Introduction to Cell & Molecular Biology, BIOL-2120

• LABORATORY SESSIONS WILL MEET THIS WEEK• RECITATION SECTIONS WILL NOT MEET THIS

WEEK (They begin next week)

Welcome to BIOL 2120: Introduction to Cell & Molecular Biology

Course webpage:http://www.rpi.edu/~ploppg/biol_2120/biol_2120.html

George Plopper, Ph.D.Department of Biology

Where does this class fit?

Core Courses

“Electives”

Engineering(incl. BMED)

Sciences Everything Else

BIOL 1010 (Sorry about that)

BioBCBPBioinfEtc.

BIOL 2120

What does this mean?

• Taking this course represents a commitment to a scientific track: welcome to “being a biologist” (even if you are an engineering major).

• From the syllabus: “You will be expected to think in this course, not just memorize.”

Grade history, by percentage

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Averages

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

ABCDF

Year

% t

otal

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives

Bloom’s domains• cognitive (about knowing)• affective (about attitudes, feelings)• psychomotor (about doing)

http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy

Bloom’s TaxonomyCognitive domain- A hierarchy of six levels:6. create: makes judgments about the value of materials

or methods; new knowledge5. evaluate: can pull together many disorganized

elements or parts so as to form a whole4. analyze: can break down a communication into its

constituent parts, revealing the relationships among them

3. apply: all of levels 1 and 2, plus can take information of an abstract nature and use it in concrete situations

2. understand: can recall, but can do a little more (e.g. paraphrase, define, discuss to some extent)

1. remember: the recall of specific itemsHighschool

Graduation

This class

Create

Evaluate

Analyze

Apply

Understand

Remember

Forms of help

• Course webpage:http://www.rpi.edu/~ploppg/biol_2120/biol_2120.html– Read the advice from previous years’ students– Resources: lecture outlines, Powerpoint files,

recitation materials– Podcasts of lectures (from iTunes)– iClicker problem solving in lecture

Forms of help• Graduate TAs: More than lab managers–Ask questions/discuss material during lab

sections• BIOL2120rpi@gmail.com to contact the Head

TA with any non-lab questions or concerns.• Office Hours: Reality check! Most exam

questions arise from these discussions (I record them)– Office Hrs begin next week

Office Hrs Times/Locations

Mon from 2:00-2:50pm: DCC 232

Tues from 3:00-3:50pm: DCC 232

Weds from 2:00-2:50pm: DCC 232

Thurs from 3:00-3:50pm: J-ROWL 1W01

Fri from 2:00-2:50pm: DCC 232

Forms of helpRecitation sections: Small Group Learning

• Led by former BIOL 2120 students who did very well and volunteered to help you this semester– What to expect:

• Weekly quizzes (8 of them in the semester)• Informal discussion of lecture material• Relating lecture to real world examples: reading real research articles• Learn from experienced peers, at a student’s pace

– What NOT to expect:• Perfect answers to every question you can come up with• Years of teaching experience• Endless entertainment

Remember, the UTAs are one year ahead of most of you; they are not professors. Next year, you could be in their position.

Chapter 1

What Is a Cell?

George Plopper

Welcome to Biology 2120

Introduction to Cell & Molecular Biology

Today’s Learning Outcomes:At the end of today’s class, you should be able to:• Draw a eukaryotic cell with at three least

structural features other than the nucleus and plasma membrane.

• List three properties of water that make it essential for life to exist on Earth

• Explain, in writing, the differences between monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.

The Big Picture, Chapter 1

• Cells are NOT this:

Nearly all cells are invisible to the naked eye

Cells are composed of millions of molecules

Figure 01.01A: Examples of different cell types, including structures specific to each. Panel A, an epithelial cell.

Figure 01.01B: Panel B, a muscle cell.

Figure 01.01C: Panel C, a nerve cell.

Figure 01.01D: Panel D, Fibroblast

Figure 01.01E: Panel E, A plant cell

Figure 01.01F: Panel F, a prokaryotic cell.

The Big Picture, Chapter 1

• Cells are NOT this:

Nearly all cells are invisible to the naked eye

Cells are composed of millions of molecules

Cells obey simple chemical rules

Figure 01.06A: Five unusual traits of water. Panel A, water is a liquid at room temperature. A. Hydrogen bonds form between partially charged atoms of opposite

polarity.

WATER IS SPECIAL

Figure 01.06B: Panel B, water is a polar molecule. B. CH4 and CO2 do not have partially charged atoms and therefore do not form hydrogen bonds.

Figure 01.06C: Panel C, the liquid phase of water is more dense than its solid phase (ice).

Figure 01.06D: Panel D, water has a very high specific heat and is a good termal insulator

Figure 01.06E: Panel E, water has a high heat of vaporization

Figure 01.08B: B. Model of a carbon atom bound to four other atoms.

CARBON IS SPECIAL

Figure 01.09: The orientation of covalent bonds formed by carbon.

Table 01.T01: Common functional groups found in biological molecules.

Note that dashed lines (-) indicate where these

groups bond with other atoms/molecules.

Figure 01.10: Common types of

lipids in cells. Common

abbreviations of organic structures

are shown.

iClicker timeHow does the valence number of an atom impact its function in living organisms?A. It determines whether a molecule is

hydrophobic or not.B. It determines whether a molecule is charged

or not.C. It determines how many bonds it can form.D. It determines the size of the atom.E. It determines whether the molecule is alive

or not.

iClicker timeHow does the valence number of an atom impact its function in living organisms?A. It determines whether a molecule is

hydrophobic or not.B. It determines whether a molecule is charged

or not.C. It determines how many bonds it can form.D. It determines the size of the atom.E. It determines whether the molecule is alive

or not.

Figure 01.11: Common monosaccharides in cells. The carbons are numbered by convention with "primes" as shown.

SUGARS ARE VERY SPECIAL

Figure 01.12: Alpha and beta glycosidic bonds in common disaccharides.

Figure 01.13: Oligosaccharides and polysaccharides play many important roles in cells.

Today’s Learning Outcomes:At the end of today’s class, you should be able to:• Draw a eukaryotic cell with at three least

structural features other than the nucleus and plasma membrane.

• List three properties of water that make it essential for life to exist on Earth

• Explain, in writing, the differences between monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.

For Next Lecture

• Download lecture outline from course web page

• Read Chapter 2 in Principles of Cell Biology• Learn how to draw the structure of ribose• Download recitation Module 1, packet #1,

bring it with you to recitation section next week. Let me know of any technical difficulties.