SEM VII (Major)

 

SEMESTER-VII 

Title of the Course : Environmental Science 

Nature of course :Major/Core-XVI 

Code : BOT-C-16 

Total Credits : 04 

Distribution of Marks : 100 [End: 60 (Theory: 45, Pract: 15), In: 40] Total classes : 60

Unit I: 09 classes 

Scope of ecology; concepts of ecological factors; Ecosystem dynamics and management: structure and function, energy flow concept, the productivity concept and methods of measurement of productivity; diversity, stability and complexity of ecosystem; nutrient cycling with special reference to carbon, nitrogen & phosphorus cycles.

Unit II: 09 classes 

Population dynamics: population attributes, biotic potential and environmental resistance, population growth forms, age structure, survivorship curves, population fluctuations, interactions and regulation of population; concept of ecological niche, fundamental and realized niche; niche width and overlap; concept of meta population, demes and dispersal. 

Unit III: 09 classes

Environmental degradation and management: Global environmental issues (deforestation, greenhouse effect, depletion of ozone layer); Concept of EIA; Use of GPS, GIS and remote sensing in environmental management. 

Unit IV: 09 classes

Sustainable Development Goals: India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change; concept of ecotoxicology; International agreements and programmes: Earth Summit, UNFCCC, Montreal and Kyoto protocols. 

Unit V: 09 classes

Environment legislation in India: Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Forest (Conservation) Act 1980; Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981; Environment Protection Act, 1986; Biological Diversity Act, 2002; Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 

Lab activities 

1. To record the atmospheric temperature, relative humidity (RH), light intensity. 

2. To study the physical and chemical characteristics of soil (C, N, content, base deficiency and pH of soil by rapid soil test method. 

3. To determine the minimum size and number of the quadrat necessary for sampling the flora and fauna by “species - area – curve” method. 

4. To determine the frequency, density and abundance of the primary producers of a grassland community by quadrat method. 

5. To determine the abundance and density of soil fauna.

6. To determine the standing crop biomass of a grassland ecosystem by harvest method. 

7. Basic exercise to Calculate and Assess carbon footprint/ Solid waste generation/ water consumption for a specific duration at individual/ family/ University/ locality level. 

8. Estimation of TS, TSS and TDS of water samples.

9. Estimation of Turbidity, acididy, alkalinity of water samples

Suggested readings: 

1. Concepts of Ecology-by E.J. Karmondy 

2. Ecology -by C. Krebs 

3. Ecology Work Book - by R. Misra. 

4. Environmental Chemistry-by A.K.Dey 

5. Fundamentas of Ecology - by E.P. Odum. 

6. General Animal Ecology by Ananthakrishnan, T.K.and T.R.Viswanathan (1978). 

7. Climate and Plant Distribution – Woodword 

8. Soil Conservation in India – Gupta & Whytri 

9. Tropical Ecosystems: Ecology & Management – Shing & Singh 

10. Field Biology and Ecology- Benthon & Weaver 

11. Environmental Pollution – S.M. Shafi. 

12. Remote Sensing – Sahu & Solanki 

13. Handbook of Agricullture – ICAR 

14. Modern Concept of Ecology-by H.D. Kumar 

15. Plant Ecology and Soil sciences-by Sukla and Sandal 

16. Population Ecology-by M. Begon & M. Mortimer. 

17. Practical methods in Plant Ecology and Environmetal Sciences- by R.K. Trivedy.

Title of the Course : Advanced Molecular Biology 

Nature of course :Major/ Core-XVII 

Code : BOT-C-17 

Total Credits : 04 Distribution of Marks : 100 [End: 60 (Theory: 45, Pract: 15), In: 40]

 Total classes : 60

Unit I:  09 classes

Genome organization and replication  Genome organisation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, Genome complexity: C-value paradox, Structural and regulatory genes; Enzymology of DNA replication, fidelity in replication, replication of single stranded circular DNA end replication problem, DNA synthesis by reverse transcriptase.

