ZOOL 301: Principles of Ecology
Theory
Introduction to ecology, evolutionary ecology, environmental concepts – laws and limiting factors, ecological models. Characteristics of population, population size and exponential growth, limits of population growth, population dynamics, life history pattern, fertility rate and age structure. Competition and coexistence, intra-specific and inter-specific interactions, scramble and contest competition model, mutualism and commensalism, prey-predator interactions.Theory
Nature of ecosystem, production, food webs, energy flow through ecosystem, biogeochemical cycles, resilience of ecosystem, ecosystem management. The biosphere, biomes and impact of climate on biomes.
Environmental Stresses and their management, global climatic pattern, global warming, atmospheric ozone, acid and nitrogen deposition, coping with climatic variations. Major classes of contaminants. Uptake, biotransformation, detoxification, elimination and accumulation of toxicants. Factors influencing bioaccumulation from food and trophic transfer. Pesticides and other chemical in agriculture , industry and hygiene and their disposal. Impact of chemicals on biodiversity of microbes, animals and plants. Bioindicator and biomarkers of environmental health. Biodegradation and bioremediation of chemicals.
Biodiversity – assessment, conservation and management, biodiversity act and related international conventions. Sustainable development, natural resource management in changing environment. Molecular ecology, genetic analysis of single and multiple population, phylogeography, molecular approach to behavioural ecology, conservation genetics.
Suggested Literature:
1. Field Sampling: Principles and Practices in Environmental Analysis, Conklin, A.R. Jr., (2004), CRC Press.
2. Principles and Standards for Measuring Primary Production, Fahey, T.J. and Knapp, A.K., (2007), Oxford University Press, UK
3. Ecological Modeling, Grant, W.E. and Swannack, T.M., (2008), Blackwell.
4. Fundamental Processes in Ecology: An Earth system Approach, Wilkinson, D.M., (2007), Oxford University Press, UK
ZOOL 301: Principles of Ecology
Practicals
Habitat studies:
Practicals
Habitat studies:
2. Assessing influence of light, temperature and moisture on plant germination and growth/animal behavior and growth.
3. Assessing influence of soil nutrient status on plant germination and growth.
Community/ecosystem studies:
1. Assessment of density, frequency and abundance of plants/animal in a community using various techniques i.e. transect, quadrate etc.
2. Comparison of stands/communities and ordination.
3. Profile diagrams.
4. Biomass and reproductive allocation under various environments.
5. Nutrient uptake and budget for various communities/Food chain assessment.
6. Decomposition of various organic matters and nutrient release mechanisms/role of arthropods and other micro-, and macrofauna in decomposition.
7. Understanding ecosystem succession by studying various stages of vegetation/community assemblages development.
8. Molecular techniques in laboratory.
9. Insect diversity in soil.
Landscape studies:
1. Principles of GIS, GPS and RS technology.
2. Interpretation (visual and automated) of remote sensing information for landscape differentiation.
ZOOL 302: Computational Biology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Theory
Basic components of computers– hardware (CPU, input, output, storage devices), Software (operating systems), Application software; Introduction to MSEXCEL- use of worksheet to enter data, edit data, copy data, move data; Use of in- built statistical functions for computations of mean, S. D., correlation, regression coefficients etc., Use of bar diagram, histogram, scatter plots, etc., Graphical tools in EXCEL for presentation of data; Introduction to MS- WORD word processor- editing, copying, moving, formatting, table insertion, drawing flow charts etc; Introduction to Power Point, image and data handling.
Biostatistics- population, sample, variable, parameter, primary and secondary data, screening and representation of data, frequency distribution, tabulation, bar diagram, histograms, pie diagram, mean, median, mode, quartiles and percentiles, variance, standard deviation, coefficient of variation; Probability and distributions- definition of probability (frequency approach), independent events. Addition and multiplication rules, conditional probability, examples- bernoulli, binomial, poisson and normal distributions; bivariate data- scatter plot, correlation coefficient (r), properties (without proof), interpretation of r, linear regression: Fitting of lines of regression, regression coefficient, coefficient of determination; hypothesis, critical region, and error probabilities, tests for proportion, equality of proportions, equality of means of normal populations when variances known and when variances are unknown: chi-square test for independence, P- value of the statistic, confidence limits, introduction to one way and two- way analysis of variance.
