Part I Chemistry and genetics: the Mendelian view of the world; nucleic acids convey genetic information; the importance of weak chemical interactions; the importance of high energy bonds; weak and strong bonds determine macromolecular interactions. Part II Central dogma: the structures of DNA and RNA; chromatin and the nucleosome; the replication of DNA; the mutability and repair of DNA; site specific recombination and transposition of DNA; mechanisms of transcription; the processing of RNA; translation; the genetic code. Part III Regulation: gene regulation in prokaryotes; gene regulation in eukaryotes; gene regulation in development; comparative genomics and the evolution of animal diversity. Part IV Methods: techniques of molecular biology; model systems - cells and viruses.
