BI 231 - Introductory Molecular Cell Biology

Course Description: An introductory course in cell structure and function at the molecular level. Topics include: cell structure; the flow and transduction of mass, energy, and genetic information; genetic engineering; and regulation of cell growth. Prerequisites: BI 114, CH 108, and CH 108L .

Credit Hours: 3:0:3

Learning Outcomes: Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Describe the organization of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
• Describe the types of chemical bonds found in biological molecules.
• Describe the structure and function of biological macromolecules and their monomers.
• Describe how enzymes function.
• Describe how energy is captured using enzyme catalyzed reactions.
• Describe how energy is obtained from food.
• Describe protein structure and function.
• Describe the structure of DNA.
• Describe the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology.
• Describe how control of gene expression occurs in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
• Describe membrane structure and how it contributes to regulation of flow of materials into and out of the cell.
• Describe how proteins are routed in the cell.
• Describe how cells communicate with each other.
• Describe how cell cycle control is achieved.

Course Assessment: The teaching techniques utilized in this course include: traditional lectures by the instructor, in-class problem solving by the student, and completion of pertinent homework problems. The student's overall command of Molecular Cell Biology will be measured with 4 regular examinations over lecture material. The examinations will be composed of word problem solving, short answer and essay questions. The course website is an essential study aid and bulletin board. Some assignments will only be available by checking the website.

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