The era of computerized biology information, review of relevant definitions in molecular biology, overview of challenges of molecular biology computing, proteins, secondary structure and folding, RNA secondary structures, introduction to phylogenetic analysis; introduction to bioinformatics; introduction to genomics and proteomics databases- nucleic acid sequence database: Genbank, UCSC, ENSEMBL, EMBL, DDBJ, protein sequence databases: Swiss- prot, PDB, BLAST, PSI- BLAST (steps involved in use and interpretation of results) and HMMER, BLAST vs FASTA, file formats- FASTA, GCG and ClustalW.
Databank search- data mining, data management and interpretation, multiple sequence alignment, genes, primer designing; Protein modeling, protein structure analysis, docking, ligplot interactions, phylogenetic analysis with the program PHYLIP, DISTANCES, GROWTREE etc.; introduction to computational genomics and proteomics- basics of
designing a microarray, image analysis and normalization, annotations, protein prediction tools- protein secondary structure, molecular modeling, identification and characterization of protein mass fingerprint, world- wide biological databases, Introduction to programming languages such as “C”.
Suggested Literature:
1. Principles of Biostatistics, Pagano M., Gauvreau, K, (2000), Duxbury Press, USA
2. Bioinformatics for Dummies, Claverie J. M., Notredame C., (2nd Ed., 2007), Wiley Publishing, Inc., New York, USA
3. Bioinformatics: Sequence and Genome Analysis, Mount, D. W. (2nd Ed., 2001), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York, USA
ZOOL 302: Computational Biology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Practicals
1. Use of excel sheet for data processing.
2. Use of search engines like Scopus, Science direct for reference material collection and management.
3. Nucleic acid and protein sequence databases.
4. Data mining for sequence analysis.
5. Web– based tools for sequence searches and homology screening.
6. Primer designing for gene amplification and gene cloning.
7. Annotations: ORF finder, Use of ARTEMIS or any other suitable software.
8. Construction of phylogenetic trees for DNA and proteins.
9. Introduction to microarray technology.
10. Identification of peptide finger print by nano LC- MS/MS and database search using MASCOT and OMSSA.
ZOOL 303: Biology of Parasitism
Theory
Theory
Introduction to parasitology; animal associations and host – parasite relationship; distribution of diseases and Zoolnosis caused by animal parasites; morphology, life-cycle, mode of infection of Plasmodium, molecular biology of Plasmodium – drug targets, mechanism of drug resistance, vaccine strategies and proteomic approaches; morphology, life-cycle, mode of infection of Leishmania, molecular biology of Leishmania – drug targets, drug resistance and vaccine strategies.
Morphology, biology, life-cycle, mode of infection of Entamoeba, morphology, biology, life-cycles, mode of infection of Giardia; gastro-intestinal nematodes, morphology, biology, life-cycles, modes of entry of Schistosoma, Wuchereria, Brugia, Ancylostoma, Trichinella and Dracanculus; molecular biology of nematodes, vaccine strategies.
Immune response and self-defense mechanisms, immune evasion and biochemical adaptations of parasites; parasites of veterinary importance.
Parasites of insects and their significance; nematode parasites of plants, morphology, biology, lifecycle and infection of crop plants by plant parasitic nematodes, plant parasitic nematodes, host parasite interactions.
Suggested Literature:
1. Foundations of Parasitology, Roberts L.S. and Janovy J., McGraw-Hill Publishers, New York, USA.
2. Modern Parasitology: A Textbook of Parasitology, FEG Cox., Wiley-Blackwell, U. K.
ZOOL 303: Biology of Parasitism
Practicals
Practicals
1. Study of prepared slides and museum specimens of selected parasites of representative groups of protozoans, helminths and arthropods.
2. Demonstration of in vitro culture of Plasmodium, infection of mice with Plasmodium, chasing the process of infection by histopathology and immune reactions.
3. Culturing insect parasitic nematode, and chasing the lifecycle of the nematode on the insect host.
4. Culturing an insect parasitoid and studying their infection on an insect host.
5. Studying the infection of tomato plant by root knot nematode.
ZOOL 304: Chronobiology
Theory
Theory
Milestones in clock research; Chronobiology in 21st century; Evolution of biological timing system; Clocks, genes and evolution; Adaptive functional significance of biological clocks. tudying biological clocks; Biological Rhythms - Ultradian, Tidal/ Lunar, Circadian and Circannual rhythms; Temperature effects and compensation; Perception of natural zeitgeber signals; Geophysical environment - Seasons; proximate and ultimate factors.
