Introduction To Unit 3 - Important Topics To Study
CSIR NET Life Sciences Unit 3 includes basic concepts of Biology, Fundamentals which can really screw up your exam, dare not to ignore them.
Unit 3 – The most common choice of almost all students: Molecular Biology. A very apt unit to start your preparation with, as gene expression basics are required almost in every unit. Questions from this unit have no deviations from the syllabus, are to the point and very subject specific. So ensure you should prepare each topic mentioned in the syllabus well, in as much detail possible, with emphasis on the below-mentioned topics.
UNIT 3. FUNDAMENTAL PROCESSES
A) DNA replication, repair and recombination (Unit of replication, enzymes involved, replication origin and replication fork, fidelity of replication, extrachromosomal replicons, DNA damage and repair mechanisms, homologous and site-specific recombination).
B) RNA synthesis and processing (transcription factors and machinery, formation of initiation complex, transcription activator and repressor, RNA polymerases, capping, elongation, and termination, RNA processing, RNA editing, splicing, and polyadenylation, structure and function of different types of RNA, RNA transport).
C) Protein synthesis and processing (Ribosome, formation of initiation complex, initiation factors and their regulation, elongation and elongation factors, termination, genetic code, aminoacylation of tRNA, tRNA-identity, aminoacyl tRNA synthetase, and translational proof-reading, translational inhibitors, Post- translational modification of proteins).
D) Control of gene expression at transcription and translation level (regulating the expression of phages, viruses, prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes, role of chromatin in gene expression and gene silencing).
Important Topics to be studied From CSIR NET Unit 3
- Individual stages of the processes (initiation, elongation, termination) and the components involved (like enzymes, activators, inhibitors, repressors)
- DNA Replication: Meselson Stahl Experiment, prokaryotic and eukaryotic replication, different types of DNA polymerases and their specific functions.
- Telomere Replication
- DNA damage, mutations, and all types of repair pathways ( common with Unit 8), Homologous and site-specific recombination.
- RNA Transcription: Transcription factors in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, RNA polymerase, machinery, initiation complex formation, capping, polyadenylation, types of RNA splicing – spliceosome components, RNA editing.
- Types of RNA –structure, and function.
- Protein Synthesis – Ribosomes and initiation and elongation factors involved, Aminoacyl tRNA synthetases, codons, anticodons, various post-translational modifications detailed processes.
- Gene regulation in eukaryotes – Phage gene regulation – Lytic and lysogenic phases and genes expressed.
- Gene silencing methods, RNAi
REFERENCE BOOKS For CSIR NET UNIT 3
- Molecular Biology of the Gene by James D. Watson
- Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry by David L. Nelson and Michael M. Cox
- Molecular Cell Biology by Harvey Lodish, Arnold Berk, Chris A. Kaiser
- Cell and Molecular Biology: Concepts and Experiments by Gerald Karp
