Syllabus for M.Sc entrance

We offer 3 modules for MSc entrance exams
conducted by DU, JNU, TIFR IIT-JAM etc

SYLLABUS

Module 1: GENETICS/INHERITANCE BIOLOGY 

Syllabus is based on the following courses offered by Delhi University 
Bsc ZOO (H): Paper 20-GGHP 501: GENETICS AND GENOMICS-I, Paper 24 GGHT 602: GENETICS AND GENOMICS II
BSc Botany  (H): Paper 20-GGHT 501: GENETICS AND GENOMICS-I

Unit 1: Introduction to Genetics
Mendel’s work on transmission of traits, Genetic Variation, Molecular basis of Genetic Information.
Unit 2: Mitosis and Meiosis
Interrelation between the cell structure and the genetics function, Mitosis, Meiosis (explaining Mendel’s ratios).
Unit 3: Mendelian Genetics and its Extension
Principles of Inheritance, Chromosome theory of inheritance, Laws of Probability, Pedigree analysis, Incomplete dominance and codominance, Multiple alleles, Lethal alleles, Epistasis, Pleiotropy, Environmental effects on phenotypic expression, sex linked inheritance.
Unit 4: Linkage, Crossing Over and Chromosomal Mapping
Linkage and crossing over, complete & incomplete linkage, bridges experiment, coupling & repulsion,Cytological basis of crossing over, Molecular mechanism of crossing over, Recombination frequency as a measure of linkage intensity, two factor and three factor crosses, Interference and coincidence , rossing over: concept and significance, cytological proof of crossing over.
Somatic cell genetics – an alternative approach to gene mapping.
Unit 5: Mutations
Chromosomal Mutations: Deletion, Duplication, Inversion, Translocation, Aneuploidy and Polyploidy; Gene mutations: Induced versus Spontaneous mutations, Back versus Suppressor mutations, Molecular basis of Mutations in relation to UV light and chemical mutagens, Detection of mutations: CLB method, Attached X method, DNA repair mechanisms.
Unit 6: Sex Determination
Chromosomal mechanisms, Environmental factors effecting sex determination, Barr bodies, Dosage compensation.
Unit 7: Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Chloroplast mutation/Variegation in Four o’ clock plant and Chlymodomonas, Mitochondrial mutations in Neurospora and yeast, Maternal effects, Infective heredity- Kappa particles in Paramecium.
Unit 8: Quantitative Genetics
Quantitative and multifactor inheritance, Transgressive variations, Heterosis.
Unit 9: Genetic Analysis and Mapping in Bacteria and Bacteriophages
Conjugation; Transformation; Transduction, Recombination.
Unit 10: Genome Dynamics-Transposable genetic elements, Eukaryotic Viruses
Prokaryotic transposable elements- IS elements, Composite transposons, Tn-3 elements; Eukaryotic transposable elements- Ac-Ds system in maize and P elements in Drosophila; Uses of transposons; Eukaryotic Viruses.
Unit 11: Population Genetics
Allele frequencies, Genotype frequencies, Hardy-Weinberg Law, role of natural selection, mutation, genetic drift.
Unit 12: Chromosomal Aberrations
Numerical chromosomal changes: Euploidy, Polyploidy and Aneuploidy, Structural chromosomal changes: Deletions, Duplications, Inversions & Translocations
Unit 13: Developmental Genetics and Model System
Study of model systems in developmental genetics- Drosophila melanogaster Sachharomyces cerevisiae, Caenorhabditis elegans, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Xenopus laevis.
Unit 14. Genomic Analysis- Dissection of Gene Function
Genetic analysis using mutations, forward genetics, genomics, reverse genetics, RNAi, functional genomics and system biology.
Unit 15. Evolutionary Genetics
Genetic variation and Speciation.


 MODULE 2: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Syllabus is based on the following courses offered by Delhi University 
Bsc ZOO (H): Paper 12-MBHT 301: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY-I  andPaper 16-MBHP 402: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY-II
Bsc BOT (H): Paper 12-MBHT 301: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY-I

