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Principles of Genetics
BIO210 | 3 Credits
Principles of Genetics explores the fundamental principles of heredity, examining the flow of genetic information from the molecular to the organismal level. You’ll delve into key concepts like DNA replication, gene expression, and the mechanisms of inheritance to build a strong foundation for any healthcare or scientific career.
Professor: Dr. Becca Schwartz-Mette
About This Course
What You’ll Learn
Principles of Genetics covers the basics of heredity. After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Identify the key structures and functions of the organelles of various cell types including prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
- Predict genetic probabilities using Mendel’s Laws and tools such as Punnett squares, pedigrees, and statistical analysis
- Describe the relationship between genetic transfer in sexual and asexual reproduction
- Analyze genetic maps of chromosomes and plasmids to make predictions about genetic recombination
- Identify the features of the nucleic acids and variations of DNA including chromatin and chromosomes.
- Determine the relationship between protein synthesis, DNA synthesis, and genetic mutations
- Compare and contrast protein and nucleic acid synthesis and regulation in prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and viruses
- Apply the principles of natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow to determine genetic probabilities of populations
- Identify the relationship between oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, cancer therapeutics, and molecular technologies in medical genetics and the study of cancer
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WANT US TO CHECK?Course Details
Principles of Genetics explores the fundamental principles of heredity, examining the flow of genetic information from the molecular to the organismal level. You’ll delve into key concepts like DNA replication, gene expression, and the mechanisms of inheritance to build a strong foundation for any healthcare or scientific career.
ACE-Recommended
ACE Code:
OOSL-0121
Flexible Schedule
28-day average completion for all StraighterLine Courses
Healthcare Courses Have Transferred 43,400 times
$1,500,000 Saved on Tuition
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Course Text
All course readings can be found within the course and are adapted from: Brooker, Robert. Genetics: Analysis and Principles. 8th ed., McGraw Hill. ISBN: 9781265350796
Course Checkpoints
Overview of Genetics
- The Molecular Expression of Genes
- The Relationship Between Genes and Traits
- Fields of Genetics
- The Science of Genetics
- The Meaning of Sex in Genetics
- The Meaning of Normal in Genetics
Chromosome Transmission, Sexual Reproduction, and Mendelian Inheritance
- General Features of Chromosomes
- Cell Division
- Mitosis and Cytokinesis
- Meiosis
- Sexual Reproduction
- Sex Chromosomes and Sex Determination
- Mendel's Study of Pea Plants
- Law of Segregation
- Law of Independent Assortment
- The Chromosome Theory of Inheritance
- Studying Inheritance Patterns in Humans
- Probability and Statistics
Extensions of Mendelian Inheritance and Non-Mendelian Inheritance
- Overview of Simple Inheritance Patterns
- Dominant and Recessive Alleles
- Environmental Effects on Gene Expression
- Incomplete Dominance, Heterozygote Advantage, and Codominance
- Genes on Sex Chromosomes
- Sex-Influenced and Sex-Limited Inheritance
- Lethal Alleles
- Understanding Complex Phenotypes Caused by Mutations in Single Genes
- Gene Interactions
- Maternal Effect
- Epigenetics: Dosage Compensation
- Epigenetics: Genomic Imprinting
- Extranuclear Inheritance
Genetic Linkage and Mapping in Eukaryotes and Bacteria
- Overview of Linkage
- Relationship Between Linkage and Crossing Over
- Genetic Mapping in Plants, Animals, and Haploid Eukaryotes
- Mitotic Recombination
- Overview of Genetic Transfer in Bacteria
- Bacterial Conjugation
- Conjugation and Mapping via Hfr Strains
- Bacterial Transduction & Transformation
- Medical Relevance of Horizontal Gene Transfer
Chromosome and Molecular Structure
- Microscopic Examination of Eukaryotic Chromosomes
- Changes in Chromosome Structure: An Overview
- Deletions and Duplications
- Inversions and Translocations
- Changes in Chromosome Number: An Overview
- Variation in the Number of Chromosomes Within a Set: Aneuploidy
- Variation in the Number of Sets of Chromosomes
- Natural and Experimental Mechanisms That Produce Variation in Chromosome Number
- Identification of DNA as the Genetic Material
- Nucleotide Structure
- Structure of a DNA Strand
- Discovery & Structure of the DNA Double Helix
- RNA Structure
- Organization of Functional Sites Along Prokaryotic Chromosomes
- Structure of Prokaryotic Chromosomes
- Organization of Functional Sites Along Eukaryotic Chromosomes
