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University of Delhi
M.Sc. Examination in Genetics
Part-I M.Sc. (Previous) Examination in Genetics
(2005-2006)
Theory (60 x 5 =300) Scheme of Examination Marks
Course I : Concepts of Genetics (60)
Course II : (a) Biotsatistics and Computer Application (60)
(b) Population genetics
Course III : Cytogenetics and Genome Organisation (60)
Course IV : Gene function (60)
Course V : Concepts of Biochemistry (60)
Practicals (100 x 2 = 200)
Paper I : Based on Theory Papers (100)
Paper II : Based on Theory Papers (100)
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I CONCEPTS OF GENETICS
History of Genetics: Role of Breeding systems, life cycles of some genetically useful organisms such as
viruses, bacteria, Neurospora, Drosophila, maize and Homo sapiens; Mendelian genetics- Mendel’s laws
of inheritance; Expression and interaction of genes, allelic and nonallelic interaction; Multiple alleles,
pseudoalleles, Complex loci, complementation; Linkage, crossing –over and chromosome mapping.
Microbes as model systems in genetic analysis, Principles, basic procedures and terminology of microbial
genetics; Gene mapping in bacteria and viruses, fine-structure mapping. Genetic analysis in fungi, tetrad
analysis, gene conversion. Mechanism of recombination, mitotic mapping. Penetration and expressivity,
heritability; Qualitative and quantitative traits, polygenic inheritance; Sex-linked inheritance; Interaction of
genes and environment, Extranuclear genetics-Role of organellar genome, maternal inheritance and
maternal effect. Genetic variation – History, Categories of mutations, Genome, chromosome and gene
mutations, Somatic mutations, Extrachromosomal mutations, origin and frequency of spontaneous
mutations, Mutator genes, Mobile genetic elements, Chromosomal alterations and evolution, Induced
mutations, Physical and chemical mutagenes, Methods of mutation induction, Screening and selection of
mutations, Molecular basis of spontaneous and induced mutations, DNA repair mechanisms, Reversion,
Transposon mutagenesis, In vitro mutagenesis, Site-specific mutagenesis, Environmental mutagenesis,
Genetic hazards of radiation, Radiation damage to proteins, Radiation safely, Genotoxicity test systems.
II (a) BIOSTATISTICS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
Principles and applications of statistical methods in biological research; Basic statistics- Samples and
populations, experimental design, Data analysis, Graphs, Average, Coefficient distributions (Chi-square,
binomial, Poisson and normal), Tests of statistical significance, Regression and correlation, Analysis of
variance; Basics of computer application-Introduction to structural organization and types of digital
computers, operating systems, Word processing, Computer programs in the analysis of statistical methods
and preparation of graphs, Data base on bibliography and gene bank, information retrieval, Computer
analysis of structure and sequence of nucleic acids and proteins, practical training in operating a computer
system.
II (b) POPULATION GENETICS
History, Genetics polymorphism, Panmictic & Mendelian population, Hardy-Weinberg genetic
equilibrium, Causes of changes in gene frequency (migration, selection, genetic drift, inbreeding and
mutations), Natural and artificial selection, Heritability, Genetic load, Fisher’s fundamental theorem,
Coadapted gene complex, Super genes, Linkage disequilibrium, Genetic distance, Molecular genetic
analysis of populations, Mechanisms of speciation and evolution and speciation.
III CYTOGENETICS AND GENOME ORGANIZATION
Chromosome structure, organization: Chromatin structure, nucleosomal and higher order structures,
morphology and basic functions; Techniques in the study of chromosomes and applications. Mitotic and
meiotic chromosomes, banding, karyotyping, chromosome labeling and cell cycle analysis, in situ
hybridization, chromosome painting, gene mapping, somatic cell hybrids, premature chromosome
condensation; Special types of chromosome-sex chromosomes, sex chromatin, B-chromosome, polytene
and lambrush chromosomes; Numerical and structural changes in the chromosome. Mechanisms of sex
determination in plants and animals. Dosage compensation; Genome organization in viruses, prokaryotes
and eukaryotes (animals and plants); Organization of nuclear and organellar genomes; c-value paradox;
Techniques in genome analysis, genome mapping and functional genomics; Repetitive DNA-satellite
DNAs and interspersed repeated DNAs, Transposable Elements, LINES, SINES, Alu family, mechanisms
of DNA amplification, genome evolution; Fine structure of gene, split genes, pseudogenes, overlapping
genes and multigene families. DNA and RNA as genetic material; Chemistry and structure of DNA.
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IV GENE FUNCTION
DNA replication in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; Importance of RNA in information transfer, Types of
RNA and their structure; Transcription: General principles, assembly of the basic transcription apparatus,
types of RNA polymerases, controls at initialization, elongation and termination; RNA processing:
processing of mRNA, tRNA and rRNA, capping and polyadenylation, RNA editing, mRNA stability;
Genetic code, Deciphering the code, codon usage; Protein synthesis: structure of ribosome, role of tRNA
and rRNA, translation and its control, translational introns and protein splicing; Concepts of protein folding
and transport: Chaperons, signal peptide hypothesis, transport of proteins to organelles; DNA binding
proteins: structure and function, methods of isolating DNA binding proteins and analyzing DNA- Protein
interactions. Ribozymes, Antisense RNA.
