Unit 1 Genes in Action

• DNA as the genetic material: structure and organization of genes, DNA, and chromosomes
• Chromatin structure and epigenetic regulation: histone modifications
• chromatin remodeling complexes, and DNA methylation
• DNA replication: detailed mechanism (leading and lagging strand synthesis)
• role of enzymes (DNA polymerases
• topological constraints during replication
• end-replication problem and telomerase function
• DNA mutations: types of mutations (point mutations
• mechanisms of DNA damage, and various DNA repair pathways (base excision repair
• nucleotide excision repair
• mismatch repair
• double-strand break 10 Program Name: Bachelor of Engineering Level: UG Branch: Biotechnology Subject Code: BE05004011 Subject Name: Molecular Biology and Genetics repair via homologous recombination and non-homologous end joining)
• Mobile genetic elements: structure and function of transposons and retrotransposons

Unit 2 Genes to Proteins

10 lecture hours

• Transcription: initiation
• elongation, and termination mechanisms
• regulation of transcription via transcription factors and regulatory elements (promoters
• RNA processing: 5’ capping
• splicing mechanisms
• alternative splicing and its role in proteome diversity
• RNA editing
• Genetic code: features
• Translation: mechanisms involving tRNA
• translation initiation
• elongation, and termination
• control and regulation of translation (e.g.
• via upstream ORFs
• Post-translational modifications: phosphorylation
• ubiquitination, and their biological roles
• Advanced regulation of gene expression: epigenetic control
• RNA interference (RNAi)
• microRNAs and long non- coding RNAs (lncRNAs)

Unit 3 Mendelism and Chromosomal Theory

5 lecture hours

• Classical genetics: Principles of inheritance
• Mendelian ratios
• extensions and deviations from Mendelism (incomplete dominance
• multiple alleles
• polygenic inheritance)
• Chromosomal theory of inheritance: evidence from linkage and recombination studies
• Linkage analysis and gene mapping: genetic distance
• recombination frequency
• two-point and three-point test crosses
• construction of genetic linkage maps
• Sex linkage and sex-limited traits
• Pedigree analysis for tracing inheritance patterns in humans.Mutation types: somatic
• spontaneous, and induced mutations
• Extranuclear inheritance: mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA inheritance
• maternal effects

Unit 4 Human Molecular Genetics and Evolutionary Genetics

10 lecture hours

• Human genetic diseases: single-gene disorders
• multifactorial diseases
• chromosomal abnormalities
• Human gene therapy: approaches (somatic vs. germline)
• methods of delivery (viral and non-viral vectors)
• ethical issues
• DNA fingerprinting/profiling and forensic applications
• Population genetics: Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
• forces affecting allele frequencies (mutation
• genetic drift
• Molecular evolution: patterns and processes
• molecular clocks
• neutral theory
• Speciation: genetic basis
• pre- zygotic and post-zygotic barriers
• Comparative genomics: genome organization across species and insights into evolution and function

Unit 5 Plant Molecular Genetics

10 lecture hours

• Life cycle of plants: alternation of generations
• importance in genetic manipulation
• Techniques of plant transformation: Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
• biolistic (gene gun) methods
• genome editing techniques (CRISPR-Cas9
• Plant defense responses: molecular mechanisms underlying biotic (pathogens) and abiotic (drought
• salinity) stress responses
• Gene regulation in plants: transcriptional control
• epigenetics, and hormone signaling pathways
• Advanced plant biotechnology: development of stress-tolerant
• pest-resistant, and high-yield crops.Molecular breeding approaches: marker-assisted selection (MAS)
• genomic selection