BIOMG 6311 - Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins and Metabolism

Fall. 3 credits. Student option grading.

Prerequisite: one majors-level biology course and one year general chemistry and any of the following organic chemistry courses: CHEM 1570 or CHEM 3530 or CHEM 3570 or CHEM 3590 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Co-meets with BIOMG 3310.

L. Nicholson.

The chemical reactions important to biology, and the enzymes that catalyze these reactions, are discussed in an integrated format. Topics include: protein folding, enzyme catalysis, bioenergetics, and key reactions of synthesis and catabolism.

Outcome 1: In this lecture-based course, students start from fundamental principles of chemistry, physics, and mathematics as the framework for understanding biology. Homework problems every week, together with a quiz or else major exam every week, enable students to assimilate the fundamental principles while the complexity of biochemistry is being mastered systematically. Students will be able to explain how each component of biochemistry is connected to others.

Outcome 2: Most of the information that students are asked to master is contained in approximately 800 pages of text reading assignments, along with the course-specific 320 page Lecture Guide. In addition, students are assigned to go online to the Protein Data Bank and examine primary scientific information about protein and carbohydrate structure. Students will be able to choose any protein or small molecule whose structure has been determined, and display that molecule on a computer screen.

Outcome 3: Students learn to use simple but quantitative principles to understand important biological phenomena. We emphasize the interconnections of vast amounts of information, particularly in metabolism, that are the basis for how cells stay alive. Students will be able to explain principles such as protein folding, the chemiosmotic model, and enzyme kinetics using basic principles of physical chemistry.

Outcome 4: Students are required to communicate their understanding of lecture material every week on a quiz or more midterm and final exams. Students learn to grasp visual representations of macromolecules, especially proteins, by means of a weekly molecular graphics assignment using the freeware PyMOL. By the end of the semester, students will be able to manipulate and explain protein and carbohydrate images by use of PyMOL, and explain these in terms of biochemical principles.