Molecular Biology and PCR Labs Overview

Safety Lab

• Know laboratory safety protocols (appropriate clothing, etc.).

Pipetting Lab

• Always use a new tip for each sample, and avoid touching the tip to surfaces.
• Calibrate the pipette.
• Properly add and eject pipette tips.
• Choose correct pipette size based on volume needed.
• Set desired volume.
• Know the parts of a pipette (tip, plunger, volume adjustment knob, body).
• Demonstrate pipetting a specific volume to instructor.

PCR Lab One

• Molecular Biology: The study of biological processes at the molecular level.
• Biotechnology: The use of living systems and organisms for product development.
• PCR stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction.
• PCR objective: To amplify specific DNA sequences.
• Source of DNA: Blood, saliva, hair, and other bodily tissues.
• PCR impacts: Genetic testing, forensics, cloning, medicine, agriculture, and environmental science.

PCR Lab Two

• Components for PCR: DNA template, primers, nucleotides, and Taq polymerase.
• Taq DNA Polymerase: A heat-stable enzyme for DNA synthesis.
• PCR steps: Denaturation, annealing, and extension.

PCR Lab Three

• Introns: Non-coding regions in genes.
• Exons: Coding regions of a gene.
• RNA splicing: The process of removing introns and connecting exons in mRNA.
• Homozygous positive: Two identical dominant alleles.
• Homozygous negative: Two identical recessive alleles.
• Heterozygous: One dominant and one recessive allele.
• DNA electrophoresis: A technique used to separate DNA fragments by size.

Viral Transmission Lab

• Mode of transmission: How a virus spreads to a new host.
• Vaccine function: Providing immunity against specific pathogens.

Natural Selection Lab

• Macroevolution: Large-scale evolutionary changes over time.
• Natural selection: Organisms better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce.
• Evolution: Change in heritable characteristics in biological populations over successive generations.
• Predator-prey relationships: Predatory pressure that drives evolutionary adaptations in both.

Taxonomy and Dichotomous Keys

• Taxonomy: Science of classifying living organisms).
• Nomenclature: A system of naming organisms.
• Hierarchical classification: Domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.
• Dichotomous key: Tool for identifying organisms through a series of choices.

Ecological Applications Labs

• Species diversity: Variety of different species in a given area.
• Hypothesis: A testable prediction about the relationship between variables.
• Specific animals observed: This part of the notes depends on the animals observed in a campus experiment, and this is not present in the document.