Syllabus for Summer 2017

MCB 150: The Molecular & Cellular Basis of Life

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Course Description

MCB 150 is an introductory course focusing on molecular and cellular biology of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The course focuses on the basic structure, metabolic and molecular processes common to all cells. In addition, the course emphasizes unique aspects that differentiate broad sub-groups of organisms, and discusses how cells are integrated into tissues and organs in multicellular organisms. This course is half of the two-semester sequence in Biological Sciences for majors and non-majors.

Course Objectives

Upon completing this course, students will be able to:

  • Describe the basic structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
  • Explain how living organisms obtain energy from food and use that energy to sustain cellular metabolism.
  • Describe how genetic information is expressed and copied.
  • Identify the structure and function of eukaryotic organelles and macromolecular structures.
  • Explain the need for, and various mechanisms of, genetic regulation.
  • Understand the basics of viral replicative cycles.

Course Structure

This is a 4–credit hour course. The course is 8 weeks long; it consists of 8 content modules. Please be aware that this course is accelerated in nature; 16 weeks’ worth of content will be covered in an 8-week time span. You should dedicate approximately 12–16 hours per week to working on the course itself, but actual time commitments will vary depending on your input, needs, and personal study habits. You are required to log on to the course website a minimum of 4 days per week but as discussions develop, you will probably need to do so more frequently.

This course is designed with the principles of collaborative learning, constructivism, and active participation in mind. You are encouraged to share your thoughts and engage in problem-solving. The course has a consistent and predictable structure, organized around the modules, with a course website that is straightforward and easy to navigate. Instructions and due dates for activities and assignments are clearly articulated within our course management system (LON-CAPA) so that you know what is expected of you and will be able to easily stay on track.

We realize that you have a life beyond the scope of this course. However, if you are unable to complete an assignment because of professional obligations, you should notify the instructor or, better yet, prepare the assignment ahead of time and complete it early. This will give your classmates a head start in reading and responding to your work. Most assignments are due by 11:59 PM of their respective due dates as listed on the course calendar, giving you and your classmates time to read and comment on each other’s work before the next module begins.

Assigned readings and responses to discussion questions should be read and submitted during the module for which they are assigned in order to get the most benefit from the discussions. At the end of each content module, participants will have an opportunity to make sure that they have completed all the required activities and assignments.

Required Textbooks

These resources are purchased individually as e-Books, and are best purchased directly from the two publishing companies. Print versions of the texts are available in a variety of formats, but will not be officially supported and questions about them will likely go unanswered. The e-Books are the required resources for the online version of MCB 150 during the Summer 2017 term. A more thorough description of these resources and how to obtain them is available elsewhere on this site.

Course Outline

Week 1

  • Course Introduction and Domains of Life
  • General Features of Prokaryotes & Eukaryotes
  • Polysaccharide Structure and Function
  • Proteins I: Structure and Folding
  • Proteins II: Folding continued and Enzymes
  • Proteins III: Enzymes and Enzyme Inhibition

Week 2

  • Nucleic Acids
  • Lipids and Biomembranes
  • Metabolism:
    • ATP and cofactors
    • Glycolysis
    • Krebs cycle
    • Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation

Week 3

  • DNA:
    • History and structure of DNA
    • Denaturation
    • Chromatin organization
    • DNA replication

Week 4

  • RNA:
    • Transcription
    • RNA processing
  • Translation:
    • Types of RNA
    • Structure of ribosomes
    • Steps in translation

Week 5

  • Mutations
  • Functional Domains of the Nucleus
  • Nuclear Import/Export
  • Mitochondria

Week 6

  • Endoplasmic Reticulum
  • Golgi Apparatus
  • Lysosomes/Endosomes

Week 7

  • Cytoskeleton: Actin and Myosin
  • Cytoskeleton: Microtubules
  • Cell Cycle and Events of M-phase

Week 8

  • Genetic Regulation: The Lactose Operon
  • Mobile Genetic Elements: Plasmids & Viruses
  • Fundamentals of Genetic Engineering

Course Activities

Grading Scale

Grade Points Percent
A+ 736–800 92.0–100.0
A 704–735 88.0–91.9
A– 672–703 84.0–87.9
B+ 640–671 80.0–83.9
B 608–639 76.0–79.9
B– 576–607 72.0–75.9
C+ 544–575 68.0–71.9
C 512–543 64.0–71.9
C– 480–511 60.0–63.9
D+ 448–479 56.0–59.9
D 416–447 52.0–55.9
D– 384–415 48.0–51.9
F 0–383 0–47.9

Point Distributions

Assignments Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Total points per assignment Relative weight
Topical Quizzes 27 27 27 27 27 27 27 16 205 25.625%
Exams 175 175 175 525 65.625%
Discussions 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 70 8.75%
Total points for the week 37 37 37 212 37 37 212 191 800

Week Overview

Each week will begin with the week overview, explain what the module is about, what learning goals you are expected to achieve, how long the module will take, and in what activities you will participate. Each module is designed with the same structure and activities unless otherwise specified. The module activities are explained in greater detail below. You can find the due dates of specific assignments in the course calendar.

Online Lectures

Each week, your instructor will share with you his summary and explanation of the most important ideas you should take away from the week. These online lectures will contain content typically delivered in a classroom setting. Each page of the lecture has audio or video along with several high quality images to help describe the topic. These online lectures offer the following advantages:

  • Interspersed within the lecture pages are practice problems or “Concept Questions” to help you identify how well you understand the material.
  • You can go back and review any page as many times as necessary before advancing on to the next topic.
  • You can review any page at any time to help study for an exam.
  • Each page of the lecture has a discussion forum attached to it, so you can discuss with peers and the instructor specifically about that page.

Note that the Concept Questions are not worth any points. While technically optional, these free response questions are highly recommended. If a student is unable to answer a concept question, it is a good indication that more time with the lesson and/or readings is in order. Additionally, at the end of the term, any student within 2% of the next highest grade level (16 points out of 800 total) who has successfully completed 80% or more of the Concept Questions will be bumped up to that next grade level.

Topical Quizzes

Following each topic’s lecture pages, there is a topical quiz where you can apply what you learned in the lecture and in the relevant readings.

Exams

This course will employ three exams. The two mid-term exams will be non-cumulative, and each cover approximately three weeks of course content. The final exam will be weighted such that approximately 50% of the questions will focus on the content from the final week and a half of the course, while the other 50% will be cumulative from the previous six weeks. Exams will be taken online by all students at the same time on their respective dates, and can be taken on campus or remotely via a paid proctored service called ProctorU. Additional information regarding the delivery of exams will be provided as the term progresses.