Gene and Development Investigated in the Biology Curriculum

生物学专业的学生通常在遗传学和生物化学方面有很好的基础，但许多人没有掌握许多基因编码蛋白质产物的概念，这些蛋白质产物调节和受发育事件的调节。为了解决这一缺陷，我们将整合生物学课程中的一些课程，从而形成一个以研究为基础的系统，从而教授发育生物学的遗传方法。该系统将以斑马鱼为模式动物系统，马铃薯为模式植物系统。学生的研究人员将从这些生物体中分离和表征基因，然后这些基因将用于开发本科生练习，以检查基因表达与不同发育阶段的关联。初步基因分离实验将在本科分子生物学课程中进行。分离出来的基因既可以是随机克隆，也可以是针对特定代谢酶的基因。然后，这些基因将被学生在动植物发育生物学课程中用作展示基因与发育相互作用的教学工具。生物化学、蛋白质结构和功能以及组织学等额外课程将使学生有机会研究基因和分离基因产物的不同方面。通过这种方法，我们打算通过给予生物学本科生对实验过程的所有权和投入，向他们灌输科学过程的意识。

Students majoring in biology usually get a good foundation in genetics and biochemistry but many fail to grasp the concept that many genes encode for protein products that regulate and are regulated by developmental events. To address this deficiency we will integrate a number of courses within the biology curriculum that will result in a research based system that win teach a genetic approach to developmental biology. This system will rely on the use of zebra fish as a model animal system and potato as a model plant system. Student's investigators will isolate and characterize genes from these organisms and these genes will then be used to develop undergraduate exercises that will examine the association of gene expression with different stages of development. Initial gene isolation experiments will be conducted in an undergraduate molecular biology course. The genes isolated will be both random clones and genes targeted to specific metabolic enzymes. These genes will then be used by students in animal and plant developmental biology courses as pedagogical tools for demonstrating the interaction of genes and development. Additional courses in biochemistry, protein structure and function, and histology will give students the opportunity to examine different aspects of the genes and gene products isolated. With this approach we intend to instill in undergraduate biology majors a sense of the scientific process by giving them ownership and input into the experimental process.