Badge Overview

Gene Structure and Function  Gene Structure and Function

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Gene Structure and Function

Gene Structure and Function

Issued by Hood College

Badge Description

The Gene Structure and Function badge offers a study of the structure and activity of genetic material at the molecular level. Learners examine topics including DNA structure and replication, gene expression (transcription and translation) and gene regulation. Although the course deals mainly with bacterial genetics, learners will cover eukaryotic systems where appropriate. Learners also apply their knowledge of molecular genetics and molecular biology to real-life biological problems via an introduction to synthetic biology. Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary field that involves molecular genetics and engineering principles to alter or design living organisms using a library of standardized genetic parts. The aim is to design synthetic organisms to solve complex problems, such as increasing crop yields while reducing pollution from fertilizer runoff or detecting pollutants and explosives under field conditions.

Skills Recombinant DNA Molecular genetics Molecular biology Analytical Engineering Approach Communication

Badge Criteria

This INTERMEDIATE level badge is equivalent to a 3-credit, master's-level course. Earning a grade of B or better is required for this badge.

1. Explain the functional concept of a gene and explain how molecules in cells determine their behavior. 2. Explain how DNA is replicated and transcribed into RNA. 3. Explain how RNA is translated into proteins and how the nucleotide sequence of protein-coding messages determines protein structure. 4. Describe how fidelity is preserved during DNA replication, RNA transcription and protein translation. 5. Explain how gene expression is regulated at the level of individual genes and at the level of pathways that include a small number of genes. 6. Explain how and why gene expression patterns change in response to environmental change and how such changes bring about growth and development. 7. Understand how interactions between genes can be conceptualized as circuits with defined inputs and outputs. 8. Explain why cells invest so heavily in DNA repair and what repair involves. 9. Design experiments to investigate questions in molecular genetics and interpret their results.

Aligned Outcomes