Faculty of Science

Department of Chemistry and Biology

Land Acknowledgement
Toronto is in the 'Dish With One Spoon Territory’. The Dish With One Spoon is a treaty between
the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee that bound them to share the territory and
protect the land. Subsequent Indigenous Nations and peoples, Europeans and all newcomers
have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship and respect.

BLG 307 Molecular Biology

Fall 2018

Instructor: Kim Gilbride

Dept. of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University
Office: KHN312
Tel: 416-979-5000, ext 6354
Office Hours: Posted on Office door
Email: [email protected]

Calendar Description:
This course emphasizes the fundamentals of molecular biology including gene structure and function,
regulation of transcription and translation, gene expression in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and
recombinant DNA technology including DNA mutagenesis, protein engineering and monoclonal antibody
technology.

Prerequisites:
BLG 151 and BCH 261 and BLG 400

Duration and Location:

Lecture: 3 hrs/week, Monday 9-11 am (DSQ09) and Tuesday 2-3 pm (TRS 1067)

Compulsory Textbook:
Lewin’s GENES XII, by J.E. Krebs, E.S. Goldstein and S.T. Kilpatrick, Jones and Bartlett Learning,
ISBN: 9781284104493

Learning Objectives:
This course will focus on underlying principles in molecular biology. At the end of this course, students:

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 1. Should be able to describe DNA, RNA and protein structure
2. Should be able to list and explain the various functions of DNA, RNA and protein in the cell
3. Should understand the chemical and physical properties involved in DNA/RNA/Protein
interactions and the consequences of mutations on these interactions
4. Should be able to discuss and interpret gene expression
5. Should understand the theory behind the methodologies used in molecular biology and
biotechnology and explain the importance of controls in experimentation
6. Should be able to design experiments to solve basic molecular biology questions
7. Should be able to apply their knowledge to real world problem where molecular biology
principles can be used

Course Evaluation:

3 Group tests (10% each) 30 %

1 Mid-term 25 %
1 Final exam 45 %
Total 100 %

COURSE SYNOPSIS for Lectures: Material covered during the lectures will be drawn from chapters listed
in the table from the required textbook. Not all chapters will be covered in the same detail and it is the
responsibility of each student to attend class and note which sections from each chapter are, or are not,
being covered. Tests and exam questions will be drawn from the overlap between material covered in
class and material in the textbook or in hand-outs. For some chapters, only an overview will be covered.

In-class quizzes, midterm test and final exam will contain an array of multiple-choice, short answer and
problem questions.

Grades for mid-term exams will be posted on D2L within 3 weeks of the examination date.

Grading requirements
Final grades will be determined using the performance designations for the Faculty of Science found in
the Ryerson University Undergraduate Program Calendar. To pass this course you have to get at least
50% of the total course marks.

Communication with Students:

Students are required to inform their instructors of any situation which arises during the
semester in a timely fashion which may have an adverse effect upon their academic performance, and
must request any considerations and accommodations according to the relevant policies and well in
advance. Failure to do so will jeopardize any academic appeals.

Ryerson’s email policy http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/senate/policies/pol157.pdf

states that only Ryerson email accounts are to be used for communication with students. All students,
including continuing education students, have access to Ryerson email through their my.ryerson.ca site,
and this is the official way in which they receive communication. All students are required to register for
and maintain this account. Emails sent from other accounts may not be answered!

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Missed Evaluations:
Students are required to inform their instructors of any situation which arises during the semester
which may have an adverse effect upon their academic performance, and must request any
considerations and accommodations according to the relevant policies and well in advance. Failure to
do so will jeopardize any academic appeals. If you are sick on the day of an evaluation you MUST inform
the instructor that same day by email to be considered for an accommodation.

● Medical certificates – If a student misses the deadline for submitting an assignment, or the
date of an exam or other evaluation component because of illness, he or she must submit a Ryerson
Student Medical Certificate AND an Academic Consideration form within 3 working days of the missed
date. Both documents are available at www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/medical.pdf . If you are a full time
or part time degree student, then you submit your forms to your own program department or school. If
you are a certificate or non-certificate student, then you submit your forms to the staff at the front desk
of the Chang School.

● Religious observance – If a student needs accommodation because of religious observance, he

or she must submit a Request for Accommodation of Student Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual
Observance AND an Academic Consideration form within the first 2 weeks of the class or, for a final
examination, within 2 weeks of the posting of the examination schedule. If the required absence occurs
within the first 2 weeks of classes, or the dates are not known well in advance as they are linked to
other conditions, these forms should be submitted with as much lead time as possible in advance of the
required absence. Both documents are available at
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/relobservforminstr.pdf. If you are a full time or part time degree
student, then you submit the forms to your own program department or school. If you are a certificate
or non-certificate student, then you submit the forms to the staff at the front desk of the Chang School.

