Rationale
This course focuses on the subset of bioinformatics concerned with genome analysis. For this topic to be of more general interest than working out a crossword puzzle, it is necessary to connect the sequences of genomes to the workings of whole organisms. To do this, you need to know molecular biology.

Many of you already have background in molecular biology. For those, a quick review by means of Problem Set 1 may be sufficient.

For the rest, I've provided a special web page introducing molecular biology, using material drawn from the course Molecular Biology Through Discovery. There will also be special scheduled sessions each week, led by the TA, to help you get up to speed. See the Who We Are page for time and place.

But for both groups, we will be moving on. The focus this semester is seeing molecular biology through the lens of genomes.

Investigations, Notes, and Tours
    Investigation: What is a Gene? and companion
    Reading and Tour:
Robert S. Fuller, Barbara E. Funnell, Arthur Kornberg
Cell (1984) 38:889-900
The dnaA Protein Complex with the E. coli Chromosomal Replication Origin (oriC) and Other DNA Sites
Companion
    Notes: Gene Regulation and Bacteriophage
    Reading and Tour:
Peter Lynge Madsen, Annette H Johansen, Karin Hammer, and Lone Brondsted
Journal of Bacteriology (1999) 181:7430-7438
The genetic switch regulating activity of early promoters of the temperate lactococcal bacteriophage TP901-1
Tour

Problem Set
    Problem Set 1: Review of Molecular Biology
    Problem Set 2: Molecular Investigations

To Hand In
    20 Jan, end of day*: Responses to questions from What is a Gene?
    24 Jan, end of day*: Problem Set 1
    31 Jan, end of day*: Problem Set 2

* (however you care to define it, within reason)