1994). This book while outdated includes a good survey of proteins associated with DNA and a helpful introduction to other topics. 2) Champness and Snyder, Molecular Genetics of Bacteria, ASM Press, 2003 (QH434 .S59 2003). This book is too elementary but it has good diagrams and will refresh your memory on many topics as well as provide coverage of some new topics. 3) D. White, The Physiology and Biochemistry of Prokaryotes, Oxford, 2007 (QR68 .W48 2007). This book will help with some topics such as protein secretion which we did not have time to consider in 422. 4) S. Baumberg, ed. Prokaryotic Gene Expression, Oxford, 1999 (QH 434 .P762 1999). This book contains a variety of useful review articles on gene expression in bacteria. Course topics will be studied primarily in papers from current journals and review articles. The material in the books will be used as an introduction or backup for various topics. In addition we will do some computer genome annotation and you will also build a simple evolutionary tree for a protein of your choice . . Tentative schedule
	DATE TOPIC Jan 12 Introduction Jan 14 General considerations about bacteria and their genetics Jan 16 The bacterial chromosome Jan 19 Holiday Jan 21 Paper: Luria and Delbruck Jan 23 Links between biochemistry and genetics Jan 26 Transcription and regulation of transcription Jan 28 Transcription and regulation of transcription Jan 30 Paper on transcription Feb 2 Protein secretion Feb 4 Protein secretion Feb 6 Regulation at the level of translation Feb 9 Rewrite of paper Feb 11 Plasmids, Conjugation, and Incompatibility Feb 13 Plasmids, Conjugation, and Incompatibility Feb 16 Papers on plasmids, conjugation, and incompatibility Feb 18 Papers on plasmids, conjugation, and incompatibility Feb 20 Regulation by small RNAs Feb 23 Regulation of genes involved in pathogenesis and other complex processes Feb 25 Regulation of genes involved in pathogenesis and other complex processes Feb 27 Regulation of genes involved in pathogenesis and other complex processes Mar 2 Biofilms Bob Bourret Mar 4 Biofilms Bob Bourret Mar 6 Biofilms Bob Bourret Spring break Mar 16 Sequence analysis Mar 18 Sequence analysis Mar 20 Sequence analysis Mar 23 Sequence analysis Mar 25 Sequence analysis Mar. 27 Sequence analysis Mar. 30 Sequence analysis Apr 1 Molecular genomics Apr 3 Molecular genomics Apr 6 Genome rearrangements Apr 8 Genome rearrangements Apr 10 Holiday Apr 13 Genome rearrangements Apr 15 Student presentations Apr 17 Student presentations Apr 20 Student presentations Apr 22 Regulatory networks Apr 24 Regulatory networks Apr 27 Summary May 4 8 AM Final Exam
*Each student will give a short presentation on a topic of his/her choice. The topic must be cleared with Dr. Matthysse by March 26. A trial run through of the presentation will be scheduled with Dr. Matthysse March 28 through April 8. The final presentation should incorporate the suggestions made during the trial presentation. Grades will be calculated as follows: class discussion and participation 40% (10% each month, you will receive a monthly report), computer work 20%, class presentation 20%, and final exam 20%.