BIO 150: Course Introduction and What is Life?

Course Information and PoliciesOverview

  • Lecturer: Dr. Jamie Bunton

  • Office Hours: Mondays 1-2 PM, Tuesdays 10-11 AM, Thursdays 3-4 PM in Room 3345-3.

  • Lecturer's Research Example: PhD on field crickets fighting over territory; analyzing sounds during conflict.

Academic Policies

  • Course Notes: PDF on Canvas covers policies.

  • Textbook: Same as BIO 263. Opt-out via "My Materials" on Polylearn if already owned (deadline: September 29).

  • Lecture Homework: Short reading assignments (non-lecture content this week), focus on skimming headers and flowcharts.

  • Lecture Quizzes: Credit for attendance, password given at end of class (off-video), 30-minute window, accessible via Polylearn assignments. 85\% attendance grants 100\% participation points.

  • Labs: Start this week, bring a device for LabFlow. No pre-lab this week.

  • Communication: Use Cal Poly email (e.g.,
    YourCalPolyEmail@calpoly.edu), include "BIO 150" in emails, use professional language.

  • Academic Honesty:

    • Homework: Must be original work; no external sources (internet, chatbots, friends' work). Essential for personal learning and exam preparation.

    • Exams: No helpers (phones, notes). Cheating results in failing the entire class.

    • AI/Chatbots: Prohibited for submitting written work; hinders development of critical thinking and synthesis skills.

Strategies for Success

  • Goal Setting: Set goals that are specific, achievable, personal, positive, and have a deadline.

  • Professor's Goals: Provide foundational biological knowledge, cultivate learning skills, foster reflective practice.

  • Common Barriers: Reading comprehension of scientific texts, inadequate study methods.

  • Study Cycle: A scientifically proven method:

    1. Attend class & take active notes (in your own words).

    2. Review notes after class (identify unclear areas).

    3. Check understanding (quiz yourself, study groups).

    4. Preview upcoming class material (skim chapter headings).

  • Study Time: Allocate 2 hours per unit per week (e.g., 8-12 hours for a 4-unit class).

  • Phylogenies: Understanding phylogenies (next week's topic) is a critical foundation for the course.

  • Study Groups: Shown to boost test scores.

  • Active Study: Beyond rereading, create new summaries, tables, or drawings from memory. Flashcards are useful for definitions but insufficient for synthesis.

  • Workshops: Weekly sessions led by past high-achieving students, positively correlated with improved grades.

Defining Life

  • Biological Definition: No single universal definition; different textbooks and contexts (e.g., NASA) may vary.

  • Criteria for Life (Textbook's 5 Features):

    1. Acquires and Uses Energy:

      • Ecosystems primarily rely on sunlight (photosynthesis) or heat (hydrothermal vents).

      • Energy processed by cells (e.g., mitochondria).

    2. Is Composed of Cells:

      • All organisms consist of membrane-bound cells (phospholipid bilayer).

      • A cell is the smallest unit exhibiting all properties of life (first observed by Robert Hooke in 1665; living cells by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in 1674).

      • Cell Theory Implications:

        • All organisms are made of cells.

        • All cells originate from pre-existing cells (Louis Pasteur's experiment debunked spontaneous generation).

        • Cells in a single-celled population share common ancestry; all cells in multicellular organisms descend from a single zygote.

      • Benefits of Cellular Structure: Protection, specialization (multicellular), communication, regulation of internal conditions (e.g., pH, ion gradients).

    3. Is Capable of Replication (Reproduction):

      • Essential for perpetuating life.

      • Viruses: Not considered alive by these criteria because they are non-cellular, cannot reproduce independently, and hijack host cells for replication.

    4. Processes Information (Hereditary):

      • Genetic information is encoded in DNA and heritable (passed to offspring).

      • Human DNA is organized into 23 pairs of chromosomes, which code for traits.

      • DNA to Trait Pathway (Central Dogma):

        • DNA (double helix, nitrogenous base pairs: A-T, G-C) is transcribed into mRNA.

        • mRNA (single strand, uracil (U) replaces thymine (T)) is translated into proteins.

        • Three-letter codons on mRNA specify amino acids, forming a protein sequence.

      • Mutations: Permanent changes in DNA sequence.

        • Can have no effect (due to genetic code redundancy).

        • Can change protein structure without altering function.

        • Can alter protein function, leading to changes in traits (e.g., heterochromia).

        • Passed to offspring if occurring in gametes (sperm/egg).

        • The body has mechanisms to correct or eliminate cells with damaged DNA.