BMB 251HMolecular and Cell Biology I

3 credits · Biochemistry and Molecular Biology · Penn State

Biomolecules, genetic mechanisms, organization of cells and their organelles, DNA replication, protein synthesis, membranes, the cell nucleus, energy conversion. BMB 251H Molecular and Cell Biology I (3) This course is an introduction to the fundamental principles of molecular and cellular biology, with a primary focus on eukaryotic cells. Topics covered will include elementary biochemistry; structure and function of biological macromolecules, the cell and its organelles; the role of biological membranes in bioenergetics and sub-cellular compartments. There will be a particular emphasis on the molecular mechanism of heredity; the organization and expression of genetic information; experimental methods used in the analysis of gene expression and the relationship between gene/protein structure and function.A key feature of the Honors course is the use of review papers and peer-reviewed journal articles as integral components of the course. The objectives of this component of the Honors course are to: 1) introduce students to the scientific method (the formulation of hypotheses based on observation and the processes underpinning the rigorous test of such hypotheses); and 2) provide the intellectual framework for a critical evaluation of the literature. Students are expected to engage in classroom discussion and will be evaluated by a combination of classroom presentations, multiple choice and short essay exams. Students are expected to develop a "big picture" view of how the various cellular processes are related to each other and also attain a thorough understanding of the molecular details of the individual processes (e.g. the order and molecular details of events leading from transcription to protein localization within a cell).