Chemistry 791B Fall 2001

Biomolecular Structure

 

9/6/01 Working course outline: updates found at

http://www.chem.umass.edu/~thompson/Courses/Chem791B/Fall2001/

The overall goal of this course is to understand macromolecular structures in biology. Traditional lectures will present concepts in structure, including the physical basis for structure and stability, molecular interactions, and design. We will also have computer workshops using Protein Explorer and other public domain software for manipulating macromolecules in three dimensions. Finally, each student will present an oral presentation taking the class on a WEB-based tour of the structure of a chosen biomolecule, illustrating principles learned throughout the course.

Instructor: Lynmarie Thompson (thompson@chem.umass.edu, 5-0827)

Meetings: Tu/Thu 9:30-10:45 in GSM 51 or CRC

Text: Introduction to Protein Structure (2nd ed), by Carl Branden & John Tooze,

plus selected readings from other sources including

Proteins: Structures and Molecular Properties, by T. Creighton

Crystallography Made Crystal Clear, by Gale Rhodes

 

Grading: 50% (25% each) for 2 take-home exams

(to be completed independently -- NO DISCUSSIONS)

25% for class exercises/homework

25% for final presentation

Prerequisites: Introductory Biochemistry, Sophomore Organic

 

Date

Topic

Assignment

Sept 6

Thursday

Forces underlying structure

B & T Chapter 1,

Creighton Ch 4

Sept 11

Tuesday

Backbone conformations: secondary structure

B & T Chapter 2

Sept 13

Thursday

RNA/protein: Ribosome

Wayne Decatur

Review translation

(any biochemistry text)

Sept 18

Tuesday

Motifs, topology diagrams

B & T Chapter 2

Moore paper

**Sept 19

Wed 4 pm LGRT 101

MCB seminar: Peter Moore, Chemistry, Yale University

"The Large Ribosomal Subunit: Structure and Function"

Sept 20

Thursday

Tertiary structures: Alpha

B & T Chapter 3

Sept 25

Tuesday

CRC: Protein Explorer

Assignment 1: due 10/2

Sept 27

Thursday

Tertiary structures: Alpha/beta

B & T Chapter 4

Oct 2

Tuesday

CRC: Protein Explorer Rasmol refcard

Assignment 2: due 10/11

Oct 4

Thursday

Tertiary structures: beta

B & T Chapter 5

Oct 9

Tuesday

CRC: Homology modeling

Kelcy Newell

Tamm paper

**Oct 9

Tues 4 pm LGRT 101

MCB seminar: Lukas K. Tamm, University of Virginia "Structure, Folding and Insertion of b-Barrel Membrane Proteins" CANCELLED

Oct 11

Thursday

Protein Folding

Lila Gierasch

B & T Chapter 6

Crieghton 7.4-7.5

TIBS review

Oct 16

Tuesday

CRC Workshop:

Presentation topics

 

Oct 18

Thursday

Solving structures: NMR

Joanna Swain

G. Wider (2000) Biotechniques 29, 1278.

**Oct 22

Mon 4 pm

LGRT 101

MCB seminar: Venki Ramakrishnan, MRC, Cambridge

"Decoding the Message: Structural Basis for tRNA Selection by the Ribosome"

Oct 23

Tuesday

CRC Workshop

Eric Martz

 

Oct 25

Thursday

CRC Workshop

Eric Martz

Presentations scheduled

(turn in pdb id and copy of primary reference)

Oct 30

Tuesday

CRC: Chime presentations

Craig Martin

Download Chimeshell

Exam 1, due 11/6 9:30am

Q2Mono, Q2Dimer

Nov 1

Thursday

DNA structure

Craig Martin

B & T Chapter 7

Nov 6

Tuesday

CRC: Homology modeling

Kelcy Newell

Exam 1 due 9:30am!

Homology modeling paper

Paper 2 on the Web

Nov 8

Thursday

DNA/protein complexes

Craig Martin

B & T Chapter 8, 9, 10

Nov 13

Tuesday

Membrane proteins

B & T Chapter 12-13

Nov 15

Thursday

Membrane proteins

 

Nov 20

Tuesday

Solving structures: x-ray

Bill Royer

Ch 18 & Crystallography Made Crystal Clear

**Nov 20

Tues 4pm

LGRT 101

MCB seminar: Bill Royer, UMass Worcester

"Structural diversity in quaternary assembly and allosteric mechanisms of cooperative hemoglobins"

Nov 22

Thursday

No class -Thanksgiving

 

Nov 27

Tuesday

Student Presentations

 

Nov 29

Thursday

Student Presentations

 

Dec 4

Tuesday

Student Presentations

 

Dec 6

Thursday

Student Presentations

 

Dec 11

Tuesday

Student Presentations

 

Dec 13

Thursday

Student Presentations

 

 

** Plan to attend these seminars of special interest if at all possible.

Other ribosome papers of interest: Muth et al, Polacek et al

apers of interest: Muth et al, Polacek et al