UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS
B.Sc. DEGREE COURSE IN MICROBIOLOGY
SEMESTER SYSTEM WITH CREDITS
(Effective from the Academic Year 2003-2004)

SYLLABUS

Semester IV - Paper IV - MCC-401 - Microbial Genetics

Duration of Examination: 3 hrs
Max Marks: 100
Credits: 4

Unit I :

Genetics - Historical introduction - Discovery of DNA structure - Circular and super helical DNA - RNA as genetic material - Genetic code. Organisation and functioning of Prokaryotic Bacterial genetic material. Details of E.coli chromosome.

Unit II :

Bacterial plasmids: structure and properties, replication, incompatibility, plasmid amplification. Bacteriophages: lytic development cycle - T4 ; lytic and lysogenic development of phage ? structure of bacterial transposons, types of bacterial transposons. Mechanism of antibiotic resistance and spread of antibiotic resistance.

Unit III :

Bacterial Genetics: concepts of haploid genomes, genetic exchange through conjugation, transformation and transduction (generalized and specialized). Transformation: natural transfonnation, competence, DNA uptake, role of natural transformation, artificially induced competence, electroporation. Conjugation: self transmissible plasmids, F factor and Hfr strains. Genetic recombination: requirements, molecular basis, genetic analysis of recombination in bacteria. Mutations: spontaneous and induced, basis pair changes, frame shifts, deletions, inversions, tandem duplications, insertions, useful phenotypes (auxotyphic, conditional lethal, resistant), reversion vs. suppression, Ames test.

Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh, Punjab
Admission To Ph.D. Program : Walk in Interview on July 28, 2008