BIO 245:  Principles of Genetics 
 
Course description 
BIO 245. PRINCIPLES OF GENETICS. An overview of the principles of plant 
and animal genetics including Mendelian and modern concepts of heredity. 
Developments in molecular genetics will be addressed through the chemistry 
and physiology of the gene and the nature of gene action in prokaryotic and 
eukaryotic cells. Three 50-minute lectures per week and 3 hours of laboratory 
per week. Prerequisites: BIO 141-142 and two semesters of college 
mathematics (MAT 142, MAT 143 or higher level) or equivalent. Offered in fall 
semesters on the St. Thomas campus only. 
 
Goals & Objectives 
- 
Goal #1: To learn and apply concepts of modern transmission and molecular 
genetics.  
o Objective 1A: To identify and describe the process and purposes of 
the cell cycle, meiosis, and mitosis, as well as predict the outcomes of 
these processes. 
o Objective 1B: To solve transmission genetics problems, make 
accurate predictions about inheritance of genetic traits, and map the 
locations of genes. 
o Objective 1C: To identify the parts, structure, and dimensions of DNA 
molecules, RNA molecules, and chromosomes, and be able to 
categorize DNA as well as describe how DNA is stored. 
o Objective 1D: To accurately diagram and describe the processes of 
replication, transcription, translation, as well as predict the outcomes 
of these processes. 
o Objective 1E: To describe what causes and consequences of DNA 
sequence changes and how cells prevent these changes, as well as 
make predictions about the causes and effects of changes in DNA. 
o Objective 1F: To describe the processes of gene regulation and 
predict how a gene will be expressed under specific circumstances. 
- 
Goal #2: To learn and practice common genetics laboratory and field 
techniques. 
o Objective 2A: To describe applications and techniques of modern 
genetic technology, as well as select the correct techniques to solve 
practical genetic problems. 
o Objective 2B: To carry out genetics laboratory and field research 
techniques. 
o Objective 2C: To describe experimental results in written format both 
informally and in formal manuscript format. 
 
Topics covered 
- 
Inheritance 
o Mitosis & meiosis 
o Mendelian genetics 
o Genetics of sex 
o Extensions of Mendelian genetics 
- 
Molecular genetics 
o DNA structure 
o DNA replication 
o DNA transcription  
o RNA translation 
o Genes & proteins 
- 
Gene mapping 
 
 
o Linkage & eukaryotic gene mapping 
o Bacterial gene mapping 
- 
Biotechnology 
- 
Genomics 
- 
Gene regulation (prokaryotic & eukarotic) 
- 
Mutation 
o Mechanisms & repair 
o Chromosomal mutations 
o Cancer 
- 
Transposable elements 
- 
Population genetics