Genes and Genomes: Fundamentals of Molecular Evolution
(Spring 2012)

Meret Oppenheim. 1936. "Object." fur covered cup, saucer, and spoon
Meret Oppenheim. 1936. "Object." Chinese gazelle (Procapra przewalskii) fur covered cup, saucer, and spoon

Lecture and Exam Schedule

Powerpoint Presentations

  1. Administrative Stuff
  2. What is Molecular Evolution?
  3. Evolution as a Play
  4. A Short History of DNA
  5. DNA and RNA
  6. Proteins and Translation
  7. Mutation
  8. Dynamics of Genes in Populations
  9. Weak Forces of Evolution
  10. Selection
  11. Introduction to Probability
  12. Random Genetic Drift
  13. Gene Substitution
  14. Genetic Variability
  15. Mutationism, Neutralism, Selectionism
  16. Evolutionary Change in Nucleotide Sequences
  17. Number of Substitutions between two Protein-Coding Genes
  18. Alignment of amino-acid and nucleotide sequences
  19. Molecular Evolutionary Analysis
  20. Rates of Mutation
  21. Substitution Rates
  22. Functional Constraint
  23. Positive Darwinian Selection
  24. Male Driven Evolution
  25. Patterns of Nucleotide Substitution
  26. Codon Usage
  27. Iconography of Evolution
  28. Clocks
  29. Introduction to Phylogenetics
  30. Phylogenetic Terminology
  31. Methods of Phylogenetic Reconstruction
  32. Processing and Testing of Phylogenetic Trees
  33. Human Phylogeny
  34. Cetacean Phylogeny
  35. Molecular Archeology
  36. Early Divergence Events
  37. Segmental, Componential, and Contextual Changes
  38. Gene duplication
  39. Polyploidy
  40. Concerted Evolution
  41. Domains and Internal Gene Duplication
  42. Intelligent and Unintelligent Design
  43. Molecular Tinkering
  44. Transposable Elements
  45. SINEs and LINEs
  46. Gabriel Germain Joncherie. ca. 1829-1844. "Still Life of Eggs Cooking on a Stove." Oil on canvas

    Glossary of Terms

    Tim Noble and Sue Webster. 2007. "Metal Fucking Rats with Shaped Tail(Version 1)." Welded scrap metal and light projector