Entrainment, masking and zeitgeber cycles; parametric and non-parametric entrainment; Entrainment models; Phase shift, Phase response curves (PRC) and phase transition curves (PTC); Organization of circadian system in multicellular animals; Concept of central and peripheral clock system; Circadian pacemaker system in invertebrates with particular reference to Drosophila; Circadian pacemaker system in vertebrates with particular reference to rodents; Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) as the main vertebrate clock; concept of core and shell.
Diversity and complexity of the clock system; Melatonin: Input or output signal of the clock system; Molecular Biology of the circadian pacemaker system: Experiments in the generation of models for the feedback loop comprising the clock, Pre-molecular genetics era, Generic core circadian feedback loop; Molecular clockworks in Cyanobacteria, Neurospora, Drosophila and mammals; Cellular and molecular bases of Entrainment.
Photoreception and photo-transduction; The physiological clock and measurement of day length; Role of photic and non-photic cues in seasonality; Reversal of roles of principal and supplementary cues; Evolution of photoperiodism: comparative studies; Circannual rhythms and seasonality; Molecular bases of seasonality; The relevance of biological clocks for human welfare - Clock function (dysfunction); Human health and diseases - Chronopharmacology, chronomedicine, chronotherapy.
Suggested Literature:
1. Chronobiology Biological Timekeeping: Jay. C. Dunlap, Jennifer. J. Loros, Patricia J. DeCoursey (ed). 2004, Sinauer Associates, Inc. Publishers, Sunderland, MA, USA
2. Insect Clocks D.S. Saunders, C.G.H. Steel, X., afopoulou (ed.)R.D. Lewis. (3rd Ed) 2002 Barens and Noble Inc. New York, USA
3. Biological Rhythms: Vinod Kumar (ed 2002) Narosa Publishing House, Delhi/ Springer-Verlag, Germany.
ZOOL 304: Chronobiology
Practicals
Practicals
1. Assay of circadian rhythms using animal model systems.
2. Assay of circadian activity rhythms in human.
3. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and circadian analysis.
4. Quantifying oscillations: phase, period and amplitude.
5. Dry lab exercises on the previously recorded data.
6. Recording of body temperature (Tb) of human.
7. Experiments demonstrating the photoperiodic clock.
ZOOL 305: Proteins- Structure, Functions and Evolution
Theory
Theory
Chemical foundation of biology- concepts of pH, pKa, buffer, acidity and basicity, reaction kinetics and mechanism, affinity, equilibrium, natural products and their physiological and pharmacological importance; types of macromolecules and their general properties, proteins as mediators of all physiological and behavioural processes, proteins as inter-cellular communication signals and signal recognition mediators, chemical properties of proteins, structural organization of proteins and its importance for biological functions, separation techniques and protein science, genetic origin of protein sequences, co- and post translational modifications of proteins, protein ligand interactions.
Enzyme catalysis and allosterism, structure-function relationships in antibodies, proton pumps, ion channels and membrane receptors, structural motifs and functional domains proteins-biosynthesis, storage, secretion and circulatory half-life, protein degradation and intracellular lifespan.
Extracellular matrix proteins and proteglycans, glycoproteins and glycobiology, super molecular assemblies involving proteins (multi- nzyme complexes), nucleic acids (chromatin) and lipids (chylomicrons).
Protein data bases, protein functions and structural domains, convergent and divergent evolution of protein structure and functions; protein engineering, protein denaturation and folding, genetic disorders affecting functional proteins, protein pathology and prions; immobizied enzymes and enzyme technology.
Suggested Literature:
