BCOR 11

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BCOR 11 Exploring Biology Lecture 1
08/29/05 Introduction
Dr. Mike Vayda Dr. Don Stratton
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TODAYS TOPICS Course Operations Principles of
Living Things Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes The
Basis for Scientific Discovery Hypothesis testing
through data collection
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Course Fundamentals
Scope and Purpose Cellular Biology
Module Molecules, Cell Physiology, Molecular
Genetics
Course Homepage www.uvm.edu/biology/classes/011/

Text Biology, 7th Edition by Campbell and Reece
Lecture Schedule, Assigned Readings www.uvm.edu/
biology/classes/011/?pagelecsched.html
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Exams Sept 23, Oct 19, Nov 14 Final Exam week of
Dec 10
Take best 2 out of 3
REQUIRED
No make up exams
Exam Format multiple, multiple choice can have
1 or more correct answers
Must come to our sections B or D
REVIEW SESSION before each exam
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• Water can spontaneously dissociate to form
• a. Two political parties
• b. H and OH- species
• c. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic species
• d. Na and Cl- species
• e. Chiral (handed) carbons
• f. Membrane-bound organelles
• g. Ions
• h. Hydrogen bonds to nonpolar functional
  groups
• j. Democratic presidential candidates
• k. dipoles

• The molecule pictured at right
• a. Is an amino acid
• b. Contains a chiral carbon
• c. Is a nucleic acid monomer
• d. Is soluble in water
• e. Is the left handed form of a stereoisomer
  pair
• d. Is a building block of proteins
• e. Is alanine
• f. Is glutamic acid
• g. Is glucose
• h. Has a polar R-group
• j. Was downloaded from Howard Deans Web Site

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STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
Come to Class Take notes, ask questions, review
frequently Read the Book!
Office Hours Vayda - call 6-0555 or
mvayda_at_uvm.edu Stratton call 6-9371 or
donald.stratton_at_uvm.edu
Study with friends, classmates
Tutoring available from Living and
Learning 6-4075 (Dave DiElsi)
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Lecture and Lab Concepts vs. Techniques
Molecules Water Macromolecules Cell
Structures Energetics Cellular Biochemistry Cell
Division Molecular Genetics
Microscopy Immunocytochemistry Bacterial
transformation Protein isolation and
characterization DNA isolation
and characterization
Lectures NOT coupled to Labs
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GRADING 200 pts hour exams 200 pts final
exam 200 pts Laboratory 100 pts Assignments
(through Lab) 700 pts TOTAL
Academic Honesty - exams - lab write ups
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QUESTIONS on Course Operations ?
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Chapter 1 Readings Topics Properties of Living
Things Types of Cells Emergent
Properties Reductionism, Systems Biology
Feedback Taxonomy Evolution Hypothesis
Driven Science

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We recognize life by what organisms do
Adapt through Natural Selection
respond
Create order
Produce Offspring
Regulate Their Domain Control energy flow
grow
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Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Speci
es Individual Multicellular
Organism System Organ Tissue CELL
CELL Sub-cellular Organelles Sub-cellular
Complexes Macromolecules Monomeric
molecules Atoms Subatomic Particles -protons -
neutrons -electrons
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Fundamental Life Processes
1. The CELL is the basic unit of life
2. All cells come from pre-existing cells
3. Cells Delineate INSIDE from OUTSIDE
compartments control the microenvironment -
MEMBRANES
Concentrate things against gradients
4. Build COMPLEX STRUCTURES from simple
structures monomers polymers
Create ORDER and COMPLEXITY
5. Life Requires ENERGY INPUT, because of 3
4 going uphill
6. ORGANIZATION (SPATIAL INFORMATION) heredity,
cell organization, self-assembly
informational surfaces
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Chapter 1 Readings Topics Properties of Living
Things Types of Cells Emergent
Properties Reductionism, Systems Biology
Feedback Taxonomy Evolution Hypothesis
Driven Science

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Two Broad Classes of Cells
Prokaryotes
Eukaryotes
Pro before
Eu true
karyon nucleus
HAVE A NUCLEUS membrane-bound organelles
DO NOT HAVE A NUCLEUS NO internal membranes
plants Animals fungi
bacteria, cyanobacteria archaebacteria
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Relative Sizes
Typical 1-2 ?M Bacterium

Typical 5 to 20 ?M diameter Animal Cell

Typical 5 to 50 ?M diameter Plant Cell

?M micrometer or micron 10-6 meter
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Tissues
Cells
Organelles
Macromolecular Complexes
Proteins
Macromolecules
Molecules/Atoms
Milli micro nano
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Internal membrane-bound Organelles
Animal Cell (Eukaryotic)
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No internal membranes
Bacterial Cell (Prokaryotic)
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On the same size scale
Bacterial cell (Prokaryotic
Animal Cell (Eukaryotic)
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TAXONOMY grouping of organisms with
similar characteristics

• Classifying life

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Unity in the Diversity of Life

• As diverse as life is
• There is also evidence of remarkable unity

Genetic Mechanisms Biochemistry Cellular
Components, organization, function
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The SCIENTIFIC METHOD
1. FORMULATE a reasonable hypothesis to
Explain an observation 2. TEST the hypothesis
with a Controlled, Reproducible Experiment 3.
ASSESS results of the experiment 4. Draw
CONCLUSION of How Things Work - then test
that
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scientific truth is not a citadel of
certainty to be defended against error it
is a shady spot where one eats lunch before
tramping on L. White, 1968
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prior to the 17th Century
Life was considered super-natural beyond the
Laws of Nature
SPONTANEOUS GENERATION living things arise de
novo from nothing
Wet hay gives rise to mice mosquitoes come from
swamps, ponds, puddles decaying corpses turn
into maggots
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Francesco Redis experiment
Start
Experimental
Control
1 week later
Experimental
Control
Conclusion Maggots come from flies, not from
the decaying meat
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Redis Follow-Up Experiment
Cover
1 week
Conclusion maggots are immature forms of flies
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Next Time Chapter 2 Atoms, Bonding,
Molecules Will begin - Chapter 3 Water