Unit 1: Genetic material
DNA: Miescher to Watson and Crick- historic perspective, Griffith’s and Avery’s transformation experiments, Hershey-Chase bacteriophage experiment,
Unit 2: The Structures of DNA and RNA / Genetic Material
DNA structure, types of DNA, types of genetic material.  Denaturation and renaturation, cot curves. DNA topology-linking number, topoisomerases;  Organization of DNA- Prokaryotes, Viruses, Eukaryotes. RNA Structure, Organelle DNA -- mitochondria and chloroplast DNA.
Unit 3: Genome Structure, Chromatin and the Nucleosome
Genome Sequence and Chromosome Diversity, Chromosome Duplication and Segregation, The Nucleosome, Chromatin structure- Euchromatin, Heterochromatin- Constitutive and Facultative heterochromatin. Regulation of Chromatin Structure and Nucleosome Assembly. Organization of Chromosomes
Unit 4: The Replication of DNA (Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes)
Chemistry of DNA synthesis, general principles - bidirectional replication, Semi- conservative, Semi discontinuous, RNA priming, Various models of DNA replication including rolling circle, D-loop (mitochondrial), Ө (theta) mode of replication, replication of linear ds-DNA, replicating the 5’end of linear chromosome. Enzyme involved in DNA replication – DNA polymerases, DNA ligase, Primase, Telomerase and other accessory proteins
Unit 5: The Mutability and Repair of DNA 
Replication Errors, DNA Damage and their repair.
Unit 6: Transcription (Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes)
Types of structures of RNA (mRNA, tRNA, rRNA), RNA polymerases in prokaryotes and eukaryotes,  Initiation, elongation and termination of RNA chains in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Unit 7: RNA processing
Split genes, concept of introns and exons, removal of Introns, spliceosome machinery, splicing pathways, alternative splicing, exon shuffling, RNA editing, and mRNA transport
Unit 8: Translation in Prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Features of genetic code and deciphering, universality of genetic code and exceptions in some systems. Assembly line of polypeptide synthesis - ribosome structure and assembly, various steps in protein synthesis. Charging of tRNA, aminoacyl tRNA synthetases. Proteins involved in initiation, elongation and termination of polypeptides. Fidelity of translation. Inhibitors of protein synthesis.
Unit 9: Regulation of translation
Translation-dependent regulation of mRNA and Protein Stability
Unit 10:  Regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes and phages
Principles of transcriptional regulation, regulation at initiation with examples from lac and trp operons
Unit 11: Transcription Regulation in Eukaryotes
Conserved mechanism of regulation, Eukaryotic activators,  transcriptional repressors, signal transduction and control of transcriptional regulator, Gene silencing
Unit 12: Regulatory RNAs
Riboswitches, RNA interference, miRNA, siRNA, Regulatory RNA and X-inactivation



MODULE 3: RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNIQUES AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 

Syllabus is based on the following courses offered by Delhi University 
Bsc ZOO (H): Paper 22-ZOHT 611: BIOTECHNOLOGY
Bsc BOT (H): Paper 23-BTHT 612: PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY

Unit 1:  Molecular Techniques in Gene manipulation
Introduction to the concept of Recombinant DNA Technology, DNA cloning. Steps in cloning a gene. 
Unit 2:  Enzymes in genetic engineering
Restriction and modifying enzymes, (history, type and role), ligases,  nucleases, polymerases, kinases, phosphatase etc, restriction mapping.
Unit 3: Cloning vectors
Cloning vectors, plasmids, phages, cosmids, artificial chromosomes, screening and selection of recombinants
Unit 4: Expression vectors
Prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression vectors, design and signal sequences, expression of heterologous proteins
Unit 5: Transformation techniques
Techniques  for transformation of microbial, plant and animal cells
Unit 6: Gene libraries and gene isolation
Construction and screening of genomic and cDNA libraries, methods of gene isolation
Unit 7: Electrophoresis and blotting techniques
Agarose and Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis, Molecular analysis of DNA, RNA and Proteins (i.e. Southern, Northern and Western blotting),
Unit 8: DNA sequencing and whole genome sequencing
 DNA sequencing (Maxam-Gilbert and Sanger methods). Automated sequencing , strategies for whole genome sequencing, the human genome project and other genome sequencing projects
Unit 9: DNA fingerprinting
RAPD, RFLP, SSR, FISH etc. Applications
Unit 10: PCR and Microararys
Concept of PCR,  components of PCR, types, applications, DNA microarrays and applications, analysis of gene expression.
 Unit 11. Transgenic Plants
Production of transgenic plants: Ti plasmid, Agrobacterium mediated transformation, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation; Direct gene transfer methods– Electroporation, Microinjection, Gene-gun; Selection of transgenics - marker and reporter genes.
Unit 12: Role of Plant Biotechnology in Agriculture, Environment and Industry 
Pest resistant plants (Bt-cotton); herbicide resistance; disease and stress resistant plants; transgenic crops with improved quality traits (Flavr savr tomatoes, Golden rice); Role of transgenics in degradation of pollutants (Superbug) leaching out of minerals; Application of plant biotechnology for production of quality oil, industrial enzymes, edible vaccines and planti-bodies.  Examples of transgenic plants (insecticide, herbicide and virus resistant plants).
Unit 13: Transgenic Animal Technology
Production of transgenic animals-nuclear transplantation, Retroviral method, DNA microinjection method, Applications of transgenic mice, sheep, goat, pig, birds and fish.
Animal cloning; Dolly and Polly, Scientific significance, Therapeutic applications, Human cloning, Ethical issues of transgenic animals.
Unit 14: Industrial and Medical Applications of Biotechnology
Molecular diagnosis of genetic diseases (Cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease, Sickle cell anemia),  RFLP, RAPD and DNA fingerprinting, Recombinant vaccines and therapeutic agents, Recombinant DNA in medicines (recombinant insulin and human growth hormone), Gene therapy,  (ADA and Cystic fibrosis) and Stem Cells,  Enzymes in detergents and leather industries, Bioremediation














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