Introduction to Molecular Biology

Life Sciences 3 (LS3)

Summer Session C, 2015
Instructor: Michelle Dragojlovic, PhD
e-mail: michelledragojlovic@gmail.com (please use this email only)
Office Hours: Friday 11:00am-1:00pm, Humanities A26: Weeks 1, 3, and 5
Wednesday 11:00am-1:00pm, Humanities A26: Weeks 2, 4, 6 (exam weeks)
Course Teaching Assistants:
Rekha Singh (rekha@ucla.edu)
Maurine Tong (askMaurine@gmail.com)
Lectures: MWF 9- 10:50am in Humanities A51
The lectures for this course will be divided into three major units:
Unit 1)
Background and Biochemistry: experiments leading to the discovery of
the genetic material; structure of DNA/RNA/proteins; genome structure
Unit 2)
Cellular Processes in Molecular Biology: DNA replication and repair;
transcription; RNA splicing; protein translation
Unit 3)
Regulation of gene expression
****
Techniques in molecular biology will be covered throughout the quarter,
intermixed with material from units 1, 2, and 3.
Lectures will be based on the reading listed in this syllabus. There may be additional examples
given in class that are not from the text, but are chosen to help in understanding different
concepts in the course. Lecture slides will be posted on the course website as complete packets
for units 1, 2, and 3 as well as for all of the techniques in molecular biology.
Required Text: Molecular Biology of the Gene (7th Edition)
Print: ISBN-10 0-321-76243-6, ISBN-13 978-0-321-76243-6
Authors: James D. Watson; Tania A. Baker; Stephen P. Bell; Alexander Gann; Michael Levine;
Richard Losick; Stephen C. Harrison
Publisher: Benjamin Cummings
Discussion Sections: Discussion sections are held twice a week and are approximately 75
minutes in duration. There will be 11 discussion sessions this quarter 2 per week except for
week 6, when there are no sessions on Monday September 7 or Tuesday September 8 in
observance of Labor Day. Attendance to discussion is mandatory. You may miss one session
without penalty, so you must attend 10 discussion sessions for full credit. The discussion section
attendance grade is worth 20 points (10 x 2 points per session) towards your final grade. You
must attend the discussion section in which you are enrolled. If under extenuating circumstances
you need to switch a section you must confirm it with your TA and the TA for the section you
will be attending. You may not simply show up to another section without arranging everything
ahead of time. If you have a recurring time conflict with your discussion section and have found
another student to exchange sections with, you have the option of posting a section switch slip
outside the LS Core Education Office.
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Discussion sections are run by your TAs and are your opportunity to ask questions about lecture
material that may seem unclear and to go over worksheets that have been assigned to help you
learn lecture material and study for the exams. Worksheets will be given on Monday/Tuesday
sessions during Weeks 1-5. You may work with a partner or in groups on your worksheets. Your
TA will collect the worksheets at the end of class and will review the worksheets in class on
Wednesday/Thursday of that week. Each worksheet will be worth 10 points. 6 points will be
given for completion of the worksheet and the other 4 points will be given for correctness of 2-3
questions that are chosen at random that week for grading.
Administrative issues: For all administrative issues, please contact:
Life Sciences Core Education Office
Hershey Hall, Room 222
310-825-6614
For enrollment questions, you may contact this office listed above by email
(lscore@lifesci.ucla.edu). If you miss a discussion section and have documentation for your
absence, you may contact Jen Weill (jweill@lifesci.ucla.edu) in the Life Sciences Core
Education Office. Verifiable documentation must be submitted within 7 days of the absence.
Accommodations: If you wish to request an accommodation due to a suspected or documented
disability, please inform your instructor and contact the Office for Students with Disabilities as
soon as possible at A255 Murphy Hall, (310) 825-1501, (310) 206-6083(telephone device for the
deaf). Website: www.osd.ucla.edu
Exams: You will have three exams this quarter. All three exams will be held during normal class
hours in Humanities A51. The first exam will be held on Friday August 14th at 9-10:50am, the
second exam will be held on Friday August 28th at 9-10:50am, and the third and final exam will
be held on Friday September 11th at 9-10:50am. All three exams will cover new material from
lecture, as specified in the syllabus and detailed during lecture. Exam 1 will cover material from
lectures on August 3, 5, 7, and 10. Exam 2 will cover new material from lectures on August 12,
17, 19, 21 and 24. Exam 3 will cover material from lectures on August 26 and 31, and September
2 and 4. As a general trend, Exam 1 will cover Unit 1 material, Exam 2 will cover most of the
Unit 2 material, and Exam 3 will cover the remainder of Unit 2 as well as Unit 3 material. The
first two exams will include multiple choice questions, fill-in-the-blank questions, and short
answer response questions. The third exam will contain multiple choice questions only.
No make-up exams will be given. If you fail to attend an exam on the scheduled date you will
receive a zero on the exam. Exceptions will only be given with verifiable documentation in the
case of a serious and compelling reason for a missed exam (e.g. serious illness). If you know that
you have a conflict with one of the three exam dates, you must contact Jen Weill
(jweill@lifesci.ucla.edu) in the Life Sciences Core Education Office by Friday, August 7.
Regrading policy: You will have a chance to review your exam, but you will not be able to keep
your exams. Any request for a regrade must be made in writing within one week of the exam
being reviewed by you. If you think there has been an error during the grading of your exam then
write a note explaining the error and page number, attach this to the front of the exam, and return
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to your TA during discussion. Please note that when exams are regraded, the entire exam is
reevaluated to look for errors.
Points Breakdown for the Course:
Exam 1:
Exam 2:
Exam 3:
Discussion Section attendance:
Worksheets:

