OCW Scholar: Fundamentals of Biology

A teaching assistant explains the process of transformation and protein expression, using the example of human insulin expressed in bacterial cells.

A teaching assistant explains the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and examples of its common uses.

A teaching assistant works through a practice problem on pedigree charts.

A teaching assistant explains how to construct genomic libraries and cDNA libraries.

A teaching assistant works through a practice problem on transcription and translation.

A teaching assistant explains the lac operon, using props to demonstrate how the lactose metabolism machinery works.

A teaching assistant works through a practice problem on Complementation.

A teaching assistant explains the concept of complementation using knitting needles and yarn to demonstrate.

A teaching assistant explains the numbering and labeling conventions of nucleic acids and proteins.

Professor Lander continues with the discussion of DNA Sequencing technologies, methods of analyzing DNA sequencing data, and the process of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and its applications.

Professor Lander explains methods of analyzing a gene of interest after it has been cloned.

Professor Lander reviews the process of constructing a DNA library, and then discusses how to analyze and use the information in the library.

Professor Sive introduces macromolecules, and discusses the structures, properties, and functions of lipids and carbohydrates.

A teaching assistant goes over a practice problem on lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids.

Professor Lander uses the human beta globin gene as an example to discuss methods of cloning a human gene in bacterials cells.

A teaching assistant goes over a practice problem on covalent bonds, chirality, electronegativity, and hydrogen bonds.

Professor Walker discusses the chemical forces that are important for the structure and function of biomolecules, and how these properties influence the characteristics of key macromolecules.

Professor Sive discusses the chemical reactions within a cell by explaining the rules underlying energy use, how enzymes and catalysts work, and how ATP is used in cells.

Professor Walker explains the process of photosynthesis, its evolutionary significance, and the structure of chloroplasts.

Professor Walker gives an overview of glycolysis, respiration, and fermentation, and how cells use the energy from these processes.

Professor Lander discusses variations in the processes of DNA replication, transcription, and translation among eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and viruses.

Professor Walker explains the categories of amino acids, the levels of protein structure, the bonds and forces in each level, and how they can influence protein structure.

Professor Jacks discusses the methods of recombinant DNA technology, Genetic engineering, and biotechnology, and their applications to understanding and treating disease at the molecular level.

Professor Lander continues discussing the central dogma of molecular biology, and explains the process of translation.

Professor Sive discusses proteins, their characteristics and functions, as well as composition and structure.

Professor Lander explains DNA Replication, the functions of the enzymes involved, and how problems that arise during replication are addressed.

Professor Sive discusses nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, the structures and properties of nucleotides, base-pairing, and the importance of DNA structure.

Professor Lander explains review the differences between DNA and RNA, and explains the process of transcription.

Professor Walker introduces concepts in biochemistry, including cell composition, proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids

Professor Lander discusses the process of transformation, using plasmids and E. Coli bacteria, constructing a library of bacterial cells, regulating the lengths of DNA fragments, finding a desired gene.

Professor Lander discusses the development of cloning, and recombinant DNA technologies.

Professor Lander explains restriction enzymes and how they are used in recombinant DNA technologies.

Professor Lander recaps Mendel's experiments, then discusses Mendel's Second Law versus the Chromosome Theory, and Drosophila (fruitfly) genetics and recombination

Professor Lander discusses the experiments of Griffiths, Avery, Hersh and Chase, discovering DNA as the hereditary material, Watson, Crick, and Franklin, the double helix structure of DNA, Chargaff's rules, and Meselson and Stahl.

Professor Lander discusses DNA ligation, the role of the enzyme ligase, and using vectors and E. Coli bacteria to replicate a sequence of DNA.

Professor Lander discusses the semi-conservative replication model, and explains the density centrifugation process.

In this lecture clip, Eric Lander discusses Mendel's second law, independent assortment, and then explains the discovery of chromosomes, mitosis, and meiosis.

Professor Lander introduces the study of Biology, discusses the different levels of organization of life, important dates in the history of life, and the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

In this lecture clip, Eric Lander discusses Mendel's experiments with pea plants.