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Molecular Biology (LC3)

This Program is a complete laboratory course for teaching molecular biology at the advanced college level. The program is designed for up to 16 students working in pairs and provides essentially all of the chemicals and instructions that are needed to teach seventeen 2-3 hour laboratory sessions. The course consists of experiments carefully selected from Standard Programs 3, 4, and 5 that are presented in a comprehensive integrated laboratory manual. The Table of Contents of the manual and the catalog numbers of the experiments provided with the program are shown below. To use this program, you will need an Accessory Kit, the appropriate electrophoresis equipment, a water bath for DNA hybridization, and a centrifuge that can be operated at a force of at least 3,000 x g. A bacterial shaker is also strongly recommended. The price of the course is about $39 per student per semester if these items are available in your teaching laboratory.

This laboratory course is intended to give students a solid foundation in the molecular biology of DNA and to provide hands-on-experience with the genetic techniques that form the basis of the biotechnology industry. In the first section of the course, students use electrophoresis and restriction nuclease mapping to explore important features of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. DNA hybridization techniques are used in the second segment of the course where students study molecular evolution at the DNA level and examine a specific sequence in the eukaryotic genome. In the final section, students prepare and characterize a library of recombinant plasmids where they receive an appreciation and a detailed understanding of a variety of state-of-the-art DNA cloning techniques.

Features

  • Suitability - Molecular Biology or Molecular Genetics for juniors and seniors.
  • Lab Schedule - One 3 hour lab session per week for a full semester.
  • Cost - $39 per student per semester excluding costs of manuals and equipment.

The experiments that comprise this course were selected from three Programs:

EXP-301 301. The Length of DNA Molecules (View Individual Experiment)

Electrophoresis in agarose gels is the most common method used for determining the size of DNA molecules. In this introductory exercise, students determine the length of an unknown DNA molecule by comparing its electrophoretic mobility with six DNA molecules of known size as shown.

EXP-302 302. Restriction Nuclease Mapping of DNA (View Individual Experiment)

Bacteriophage lambda is a DNA virus that attacks E. coli. Here, students dissect lambda DNA using the restriction endonucleases EcoR1 and BamH1 in order to identify specific sites, sequences, and structures along the phage genome. This single exercise enables students to explore a number of exciting topics in molecular biology, including the specificity of restriction endonucleases, DNA mapping strategies, complementary base-pairing of DNA, and the structure of a viral genome.

DNA STAINING PROCEDURE

EXP-303 303. Plasmid DNA Structure (View Individual Experiment)

Plasmids are small circular DNA molecules found in most bacteria. A plasmid can exist in different structural states and these states can be distinguished by their migration on agarose gels. In this experiment, students study these structures using enzymes and electrophoresis and show that the structures are interconvertible. This exercise provides an introduction to higher-order DNA structure which is thought to be important in the control of transcription and replication in bacteria and, perhaps, in higher organisms as well.

EXP-306 306. The Nucleosome Structure of Chromatin (View Individual Experiment)

The primary level of chromosome structure in eukaryotes occurs when the DNA molecule is wrapped around histone proteins into particles called nucleosomes. Evidence for this "beads on a string" model is derived from nuclease digestion studies. When nuclei are incubated with micrococcal nuclease, the enzyme cleaves the linker DNA between nucleosomes (the string) but not the nucleosomal core DNA (the beads).

EXP-401 401. Evolution of the Vertebrate Genome (View Individual Experiment)

The history of evolution is recorded in the genomes of present-day organisms and enlightened guesses of evolutionary events can be made by comparing DNA sequences in different species. Evidence drawn from this approach has led to the construction of family trees of organisms that agree remarkably well with those obtained from more traditional procedures. In fact, on a number of occasions, comparative DNA sequence analysis has been used to clarify and expand on phylogenetic relationships that were derived from classical studies.

EXP-403 403. Detecting a Specific Sequence in the Mammalian Genome (View Individual Experiment)

Southern hybridization analysis can now be used for tracing defective genes in human DNA including those involved in Huntington’s disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and Cystic Fibrosis. This application is becoming increasingly important for diagnosing these diseases in members of afflicted families and it seems likely that the method will be used to detect additional abnormal and even normal human genetic traits in the near future. In this exercise students perform Southern hybridization analysis in order to characterize a specific sequence in mammalian DNA.

S5 Genetic Engineering (View Individual Experiment)

Recombinant DNA techniques played a central role in the recent emergence of biology into the golden age. This program enables the advanced student to approach these frontiers in biotechnology. The program provides a challenging series of seven 3-hour laboratory sessions which are intended to give students hands-on-experience and a detailed understanding of these new investigative techniques and their potentials.

Prices

Catalog # Price Description
LC3 860.82

The Chemical Package for 16 students working in pairs plus 17 student manuals and one instructor manual.
LC3-C 633.59

The Chemical Package for 16 students working in pairs plus one student manual and one instructor manual (The student manual may be reproduced for educational purposes.)
LC3-SM 20.57

Sample Student Manual (118 pages) plus one instructor manual.
LC3-X 133.14

Nine student manuals plus one instructor manual.