Unit II: 09 classes

Transcription and regulation of gene expression DNA-dependent synthesis of RNA, Regulatory elements, promoter, operators; Transcriptional regulation, positive and negative regulation, Regulation of transcription of lac, trp, and ara operons. Eukaryotic promoters and enhancers, General Transcription factors, Activators and repressors. RNA processing and splicing, exon shuffling, processing of tRNA, Transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene silencing, riboyme, RNA editing. Genetic imprinting, Regulatory RNAs: Ribo-switches, RNA interference, miRNA, siRNA 

Unit III: 09 classes

Protein synthesis and degradation  Genetic code and it features, the translation machinery, tRNA, ribosomes, composition and assembly. Mechanism of initiation, elongation and termination of protein biosynthesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes and its regulation, Co and Post-translational transport of proteins and its degradation, post-translational modification of proteins. 

Unit IV: 09 classes

DNA Repair and Recombination  Alteration in DNA molecule, repair of incorrect bases, DNA repair enzymes, repair of thymine dimers, recombination repair, SOS repair. Recombination: homologous and non- homologous recombination, site specific recombination, Holliday structure. 

Unit V: 09 classes

Basic methodologies of DNA and gene manipulation  Cutting, separating and visualising DNA, Southern blotting, foot printing, RFLP, DNA sequencing, polymerase chain reaction. 

Lab activities 

1. Estimation of RNA by orcinol method 

2. Estimation of DNA by diphenylamine method 

3. Isolation of DNA from biological samples. 

4. To perform Agarose gel electrophoresis for detection of DNA 

5. Calculate molecular mass of unknown DNA and protein fragments from gel pictures Restriction digestion analysis of DNA using agarose gel electrophoresis

Suggested Readings 

 Becker, W.M., Kleinsmith, L.J., Hardin. J. and Bertoni, G. P. (2009). The World of the Cell. VII Edition. Pearson Benjamin Cummings Publishing, San Francisco. 

 Bruce Alberts, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter Walter: Molecular Biology of the Cell, IV Edition. 

 Cooper G.M. and Robert E. Hausman R.E. The Cell:A Molecular Approach, V Edition, ASM Press and Sinauer Associates. 

 De Robertis, E.D.P. and De Robertis, E.M.F. (2006). Cell and Molecular Biology. VIII Edition. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia. 

 Karp, G. (2010) Cell and Molecular Biology: Concepts and Experiments. VI Edition. John Wiley and Sons.Inc. 

 Lewin B. (2008). Gene XI, Jones and Bartlett McLennanA., BatesA., Turner,P. and White M. (2015).Molecular Biology IV Edition. GS, Taylor and Francis Group, New York and London.

Title of the Course : Advanced Cell Biology and Genetics 

Nature of course : Major/Core-XVIII 
Code : BOT-C-18 
Total Credits : 04 
Distribution of Marks : 100 [End: 60 (Theory: 45, Pract: 15), In: 40] Total classes : 60

Unit-I: 07 classes

Membrane & Cytoskeleton:  Membrane structure and function: Molecular organization of plasma membrane; Membrane lipids & Membrane fluidity; Cytoskeletons elements (structure & function), dynamics of microfilaments, Role of actin & microtubule cytoskeleton in cell shape, intracellular motility, motor proteins, mitosis & locomotion, Functions of intermediate filaments. 

Unit-II: 12 classes

Cell communication, Cell cycle and Integration of cellular macromolecules  General principles of cell communication, cell adhesion and role of different adhesion molecules, gap junctions, extracellular matrix, integrins; Carriers & Channel Proteins; ATP driven pumps, Aquaporins, Ion channels and electrical properties of plasma membrane; neurotransmission and its regulation. Regulation of hematopoiesis Phases of cell cycle, checkpoints and regulators of cell cycle progression in eukaryotes, programmed cell death, autophagy, cellular senescence, fate of cells with regard to morphogen gradients, mechanisms of cell cycle regulation; Protein sorting and transport to the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi body and lysosomes; protein glycosylation within Golgi body and protein secretion.

Unit-III: 12 classes

Cell signaling & Cancer biology  Key concepts on cellular signaling mechanism; Receptors, G-proteins and GTPase cycle and its regulation, G-protein coupled receptors, signal transduction pathways, second messengers, regulation of signaling pathways; bacterial and plant two component systems, light signaling in plants, Role of Calcium and NO in signal transduction. Cancer: Genetic rearrangement in progenitor cells, oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes (pRB, p53, pAPC), cancer and the cell cycle, Oncogenesis; initiation, promotion, progression, cell behavior in oncogenesis, virus induced cancer, carcinogens, metastasis, interaction of cancer cell with normal cells, apoptosis, therapeutic intervention of uncontrolled cell growth. 