- Sizes of Eukaryotic Genomes and Repetitive Sequences
- Transposition
- Structure of Eukaryotic Chromosomes in Nondividing Cells & During Cell Division
Replication, Transcription and Translation
- Structural Overview of DNA Replication
- Bacterial DNA Replication
- Eukaryotic DNA Replication
- Transcription in Bacteria and Eukaryotes
- RNA Modification
- A Comparison of Transcription and RNA Modification in Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryotes
- The Genetic Basis for Protein Synthesis
- The Relationship Between the Genetic Code and Protein Synthesis
- Experimental Determination of the Genetic Code
- Structure and Function of tRNA
- Ribosome Structure and Assembly
- Stages of Translation
- Regulation of Translation
- A Comparison of Translation in Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryotes
Gene Regulation in Bacteria and Genetics of Viruses
- Overview of Transcriptional Regulation
- Regulation of the lac Operon
- Regulation of the trp Operon
- Translational and Posttranslational Regulation
- Riboswitches
- Virus Structure and Genetic Composition
- Overview of Viral Reproductive Cycles
- Bacteriophage λ Reproductive Cycles
- HIV Reproductive Cycle
Epigenetics, Gene Mutation, DNA Repair, and Recombination
- Overview of Epigenetics
- Heterochromatin: Function, Structure, Formation, and Maintenance
- Epigenetics and Development
- Paramutation
- Epigenetics and Environmental Agents
- Effects of Mutations on Gene Structure and Function
- Random Nature of Mutations
- Spontaneous Mutations
- Induced Mutations
- DNA Repair
- Homologous Recombination
Molecular Technologies and Biotechnology
- Gene Cloning Using Vectors
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- DNA Sequencing
- Gene Editing via CRISPR-Cas Technology
- Blotting Methods to Detect Gene Products
- Methods for Analyzing DNA- and RNA-Binding Proteins
- Uses of Microorganisms in Biotechnology
- Vaccines
- Genetically Modified Animals
- Reproductive Cloning and Stem Cells
- Genetically Modified Plants
Medical Genetics and Cancer
- Inheritance Patterns of Genetic Diseases
- Detection of Disease-Causing Alleles via Haplotypes and via Genome-Wide Association Studies
- Genetic Testing and Screening
- Prions
- Human Gene Therapy
- Personalized Medicine
- Overview of Cancer
- Oncogenes
- Tumor-Suppressor Genes
- Role of Epigenetics in Cancer
- Cancer Therapeutics
Population and Evolutionary Genetics
- Genes in Populations and the Hardy-Weinberg Equation
- An Introduction to Microevolution
- Overview of Natural Selection
- Patterns of Natural Selection
- Genetic Drift
- Migration
- Nonrandom Mating
- Sources of New Genetic Variation
- Overview of Evolution
- Identification of Species and Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation
- Speciation
- Phylogenetic Trees
- Molecular Evolution
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Your score provides a percentage score and letter grade for each course. A passing percentage is 70% or higher.
Assignments for this course include:
- 4 Benchmarks
- 1 Final Exam
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- Basic computer skills
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Course Professor
Dr. Becca Schwartz-Mette
PhD
Dr. Rebecca Schwartz-Mette is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University at Buffalo (SUNY). She is a licensed clinical psychologist who provides assessment and intervention services to children, families, and adults. Her research focuses on the social context of adolescent psychopathology and training the next generation of psychologists.
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Students who enrolled also took:
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1st attempt pass rate: 96%
Avg Days to Complete: 29
3 credits
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A Head Start for Your Healthcare Career
Understanding genetics is key to personalized patient care. In Principles of Genetics, you’ll learn how genes influence human health and how to interpret that information to make better decisions in your healthcare career.
Why it matters:
- Healthcare is projected to add 1.8 million new jobs from 2022–2032, making it one of the fastest-growing industries.
- The median annual wage for a healthcare professional is well above average at $77,760 per year.
In-demand careers in this field include:
Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Physical Therapist Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Medical Assistant, Radiologic Technologist, Surgical Technologist, Paramedic/EMT
How this course sets you up for success:
Principles of Genetics will give you your foundation to understand how genetics impacts disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Gain the knowledge you need to stand apart and improve patient care.
Course included in Unlimited Plans
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