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Biol115 The Thread Of Life Description
Biol 115 deals with the nuts and bolts of life on earth. Throughout the
unit there is a single unifying theme - that all of the processes responsible
for life are derived from cells controlled by DNA. We'll show you that
DNA controls life by acting as a blueprint for the construction of proteins,
and that those proteins build cells which act as the basic physical units
of all life. To prove that to you, we'll start by talking about the structure
and function of DNA, showing how it can act as a simple code for the construction
of proteins. We’ll then describe how proteins are constructed from
the DNA code, and how those proteins can be used to build and maintain
cells. We'll also demonstrate that the DNA code is essentially immortal
because it can be copied from generation to generation, and from cell
to cell. Our point is that, at the level of DNA and proteins, the huge
diversity of life on this planet wasn't actually that difficult to generate.
A basic understanding of these ideas is essential to any modern biologist,
from botanists to biochemists. For instance, many studies of ecology now
rely on DNA technologies to determine the relationships between individuals
in populations. However, we're also well aware that not everyone wants
to specialize in cell and molecular biology, or biology in general. Because
of that, Biol 115 caters to all students regardless of their prior knowledge
or their specific aspirations. Information is presented in a variety of
ways (formal lectures, practical classes and tutorials) to accommodate
a broad array of students. Overall, our goal is to provide a friendly,
interactive environment in which students can develop their own understanding
of the topic.
