Syllabus for CSIR Examination June 2013

Jan 2: Composition, structure and function of carbohydrates

3: metabolism of carbohydrates
4: composition, structure and function of proteins (Ramachandran plot ,sec structures,domains,motifs)
5: metabolism of amino acids
6: Nucleic acids
7: metabolism of nucleic acids
8: vitamins, enzymes, enzyme kinetics, mechanism of enzyme catalysis
9: stabilizing interactions (vanderwalls, electrostatic, hydrogen bonding , hydrophobic
interactions), glycolysis
10: TCA, Oxidative phosphorylation, Photophosphorylation, PPP(including inhibitors)
11: DNA replication
12: Chromosomes: deletion, insertion, transition, transversion, translocation( include types of
chromosomes )
13 :Mutagens (include disorders &ploidies)
14: DNA damage and repair mechanisms
15: Recombination (homologous, site specific recombination),transposons
16: Transcription(include difft RNA pol, types of RNA)
17& 18: capping, elongation, termination, RNA processing, RNA editing, Splicing,
polyadenylation, RNA transport
19: Translation(include aminoacyl tRNA synthetase)
20: genetic code
21:transcriptional and translational inhibitors
22:post translational modification of proteins
23 : regulation of prokaryotic gene expression(Operon)
24: Virus and phages including lytic and lysogeny)
25 &26: regulation of eukaryotic gene expression
27: gene silencing (nucleosomes,heterochromatin ,euchromatin)
28:structure of membrane(lipid bilayer),lipids(glycerophospholipids,spingolipids etc)
29 &30: membrane transport(diffusion,osmosis,ion channels,pumps,carriers,active & passive
transporters)
31: all organelles

Feb 1:Cytoskeleton
2: cellular communication: ECM, collagen, integrin, gap and tight junctions etc (including
disorders)
3: cell division and cell cycle
4 & 5: Cancer ( oncogenes.tumor suppressor genes, cancer and cell cycle, virus induced
cancer,apoptosis,therapeutic interventions of uncontrolled cell growth)
6: Innate & adaptive immunology,antigens,antibodies,Ag-Ab complex
7 &8: antibody diversity,monoclonal antibodies,antibody engineering
9 &10: MHC ,antigen processing and presentation,activation and differentiation of B & T cells,
BCR & TCR
11 & 12:Complement system,Toll like receptors,cytokines
13:Hypersensitivity,Autoimmune disorders,immune deficiencies
14: Photosynthesis ( C3,C4,CAM),ETC
15: Respiration and photorespiration ( include alternative oxidase,inhibitors of pathways)
16:Nitrogen metabolism, plant hormones
17 & 18: sensory photobiology: phytochromes,cytochromes,stomatal
movements,photoperiodism and biological clocks
19: solute transport( through xylem & phloem)
20:sec metabolites( biosynthesis of terpnes,phenols and other nitrogenous compounds MEP
pathway,mevalomic acid pathway,shikimic acid pathway)
21 & 22: Floral system(ABC model-genes involved etc-chapter 24 Taiz & Zieger)
23: Stress physiology
24: Mendelian principles,concept of gene( pseudoallele,complementation test)
25: codominance,incomplete dominance,gene interactions,pliotropy,genomic
imprinting,penetrance & expressivity,phenocopy
26: linkage & crossing over,sex linkage,sex limited & sex influenced characters
27: linkage maps,tetrad analysis,mapping with molecular markers
28: microbial genetics(transformation,transduction,sexduction

March 1: human genetics: pedigree analysis, genetic disorders, Quantitative genetics
( polygenic inheritance, heritability, QTL mapping)
2: Ecology: Environment, habitat, niche, resource partitioning, character displacement,
population growth curves, r &K selection, demes and dispersal
3: species interactions: competition, herbivory, carnivory, symbiosis, community ecology
4: ecological succession, energy flow(GNP,NNP)
5: Evolution: Oparin & Haldane concept, evolution of prok & euk, evolutionary time scale,
eras, periods & epoch, Neutral evolution
6:population genetics-Hardy Weinberg law, migration & random genetic drift,adaptive
radiation, allopatric & sympatric, convergent evolution, sexual selection, co-evolution,
Altruism, Kin selection, reciprocal altruism
7: Blood and circulation, Cardiovascular system(heart structure, ECG, Cardiac cycle)
8: Respiratory system, Digestive system
9: Nervous system
10: endocrinology (basic mechanisms of hormone action, hormones and diseases)
11: Bioremediation and phytoremediation, Biosensors
12: Vaccines, gene therapy
13: rDNA tech: analysis of RNA, DNA and proteins, gel electrophoresis, isoelectric
focusing gels
14: molecular cloning of RNA & DNA in bacterial & euk systems, DNA fragments in plasmid,
phage, cosmid, BAC,YAC vectors
15: protein sequencing, DNA sequencing, in vitro mutagenesis and deletion techniques,
detection of post translational modification of proteins
16: analysis of gene expression at RNA & protein level, microarray based tech, RFLP, RAPD&
AFLP tech
17: ELISA, RIA, Western blot, Fluocytometry, microscopy (from Prescott),FISH, GISH
18: Difft spectroscopy, Circular dichroism, NMR,ESR, mass speck, X 2 test
19: Taxonomy (+2 NCERT, Campbell biology)
20: biogeography
21-31: +2 NCERT, Campbell biology