OCW Scholar: Fundamentals of Biology

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.