1. Proteins-Structure and Molecular Properties, Creighton T.E., Freeman Company New York, USA
2. Introduction to protein structure, Braden and Tooze, Garland Publishing, London, U K
3. Biochemistry, Voet D., AND J. G. Voet, Jon Wiley and Sons Inc., USA
ZOOL 305: Proteins-Structure, Functions and Evolution
Practicals
Practicals
2. Determination of N-terminal amino acid by the Sanger’s reagent (FDNB).
3. Peptide mapping by 2-D electrophoresis.
4. Paper chromatographic separation of aminoacids.
5. Estimation of helix content in proteins.
6. Chemical modification of Tyrosine, Arginine and Cysteine in proteins.
7. Determination of molecular mass of proteins by SDS-PAGE.
8. Deamidation of protein in alkaline medium and measurement of released ammonia.
9. Ligand binding to protein and determination of Kd value.
10. Kinetic analysis of L-glonate dehydrogenase activity by UV-spectrophotometer.
11. Crystallization of a protein.
12. Estimation of tryptophan content by spectrophotometry.
13. Protein Kinase action and estimation of phospho serine content.
14. Biosynthesis of protein-metabolic labeling by radiolabelled amino acid.
15. Microhetrogeneity in proteins-separation of charge isoforms by ion-exchange chromatography.
16. Measurement of any one hydrodynamic property of a protein.
17. Bioinformatic analysis of protein sequences.
18. Protein unfolding analysis by fluorescence measurements on tryptophan.
19. Solution NMR analysis of a tripeptide.
20. Quantitative precipitin test and estimation of number of antigenic epitopes.
21. Immobilization of an active protein– a study.
ZOOL 306: Structure and Function of Genes
Theory
Theory
Structure of nucleic acids- structure of nucleic acids, folding motifs, conformation flexibilities, denaturation, renaturation, kinetics of hybridization, super-coiling of DNA, packaging of DNA in the nucleus, structure of chromatin, chromatin territories. Genetic material and its evolution- structure and function relationships, evolution of genetic material, genes and genomes.
DNA replication, recombination and repair- energetics of nucleic acid polymerization, accuracy during flow of genetic information, DNA polymerases, proof- eading activity, errors and damage in the DNA, mechanism of DNA repair; genome instability; transcriptional control of gene expression- positive and negative regulations, RNA polymerases, promoters and regulatory sequences, activators and repressors of transcription, transcription initiation by RNA polymerases, regulation of transcription-factor activity, elongation and termination of transcription.
Post-transcriptional gene control and nuclear transport- ypes of introns and their splicing, evolution of introns, catalytic RNA, alternative splicing and proteome diversity, regulation of Pre-mRNA Processing, micro RNA and other non-coding RNAs, degradation of RNA.
Transport across the nuclear envelope and stability of RNA- structure of nuclear membrane and nuclear pore complexes, processes of nuclear import and export and their regulation, degradation of RNA. Translational machinery and translational control -energetics of amino acid polymerization, tRNAs and their modifications, aminoacyl tRNA synthetases, accuracy during aminoacylation of tRNA, regulation of initiation of translation in eukaryotes, elongation and its control, inhibitors of translations.
Suggested Literature:
1. Molecular Biology of the Gene, Watson et al.,(5th Ed. 2004), Pearson Education, Delhi, INDIA
2. Genes IX, Lewin, (9TH Edition 2008), Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Boston, USA
ZOOL 306: Structure and Function of Genes
Practicals
Practicals
a. Familiarization with sterile-handling techniques for growth of bacteria, such as sterilization, growth media, types of culture etc.
b. Isolations of genomic DNA from bacteria and mouse/rat liver.
c. Measurement of absorption-spectrum of DNA, RNA, and nucleotides.
d. Studies on denaturation of DNA and determination of Tm and calculation of G:C content.
e. Studies on stability of DNA and RNA towards alkali.
2 Studies on regulation of gene-expression in bacteria
a. Studies on growth curve of E.coli in synthetic medium and calculation of log-phase for metabolic experiments.
b. Studies on induction of lac-operon.
c. Studies on catabolite repression of lac-operon and role of cAMP.
3. Generation and selection of mutants for lac-operon, calculation of mutation-frequency.
ZOOL 307: Animal Behaviour
Theory
Theory
Introduction - definition, historical out line, patterns of behaviour, objectives of behaviour, mechanism of behaviour, asking questions. Reflexes- reflex action, types of reflexes, reflex arch, characteristics of reflexes and complex behaviour. Orientation primary and secondary orientation; kinesis – orthokinesis, klinokinesis; taxis – different kinds of taxis; sun-compass orientation, dorsal- light reaction.
Eusociality, social organization in honey bee, polyphenism and its neural control, flower recognition, displacement and translocation experiment, various type of communications, production of new queen and hive, swarming, honey bee as super organism. Fixed action pattern: mechanism, deprivation experiment, controversies. FAP- characteristics and evolutionary features. Learning and instincts: conditioning, habituation, sensitization, reasoning.
Innate releasing mechanisms: key stimuli, stimulus filtering, supernormal stimuli, open and closed IRM, mimetic releaser, code breakers. Homeostasis and behaviour: motivational system, physiological basis of motivation, control of hunger drive in blow fly and thirst drive in goat, role of hormone, motivational conflict and decision making, displacement activity, models of motivation, measuring motivation. Hormones and pheromones influencing behaviour of animals.