● Academic Consideration - Students who need academic accommodation support should

register with the Academic Accommodation Support office (formerly called the Access Centre).
In the first 2 weeks of class, registered students should inform their instructors through an
“Accommodation Form for Professors” that they are registered with Academic Accommodation Support
and what accommodations are required.

Academic Policies:
a. Ryerson Policies of Interest
Ryerson Senate Policies - http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/
Ryerson Academic Integrity -
http://www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity/http://www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity/
Policy 46 - Undergraduate Grading, Promotion and Academic Standing
Policy 60 - Student Code of Academic
Conducthttp://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/senate/policies/pol60.pdf
Policy 61 - Student Code of Non-academic
Conducthttp://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/senate/policies/pol61.pdf
Policy 134 - Undergraduate Academic Consideration and Appeals
Policy 135 - Examination Policy
Policy 150 - Accommodation of Student Religious Observance Obligations
Policy 157 - Student Email Accounts for Official University Communication

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b. Obligations – Students need to inform faculty of any situation arising during the semester which
may have an adverse effect upon their academic performance; they must request any necessary
considerations (e.g. medical or compassionate), or accommodations [e.g. religious observance,
disability (should be registered with the Access Center), etc.] according to policies and well in
advance. Failure to do so will jeopardize any academic appeals.

c. Re-grading and Re-calculation – Must be requested within 10 working days of the return of the
graded assignment to the class.

Academic Conduct:
http://www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity/
In order to create an environment conducive to learning and respectful of others’ rights, phones and
pagers must be silenced during lectures, lab sessions and evaluations.
Students should refrain from disrupting the lectures by arriving late and/or leaving the classroom before
the lecture is finished.

Academic Misconduct:
According to the Ryerson policy 60 (http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/senate/policies/pol60.pdf ),
academic misconduct includes, but not limited to:
▪ Plagiarism which is the claiming of words, ideas, artistry, drawings or data of another person.
This also includes submitting your own work in whole or in part for credit in two or more courses.
▪ Cheating
▪ Misrepresentation of personal identity or performance
▪ Submission of false information
▪ Contributing to academic misconduct
▪ Damaging, tampering, or interfering with the scholarly environment
▪ Unauthorized copying or use of copyrighted materials
▪ Violations of departmental policies or professional behavior
▪ Violations of specific departmental or course requirements
Committing academic misconduct will trigger academic penalties, including failing grades, suspension
and possibly expulsion from the University. As a Ryerson student, you are responsible for familiarizing
yourself with Ryerson conduct policies.

Non Academic Conduct:

http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/senate/policies/pol61.pdf
Among many other infractions, the code specifically refers to the following as a violation: “Disruption of
Learning and Teaching - Students shall not behave in disruptive ways that obstruct the learning and
teaching environment”.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

In this course I would like to create a learning environment that supports a diversity of thoughts,
perspectives and experiences, and honors your identities (including race, gender, class, sexuality,
religion, ability, etc.) For more information about our University’s resources and services on Equity,
Diversity, and Inclusion please visit https://www.ryerson.ca/equity

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 Course Schedule

Week Dates Subject Chapters

1 Sept 3 Course outline – What is Molecular Biology? 1
The central dogma
2 Sept 9/10 Mutations as a means to alter genetic 1/3
information/the gene

3 Sept 16 The genome 4

3 Sept 17 Intro to methods 2

4 Sept 23 Methods to study molecular biology 2

4 Sept 24 1st group test (chp 1-4) 1-4

5 Sept 30/ Prokaryotic transcription 17

Oct 1
6 Oct 7 Eukaryotic transcription 18
6 Oct 8 RNA splicing 19
7 Oct 14/18 Reading week
8 Oct 21 Mid-term 1,2,3,4,17,18

8 Oct 22 Translation 22

9 Oct 28/29 Genetic code and Gene expression 23

10 Nov 4 Gene expression in bacteria 24
10 Nov 5 2nd group test 19, 22, 23

11 Nov 11/12 Gene expression in phage 25

12 Nov 18/19 Phage regulation 25

13 Nov 25 Gene regulation in eukaryotes 26
13 Nov 25 3rd group test 24,25,26
13 Nov 26 sry gene -
14 Dec 2 Epigenetics -
14/15 TBA Final exam All chapters listed +
any additional
information talked
about in class