130 Points
150 Points
150 Points
20 points (10 x 2 points)
50 points
Total Points for the Course: 500

Grading: During the quarter the best way to gauge your current grade in the course is to
compare your score with the following grading scale. At the end of the quarter grades will likely
be adjusted (only in your favor). The extent to which grades are adjusted will depend on the class
averages and grade distribution, such that the final grade distribution will be in line with LS Core
guidelines.
Grading Scale:
A = 92.0% and above
C+= 78.0-79.9 %
A- = 90.0-91.9 %
C = 70.0-77.9 %
B+ = 88.0-89.9 %
C- = 65.0-69.9 %
B = 82.0-87.9 %
D = 50.0-64.9 %
B- = 80.0-81.9 %
F = < 50.0 %

Course Outline
Date
Week 1
8/3-8/7

Lecture Topic
Readings
Exams
Introduction
Unit 1: Nucleic acids convey genetic information
Chapter 2
Unit 1: Structure of macromolecules:
Chapters 4, 5 and 6
DNA, RNA and Protein
Week 2
Unit 1: Genome structure
Chapter 8
8/10-8/14
Unit 2: DNA replication
Chapter 9
Exam 1
Fri 08/14
Exam 1
Week 3
Unit 2: DNA Mutation and Repair
Chapter 10
8/17-8/21
Unit 2: Mechanisms of Transcription
Chapter 13
Unit 2: RNA Splicing
Chapter 14
Week 4
Unit 2: Translation
Chapter 15
8/24-8/28
Unit 2: The Genetic Code
Chapter 16
Exam 2
Fri 08/28
Exam 2
Week 5
Unit 3: Prokaryotic Transcriptional Regulation
Chapter 18
8/31-9/4
Unit 3:Eukaryotic Transcriptional Regulation
Chapter 19
Unit 3: Regulatory RNAs
Chapter 20
Week 6
Monday, 9/7 Labor Day Holiday no class
9/7-9/11
Last Class (no new material)
Exam 3
Fri 09/11
Exam 3
*** Techniques in Molecular Biology from Chapter 7 will be covered in lecture throughout the quarter, intermixed with
material from units 1, 2, and 3.

Course Syllabus Subject to Update by the Instructor

UCLA Life Sciences Core Education

IMPORTANT NOTICES
Academic Integrity
With its status as a world-class research institution, it is critical that the University
uphold the highest standards of integrity both inside and outside the classroom. As a student
and member of the UCLA community, you are expected to demonstrate integrity in all of
your academic endeavors. Accordingly, when accusations of academic dishonesty occur, The
Office of the Dean of Students is charged with investigating and adjudicating suspected
violations. Academic dishonesty, includes, but is not limited to, cheating, fabrication,
plagiarism, multiple submissions or facilitating academic misconduct. Source: The Office of
the Dean of Students
Students are expected to be aware of the University policy on academic integrity in the
UCLA Student Conduct Code www.deanofstudents.ucla.edu
Please note sections on (1) cheating (2) plagiarism (3) unauthorized study aids
http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/dos/assets/documents/StudentGuide.pdf
Violation of course policy involving plagiarism, cheating or possession of course
materials during examination will be referred to the Dean of Students who will be
encouraged to take strong action. Do not cheat! The penalties can be very harsh. Do not
believe it if you hear that everyone does it. You generally do not hear about the
punishments because they are kept confidential. If you are found responsible by the Dean of
Students for violating course policy, cheating on any course materials, helping someone else
or being helped, a zero will be assigned for the entire assignment, and no exceptions will be
made! Past examples of penalties also include loss of an entire term of credit and suspension
for several terms. If you plan to apply to graduate or professional school, such a negative
mark on your record may be a major obstacle to admission.
Enrollment
If you are not enrolled in a course but would like to add, you should continue to monitor the
Schedule of Classes in case someone drops the course. If you have other enrollment
concerns, please go to the Life Sciences Core Office located in Hershey Hall, room 222,
where you can talk to the staff. Neither the Instructor nor the LS Core Office provides PTEs
to distribute.
Switching Sections
Switching sections are not allowed after the first week of course instruction. If you would
like to switch during the first week, you must find a student interested in switching sections
with you. Both students may make the switch official by going to the LS Core Office.
Attendance and participation are mandatory.
Required Documentation for Discussion/Midterm/Lab Absences
If you have missed a discussion section or exam, you may bring your documentation to the
LS Core Office once you are cleared to return to classes. Documentation must be submitted
within 7 days of your absence. For lab absences, please submit documentation to the LS Core
Labs prep room located in Young Hall, room 2344.
TN: 2/26/13

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