Developmental biology is one of the most exciting and rapidly progressing areas of biology. Many researchers combine the study of "model" organisms with the use of genetic, cellular and molecular methods to identify and analyze key genes controlling development. This course examines what we know about the molecular-genetic basis of development in eukaryotic organisms. It surveys the use of model organisms, such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana, and the use of mutants, gene cloning and gene engineering to explore how genes, proteins and cells interact in the development of animal and plant bodies.

Fall Term 2010

Lectures: Tuesday 8:15; Wednesday 10:15; Friday 9:15

Labs: Thursday at 2:15

Instructor: Moira Galway, Room 418, JBB, tel. 3841

Textbook: Principles of Development, 3rd ed., by L Wolpert, R Beddington, T Jessell, P Lawrence and E Meyerowitz, J Smith. Published by Oxford University Press, Oxford UK, 2007.

Note on Textbook: Please do not use the 2nd edition. There are considerable differences between the 2nd and 3rd editions. Please note that Cory Bishop encourages the use of this textbook in his course Biology 335/Developmental Biology.

Marking Scheme (tentative):

Midterm Test

20%

Research Paper  Presentation

10%

Research Reports (2)

2 X 15%

Final Exam

40%

Lecture Topics:

September: Developmental biology: problems and approaches and basic concepts. The use of model organisms. Arabidopsis, Drosophila and Xenopus: life cycles, embryogenesis and postembryonic development.

October: Eukaryotic genes, transgenes and reporter genes. Transcription factors and gene regulation in development. Manipulating and detecting gene expression.   

November: GL2 and postembryonic development of epidermal cells in Arabidopsis. Antp, embryonic development and appendage formation in Drosophila. Genes, evolution, and development.

Laboratory Schedule:

At present, the laboratory component consists of overlapping projects of more than one week in length, based on two model organisms and selected mutants, as listed below:

I

Arabidopsis Development, and the Role of Glabra2 (GL2)

II

Drosophila Development, and the Role of Antennapedia (Antp)

Research Papers, Useful Information and Experimental Data will be posted here.

 Some Development and Molecular Biology on the Web:

The Arabidopsis Information Resource : for all things arabidopsis

FlyBase: covers all aspects of fruit fly genetics and molecular biology

 

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