ORIGINS OF LIFE
W4205
2:00 - 4:00pm, Thursday
800 Fairchild
Dr. Geoffrey Zubay
854.4578 / 753 Fairchild

Spring 2005 Schedule

Readings: Origins of Life 2nd Edition. 

Other Information: All exams are open book; students are encouraged to do work study problems at the end of each chapter. The answers to these problems are in the back of the book.

Date

Topic

Textbook Chapter

 

Part I: Creation of an Environment Suitable for the Origin of Live

 

January
20

Origin of the Universe 
Formation of the Elements
The Beginnings of Chemistry

1
2
3

January
27

Element Abundances of the Planets 
Geologic, Hydrologic & Atmospheric Evolution of the Earth

4
5

 

Part II: The Logic of Living Systems

 

February
3

Cells, Organelles, and Biomolecules 
Metabolic Strategies and Pathway Design 
Biochemical Catalysis

6
7
8

February
10

Storage, Replication & Utilization of Biochemical Information

9

 

Part III: Biochemical and Prebiotic Pathways: A Comparison

 

February
17

General Considerations Concerning the Origin of Life on the Earth

10

February
24

Carbohydrate Metabolism 
The Prebiotic Synthesis of Ribose

11
12

March
3

M  I  D  T  E  R  M

 

March
10

Parallels Between the Biosynthesis of Nucleotides and the Prebiotic Synthesis of Nucleotides

13

March
24

RNA Metabolism and the Prebiotic Synthesis of RNA

14

March
31

Amino Acid Synthesis Now & Then 
The Chemistry of Translation 
Early Development in Polypeptide Synthesis

15
16
17

April
7

Lipid Metabolism and the Prebiotic Synthesis of Lipids
Properties of Membranes and Their Evolution
Possible Roles of Clays and Minerals in the Origin of Life

18
19
20

 

Part IV: Evolutionary Aspects of Living Systems

 

April
14

Evolution of Organisms

21

April
21

 

April

28

Evolution of the Main Energy-Producing Pathway for Aerobic Metabolism: The Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle

Evolution of Photosynthesis
The Origin and Elaboration of the Genetic Code; Review

22


23
24

TBA

FINAL