V CONCEPTS OF BIOCHEMISTRY
The living vs the non-living state: Lehninger’s thesis of “molecular logic” of life; biomolecules: building
blocks, macromolecules; informational macromolecules. Proteins as informational macromolecules;
chemistry of aminoacids; the primary, secondary and tertiary structure of polypeptides; peptides; peptide
subunits and quaternary structure; metabolism of proteins and aminoacids. Enzymes as biocatalysts;
specificity of enzyme kinetics; inhibition of enzyme action; assay of enzymes; mechanism of enzyme
action: regulation of enzyme activity in vitro; enzyme classification.
Cellular metabolism: energy-yielding and energy-requiring processes; metabolic pathways;
thermodynamics of cellular reactions; energy-rich compounds; biological oxidation and its coupling to
ATP synthesis.
Laws of Thermodynamics: Energy production and transduction in autotrophs; photosynthesis;
mitrochondrial oxidative phosphorylation- the chemiosmotic theory; organizational and chemistry of
energy transducing machinery of the eukaryotic cell; redox potential. Metabolic cycles and energy
production: the Embeden - Meyerhof pathway; the hexose - monophosphate shunt; oxidation of fatty acids;
significance of the TCA cycle. Gluco- and glycogenolysis; regulation of carbohydrate metabolism.
Integration and regulation of metabolic pathways; hormones as regulators of metabolism and development;
chemistry and mechanisms of action of hormones.
Fatty acid breakdown and synthesis; chemistry of lipids- their biosynthesis and breakdown; regulation of
lipid metabolism; interrelationship between carbohydrates and lipid metabolism. Organization of biological
membranes: the fluid-mosaic model and its implication for membrane-mediated cellular events.
Techniques in biochemistry; Adsorption and Fluorescence; pH, pK and Buffers used in biology;
Hydrodynamic methods; Chromatography-TLC, GLC, HPLC, FPLC, Gel filtration, ion exchange and
affinity chromatography; X-ray diffraction and crystallography and its application in protein structure
determination; Microscopy- Bright field, Fluorescence, phase contrast, video and electron microscopy;
Radioisotopes and their use in biology- Autoradiography, radioactive labeling of biological
macromolecules; Ligand binding, membrane filtration and equilibrium dialysis.
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University of Delhi
M.Sc. Examination in Genetics
Part-II M.Sc. (Final) Examination in Genetics
(2005-2006)
Theory (60 x 5 = 300) Scheme of Examination Marks
Course VI : Regulation of Gene Expression (60)
And Development.
Course VII : Advanced Microbial Genetics (60)
Course VIII : Plant Breeding and biotechnology (60)
Course IX : Human Genetics and Medical Biotechnology (60)
Course X : Recombinant DNA Technology (60)
Practicals (100 x 2 = 200)
Paper I : Based on Theory Papers (100)
Paper II : Based on Theory Papers (100)
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VI REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION AND DEVELOPMENT
Gene regulation in prokaryotes: Operon model of regulation (with examples of lac, trp and ara); Lytic and
lysogenic switch in lambda. Gene regulation in eukaryotes: overview of gene regulation in animals and
plants using examples of galactose-utilization in yeast; heat shock gene expression; regulation of SV40 and
CaMV 35S viral promoters; hormonal control of gene regulation in animals and plants. Regulation of Cell
cycle, signal transduction. Global influences on gene expression: chromatin conformation and methylation;
Molecular genetics of development: Introduction to developmental biology- Zygote development and
differentiation in animals and plants; Model systems to study pattern formation- Dictyostelium: Life cycle,
aggregation and slug formation, mechanism of cell differentiation in the slug and final body formation;
Caenorhabditis elegans: cell lineage and mosaic development; vulval cell formation. Drosophila: Polarity
determination of embryo by maternal genes, segmentation genes and formation of body segments;
Homeotic genes specifying segment identity; Vertebrate limb: specification of axis and limb field, zone of
polarizing activity and digit formation, hox genes and limb pattern, regeneration; Arabidopsis: Life cycle,
Embryogenesis and seed development, genes involved in flower development.
