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，但许多人没有理解许多基因编码的蛋白质产物的概念，这些蛋白质产物调节和受发育事件调节。为了解决这一不足，我们将在生物课程中整合一些课程，这将导致一个基于研究的系统，该系统将教授发育生物学的遗传学方法。这一系统将依靠斑马鱼作为模式动物系统，马铃薯作为模式植物系统。学生研究人员将从这些有机体中分离和表征基因，然后这些基因将被用于进行本科生练习，以检验基因表达与不同发育阶段的关联。最初的基因分离实验将在本科分子生物学课程中进行。分离出的基因既是随机克隆的，也是针对特定代谢酶的基因。然后，这些基因将被动植物发育生物学课程的学生用作演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方面的额外课程将使学生有机会研究分离出的基因和基因产物的不同方面。通过这种方法，我们打算通过赋予本科生对实验过程的主人翁意识和投入，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.