Two different approaches to computer-aided teaching of microbial genetics.

Abstract

Two computer packages have been developed to teach bacterial genetics on an introductory genetics course for undergraduate students in biology. The first package, 'CONJUGACION', is designed to teach bacterial conjugation and its genetic outcomes. It includes four main parts. Firstly, a tutorial part presents a theoretical framework using screens of text and animated graphics. Secondly, an interactive concept application section requires students to carry out experiments for the determination of the correct sex and genotype of 10 bacterial strains. The third part uses the previously obtained data for simulating interrupted mating experiments and mapping the bacterial genome. Finally, an evaluation section allows the students to test their understanding through a series of multiple choice questions. The second package, 'LURIDEL', is intended for teaching the preadaptative character of mutation in bacterial populations on the basis of the fluctuation test of Luria and Delbrück. It simulates, graphically, the appearance of mutations in microbial cultures and gives results of simulated fluctuation experiments. Programs were written under the PCOS operating system in MBASIC extended to graphics for running on Olivetti M20 microcomputers.