Altruism – reciprocal altruism, group selection, kin selection and inclusive fitness, cooperation, alarm call. Parental care, parental manipulation, evolutionarily stable strategy, cost benefit analysis of parental care with suitable case studies. Sexual selection: intra sexual selection (male rivalry), inter-sexual selection (female choice), infanticide, sperm competition, mate guarding, sexual selection in human, consequences of mate choice for female fitness, monogamous verses polygamous sexual conflict.
Suggested Literature:
1. Mechanism of Animal Behaviour, Peter Marler and J. Hamilton; John Wiley & Sons, USA
2 Animal Behaviour, David McFarland, Pitman Publishing Limited, London, UK
3 Animal Behaviour, John Alcock, Sinauer Associate Inc., USA
4 Perspective on Animal Behaviour, Goodenough, McGuire and Wallace, John Wiley & Sons, USA
5 Exploring Animal Behaviour, Paul W. Sherman & John Alcock, Sinauer Associate Inc. ,Massachusetts, USA
6 An Introduction to Animal Behaviour, A. Manning and M.S Dawkins, Cambridge University Press, UK
ZOOL 307: Animal Behaviour
Practicals
2. To study the geotaxis behaviour of earthworm.
3. To study the orientational responses of 1st instar noctuid larvae to photo stimuli.
4. To study the median threshold concentration of sucrose solution in eliciting feeding responses of housefly.
5. To study the orientational responses of larvae to volatile and visual stimuli.
ZOOL 308: Comparative Endocrine Physiology
Theory
Theory
Concept of endocrinology: introduction to the endocrine system, classes of hormones, modes of hormone secretion. Phylogeny of endocrine system. Endocrine control of various physiological mechanisms in nemerteans, annelids, mollusks, arthropods (Insects and crustaceans) and echinodermates.
Comparative aspects of endocrine physiology in vertebrates. Evolution of pituitary gland; Physiological actions of pituitary hormones. Urophysis and action of its hormone(s). Evolution of discrete adrenal gland; Synthesis of corticosteroid, structural diversity of glucocorticoids among vertebrates, role of glucocorticoid in gluconeogenesis; Evolution of renin-angiotensin system, hormonal control of water and electrolyte balance; Catecholamine biosynthesis, its storage and release mechanism, physiological actions of adrenal medullary hormones; Importance of adrenocortical and adrenomedullary interaction.
Evolution of thyroid gland. Thyroid hormone synthesis and its regulation, paradigms of thyroid hormone action in poikilotherms and homeotherms. A comparative account of parathyroid gland and ultimobranchial body/C cells, synthesis of parathyroid hormone, calcitonin and of vitamin D3; benthic organisms and source of vitamin D; hormonal regulation of calcium and phosphate homeostasis.
Hormonal control of feeding behaviour and gastrointestinal tract functioning including acid release, gall bladder contraction and relaxation, pancreatic enzyme secretion, and GI tract motility; Pancreatic hormones and glucose homeostasis; hormones, vitellogenesis and the evolution of viviparity.
Suggested literature:
1. Comparative Vertebrate Endocrinology, Bentley, P. J., Cambridge University Press, UK
2. Vertebrate Endocrinology, Norris D. O., Elsevier Academic Press,
3. Hand Book of Physiology, American Physiological Society, Oxford University Press, Section 7: Multiple volumes set.
4. The Insects: Structure and Function, Chapman, F.R., The English Language Book Society (ELBS) and The English Universities Press Ltd.
5. The Principles of Insect Physiology Wigglesworth, V. B., ELBS and Chapman and Hall.
ZOOL 308: Comparative Endocrine Physiology
Practicals
Practicals
2. Effect of hormone mimic on the metamorphosis and other bio-characteristics of lepidopteran insect (e.g., Spodoptera litura).
3. Dissection of endocrine system in crustaceans (neurohaemal organ).
4. Annelids (Earthworm brain/CNS) and mollusks (Brain/Optic glands in Octopus).
5. Pituitary cytology: a comparative study following histology, histochemistry and immunocytochemistry.
6. Adrenalectomy in rat.
7. Effect of adrenalectomy on glycogen assay.
8. Effect of metyrapone and saline administration on adrenal cortex following light microscopy.
9. Thyroidectomy in rats.
10. Effect of thyroidectomy and thyroid hormone replacement therapy on ecdysis and testicular functions in reptiles.
11. Steroid and thyroid hormone assay by ELISA.
12. Calcium estimation following fluorometry in PTH/Calcitriol treated rats.
13. Effect of orexigenic and anorexigenic hormones on feeding behaviour of rats.
14. Induction of vitellogenesis in a seasonally breeding non-mammalian vertebrate.
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SEMESTER I SEMESTER II
