The objective of this course is to introduce neophyte students to the basic concepts of biology, from the description of the organic molecules that constitute life and their structuring at the cellular level, to cell division and Mendel's laws, via the major metabolic cycles. Biotechnology concepts are also covered. A description of bacteria and viruses concludes the course.
The objective of the general biology course is to introduce neophyte students to the basic concepts of biology. The second part of the course focuses largely on cell division in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, the expression and transmission of genetic information, from viruses to eukaryotes. A chapter dedicated to the study of viruses and bacteria is also included.
The General Biology course for the first year of the Bachelor's degree in Chemistry consists of a general introduction to biology which does not require any pre-requisites and whose support is constituted by the first 593 pages of the Biology textbook by N.A. CAMPBELL and J.B. REECE, published by Pearson Education for its ninth French edition.
Chapter 12: The Cell Cycle + Chapter 16: DNA Replication
- The Two Challenges of Mitotic Division
- DNA Replication
- Mitosis Itself
- The Role of Microtubules
- Cytokinesis
Chapter 13: Meiosis and Sexual Development Cycles
- The karyotype
- Meiosis and fertilization alternate in sexual development cycles
- Meiosis itself
- Comparison of mitosis and meiosis
Chapter 14: Mendel and the concept of genes
- The laws of heredity
- Generalization to more complex cases
- Heredity of diseases in humans
Chapter 15: The chromosomal basis of heredity
- The location of genes on chromosomes
- Linked genes
- Sex-linked genes
Chapter 17: From gene to protein
- Transcription
- Precursor mRNA maturation
- Genetic code
- tRNAs
- Translation
Chapters 27 + 18: Prokaryotes and viruses
- Prokaryotes: ultrastructure
- Metabolism, symbiosis, pathogenesis
- Viruses
- Phage replication cycle
- Virus replication cycle in eukaryotic cells
- Retrovirus replication cycle, including enveloped retroviruses
Chapter 20: Biotechnology
- Gene cloning
- PCR
Chapters 23 + 24: The origin of species and evolution
The course is lectured and interactive as much as possible. It is illustrated by numerous drawings on the board. A summary of the course, in the form of power point slides, is presented during the course and is available on webcampus.
At the end of the year, students take an oral examination. They draw a card with four questions related to the content of the course. Preparation: the student prepares a framework for answering the questions asked. He/she has 1 to 2 hours for this. Five students enter the room at the beginning of each half-day of questioning. Seven to eight students may be preparing for the exam simultaneously in the same room. If the student encounters a difficulty in the interpretation of a question, he/she is invited to inform the teacher and even, in the event that a specific piece of information does not come back to his/her memory, to ask the teacher to answer the question on the "substance". The oral examination may last about fifteen minutes. The mark obtained by the student during the theoretical examination counts for 16 points out of 20 and the mark obtained for the overall evaluation of the practical work for 4 points out of 20. The practical training mark is not included in the calculation of the second session average. Participation in the practical work is a condition for access to the examination.
Biologie from N.A. CAMPBELL & J.B. REECE, edited by Pearson Education
| Training | Study programme | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Chemistry | Standard | 0 | 4 | |
| Bachelor in Chemistry | Standard | 1 | 4 |