GDIC3013K Genetics Experiments

Academic Year 2023/2024

Genetics Experiments is designed for Stage 3 Students who are undertaking dual undergraduate degree programmes at Guangzhou-Dublin International College. This experimental course mainly sets up the basic experimental methods of genetics and the contents of the verification of basic laws, we also combined the experimental techniques of gene engineering, so that students can master and understand the basic theories and knowledge of modern genetics, experimental operation and analysis of experimental results.

Genetics is an experimental discipline. Every step of its development is based on experiments. Therefore, experimental teaching is a very important part. The total course hour for the lab is 48. And the experimental contents will related to the contents of the theoretical course, mainly including: Mitosis and meiosis, Mendelian genetics and modification of Mendelian ratios, Sex determination and sex chromosomes, Linkage and chromosome mapping in eukaryotes, Chromosome mutations: variation in number and arrangement, Gene mutation, Population genetics, Recombinant DNA Technology.

Except team experiment, each student operates independently, understands the purpose and principles of experiments, and correctly grasps the basic methods and skills of genetic experiments. Each experiment should be carefully prepared before the experiment, and the experiment reports should be completed after the experiment. In an open-ended team experiment, students in each class will be divided into several groups with 4-6 members, and each group need to investigate the inheritance pattern of the interested trait to verify at least one genetic law such as Law of segregation, Law of independent assortment, sex-linked inheritance, gene mapping of three linked genes, as well as gene interaction (modification of Mendelian ratios) using the five strains of fruit fly. Learn to take care of all the experimental procedures by themselves till the F2 generation at their non-class time. A group report needs to be submitted at the end of the class.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

• prepare the specimens of onion roots and maize tassels with which students can visualize all the stages of the mitosis and meiosis for better understand the process and stages of cell division.
• observe and analyze the effects of chemical mutagenesis on cell morphology and chromosome structure by prepare the specimens of onion roots treated with colchicines.
• observe the different traits for each fruit fly strain, and distinguish male and female flies, as well as their life cycle including egg, larva, pupa.
• feed fruit flies and set up genetic crosses of fruit flies exhibiting different phenotypes to investigate different genetic laws in an open-ended team experiment. Take care of all the experimental procedures till the F2 generation at their non-class time.
• perform data analysis for the cross data, use the chi-square test along with the phenotypic observation for F1 and F2 generation to analyze the inherited pattern of the trait.
• understand the phenotypes and genotypes of some human appearance trait controlled by a single pair of genes, set up a questionnaire survey to investigation and analyze the observed and expected ratios of the alleles and genotypes based on the Hardy-Weinberg formula.
• isolate plasmid DNA from E. coli strain containing pBluscript-SK plasmid and genomic DNA from rice leaves, and check the quality and quantity by running an agarose gel and using spectrophotometer.
• digest the plasmid using restriction enzymes, and prepare DNA fragment from agarose gel using a certain kit, and set a ligation reaction for the digested plasmid and DNA fragment.
• prepare the competent cells of E. coli, and transform the competent cells using the ligation product.
• screen the recombinants by PCR and other methods.
• write well-structured experimental reports, and present the research clearly.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

0
Total

0
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures, lab, field trips, group works, student presentations. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Examination: Final Examination Unspecified No Graded No

100

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Not yet recorded
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 

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