Unit-IV: 07 classes

Deviations of Mendelism  Deviations of Mendelism, Sex Determination, Sex related characters, Extranuclear inheritance, Significance of Crossing over. Mutation at molecular level, Spontaneous and Induced mutation, Mutagens & their action, DNA damage & repair. 

Unit-V: 07 classes

Population Genetics  Population Genetics: Importance of hardy Weinberg Equilibrium, Human genetics: Genetic disorders & Syndromes, Genetic counselling, Eugenics, euthenics, euphenics, HGP, Genomic library & Gene targeting. 

Lab activities 

1. Localization of neutral mucopolysaccharides in cell by periodic acid Schiff reaction. 

2. Localization of general lipid by Sudan Black B method. 

3. Study of cancer cells through permanent slides. 

4. Localization of metachromatic substances in cells by Toluidine blue/Congo red technique. 

5. Microtubules in vesicle transport in fish chromatophore. 

6. Assignment on cell communication and signaling. 

SUGGESTED READINGS 

• Molecular Biology of the Cell – Alberts B., Johnson A., Lewis J., Raff M., Roberts K., and Walter P. (Garland Science, 6th Edition, 2014) 

• Cell Biology – Pollard T.D., Earnshaw W.C., Lippincott-Schwartz J., and Johnson G.T. (Elsevier, 3rd Edition, 2016) • • The Cell: A Molecular Approach – Cooper G.M. and Hausman R.E. (Sinauer Associates, 7th Edition, 2018)

• Lodish Molecular Cell Biology – Lodish H., Berk A., Kaiser C.A., Krieger M., Bretscher A., Ploegh H., Amon A., and Martin K.C. (W.H. Freeman, 9th Edition, 2021) 

• Karp’s Cell Biology – Iwasa J., Marshall W., and Karp G. (Wiley, 9th Edition, 2023)

• Principles of Genetics – Snustad D.P. and Simmons M.J. (Wiley, 7th Edition, 2015)

• Genetics: Analysis and Principles – Brooker R.J. (McGraw Hill, 7th Edition, 2023)

• Concepts of Genetics – Klug W.S., Cummings M.R., Spencer C.A., and Palladino M.A. (Pearson, 12th Edition, 2018) 

• Principles of Population Genetics – Hartl D.L. and Clark A.G. (Sinauer Associates, 4th Edition, 2007) 

• Population Genetics – Hamilton M.B. (Wiley-Blackwell, 1st Edition, 2009)

Title of the Course : Research Methodology and Research Ethics 

Course Code : BOT-RM 
Nature of the Course : Compulsory 
Total Credits : 04 Distribution of Marks : 40 (IA) + 60 (END) = 100 
Total classes : 60 

Unit 1: Fundamentals of Research Methodology: Introduction to Research in Life Sciences, Types of Research: Basic, Applied, and Translational, Formulating Research Questions and Hypotheses, Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

Unit 2: Experimental Design, Data Collection and Analysis: Principles of Experimental Design, Sampling Techniques and Sample Size Determination, Data Collection Methods: Surveys, Observations, and Experiments, Use of Statistical Tools and Software. Data Analysis and Interpretation 

Unit 3: Research Ethics: Ethical Principles in Life Sciences Research, Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), Avoiding Plagiarism and Misconduct, Guidelines for Animal and Human Research. 

Unit 4: Publication Ethics and Communication: Writing Research Papers and Reports, Peer Review Process and Responding to Reviewers. Open Access Publishing and Predatory Journals. Presenting Research: Posters, Oral Presentations, and Conferences 

Suggested Readings:

• CSIR Guidelines for Ethics in Research and in Governance - CSIR (2019)

• Ethics in Science Education, Research and Governance- Kambadur Muralidhar, Amit Ghosh, Ashok Kumar Singhvi - INSA (2019)

• Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches by John W Creswell and J. David Creswell 

• Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners by Ranjit Kumar

• Research Methology : methods and techniques by CR Kothari & Gaurav Garg 

• Introducing Research Methodology: A Beginner′s Guide to Doing a Research Project by Uwe Flick