VII ADVANCED MICROBIAL GENETICS AND TECHNOLOGY
Methods of genetic analysis: Genetic analysis of mutants: recombination and genetic mapping. Test of
allelism, Methods of gene transfer in bacteria- Conjugation: Discovery, nature of donor strains and
compatibility, interrupted mating and temporal mapping, Hfr, F', heteroduplex analysis, mechanism of
chromosome transfer, molecular pathway of recombination. Chromosome transfer in other bacteria;
Transformation: natural transformation systems, Biology of transformation, transformation and gene
mapping, Chemical-mediated and electrotransformation; Transduction: discovery, generalized and
specialized or restricted transduction, Phage P1 and P22-mediated transduction, mechanism of generalized
transduction, abortive transduction, Temperature phage lambda and mechanism of specialized transduction,
gene mapping, fine-structure mapping; Techniques for studying bacteriophages- Virulent phage (T4) and
Temperate phage (phage lambda), Important aspects relationship, impunity and repression. Site specific
recombination (lambda and P1), transposable phage (phage Mu), genetic organisation, and transposition,
Mu as a genetic tool; Plasmids: Types, detection, replication, partitioning, copy-number control and
transfer. Properties of some known plasmids; Genetic rearrangements and their evolutionary significance:
Phase variation in Salmonella and others; Aspects of fungal Genetics: Meiotic and mitotic mapping, gene
conversion, mitotic segregation and recombination, heterothallism and mating type switches. Parasexual
analysis-protoplast fusion, transformation, gene disruption, plasmids, retroposon and retrotransposon.
Microbial strain improvement: genetic resources and genetics of economically useful and adaptive traits,
methods of strain improvement, Prospects of microbial technology and genetic engineering, synthesis of
microbial and recombinant products: Fermentation Technology- basic principles and techniques used,
applications of fermentation, optimization and scaling-up; Immobilization techniques.
VIII PLANT BREEDING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
Plant breeding- History; Genetic resources- centres of diversity and origin of crop plants, Law of
homologous variation, genetics resources, Plant breeding- Mode of reproduction and breeding strategies,
Plant diseases and pests and defensive mechanisms, Breeding of self and cross pollinated and vegetatively
propagated crop plants, Heterosis breeding, Polyploidy and haploids in breeding, Wide hybridization,
Mutation breeding, Breeding crops to contain useful and adaptive traits; seed production and variety
development and its conservation; Marker assisted breeding using molecular probes (RAPDs, RFLPs and
AFLPs); Plant tissue culture and somatic cell genetics – role of growth regulators, Micropropagation,
Artificial seeds, Germplasm storage in vitro; Embryo rescue, Haploids and triploids, Secondary products,
Protoplast culture and fusion, Cybrids, Somaclonal variation, Mutant selection in vitro and by transposon
tagging, Plant genetic engineering using recombinant DNA techniques, T-DNA and viral genome-derived
plant vectors, Transformation using plant protoplasts, Particle gun-mediated transformation, Organelle
transformation, Engineering of crops for useful agronomic traits and metabolic pathways, Transgene
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silencing, Strategies to avoid gene silencing and improve gene expression in transgenic plants, Description
and uses of antisence RNA, ribozymes in plants; Ethics and plant genetic engineering.
IX HUMAN GENETICS AND MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
History and development of human genetics; Organisation of the human genome; Genes and chromosomestructure,
function and inheritance; Repetitive DNA in human genome –Alu and SINE repeats; Methods for
Genetic study in man- Pedigree analysis, Chromosomal analysis, Biochemical analysis, Somatic cell
genetics (somatic cell hybrids, monochromosome hybrid panels, gene mapping, hybridoma technology,
polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies), Molecular genetic analysis; Mammalian tissue culture techniques;
congenital abnormalities; Clinical aspects of autosomal and sex chromosomal disorders, Inborn errors of
metabolism; Haemoglobinopathies; Human genome mapping- Physical, Genetic and Microsatellite
mapping, Human genome project; inherited human diseases- single gene diseases, Polygenic/multifactorial
disease, identification and isolation of disease genes- positional cloning and functional cloning; Cancer
genetics; Immunogenetics Diagnostic genetics (Cytogenetics, Biochemical, Molecular); DNA
fingerprinting; Gene manipulation; Gene therapy; Genetic counselling; In vitro fertilization and embryo
transfer; Transgenic technology- Methods of DNA transfer- Use of viral vectors, Microinjection, ES cell
transformation and knock out mouse models; Applications in basic and applied research; Animal models in
human genetics research; Animal biotechnology- bioproducts from cell culture, cryopreservation of
embryos and cells; Ethics and human genetics.
X RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY
Historical emergence of recombinant DNA technology; basic principles and methods; Properties, mode of
action and uses of restriction endonucleases and other enzymes; electrophoretic techniques; Cloning- Phage
and plasmid vectors, cosmids, shuttle vectors, yeast vectors, artificial chromosomes, chromosome walking,
chimeric gene construction; Genomic and cDNA libraries; colony hybridization; Southern blot, northern
blot and western blot; Dot and slot blots; Methods of preparing probes; Transformation, selection and
expression of cloned DNA; Sequencing of DNA and proteins; Synthesis of oligonucleotides; Site-directed
mutagenesis; Protein engineering; Gene isolation and synthesis; Polymerase chain reaction; DNA
footprinting; RAPD, RFLP and AFLP; Restriction mapping; Containment (Physical and biological);
Application of r-DNA technology in agriculture, health, medicine and industry; Bioethics and genetic
engineering.
For more details, visit http://www.du.ac.in/course/syllabi/MScGeneticsSyllabus2005-06.pdf
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