Objectives:

The course will impart knowledge and understanding of:

  • Cell division and its significance in cell cycl
  • Concepts and mechanisms of inheritance pattern, chromosome and gene linkage and molecular basics of genetics.
  • Animal behavior and communicati
  • Theories of evolution, gene flow and mechanism of evolution with reference to animal diversity.

Course Contents:

 

Cell Division:

Cell cycles: Mitosis and meiosis; control of the cell cycle.

Inheritance Patterns:

Mendelian genetics; inheritance patterns; gene, structure, chemical composition and types. Chromosomes and Gene Linkage: Eukaryotic chromosomes; linkage and crossing over; chromosomal aberrations.

Cellular Control:

DNA: the genetic material; DNA replication in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; control of gene expression in eukaryotes; gene mutation; recombinant DNA technologies and their applications.

Animal Behavior:

Behaviour and its types, proximate and ultimate causes; anthropomorphism; development of behavior; learning; factors controlling animal behavior; communication; behavioral ecology; social behavior.

Evolution: A Historical Perspective:

Theories of evolution: Natural selection Lamarckism and neo larmarckism, Darwinism and neo Darwinian.

Evolution and Gene Frequencies:

Hardy-Weinberg principle; evolutionary mechanisms: population size, genetic drift, gene flow, de Vries mutation theory and rates of evolution, polymorphism; species and speciation; molecular evolution; mosaic evolution.

Practicals

  • Study of mitosis in onion root ti
  • Study of meiosis in grasshopper testis (students should prepare the slide).
  • Problem based study of Mendelian ratio in animals.
  • Multiple alleles study in blood groups.
  • Survey study of a genetic factor in population and its frequency.
  • Study of karyotypes of Drosophila, mosquit
  • Study of cytochemical detection of DNA in protozoa and avian blood cell.
  • Study to demonstrate nervous or endocrine basis of behavior (conditioned reflex or aggression or parental behavior).
  • Study to demonstrate social behavior (documentary film be shown, honey bee, monkey group in a zoo).

Note for1-2: Prepared microscopic and/or projection slides and/or CD
ROM computer projections must be used).