Reform Exploration of Molecular Biology Experimental Teaching for Improving Scientific Research Ability—Whether carA Gene was Related to the Chemotaxis of Dictyostelium discoideum?

Molecular Biology is a subject that requires lots of experimental practices. For undergraduates majoring in biotechnology, the experimental course is an essential approach to improve their experimental skills and scientific research ability. Here, the experimental teaching was reformed by introducing the problem-based learning approach, which was orientated by the problem of “whether carA gene was related to the chemotaxis of Dictyostelium discoideum”. In order to solve the problem, a variety of key technologies in Molecular Biology were used based on the cloning of carA gene from Dictyostelium discotylum cells, such as genome DNA extraction, target DNA amplification, recombinant plasmid construction, bacterial transformation and plasmid extraction. During the process of practical teaching, students were encouraged to explore the answers based on the experimental results independently. In addition, the pre-class, in-class and post-class intervention and directing by teachers may help undergraduates develop the habit of autonomous learning and improve the scientific research ability gradually so as to ease the transition from school to work.