Many applications in modern chemistry and biochemistry depend on the ability to make, change and analyse proteins and enzymes. After completion of the course students will be familiar with all of the steps required for the production of proteins in bacteria and various techniques of analysis. This includes techniques for making, modifying, and analysing proteins.  There is an emphasis on biophysical techniques (SDS-PAGE, light-scattering, CD spectroscopy, ultracentrifugation, mass spectrometry, ITC, fluorescence, surface plasmon resonance), discussing their physical basis in depth. Advanced analysis techniques (X-ray crystallography, NMR, EM, SAXS/SANS) are discussed only superficially.  Introduction to bioinformatics: protein sequence alignment, 3D structure analysis, modelling.

Note: Graduate students attend joint classes with later year undergraduate students but are assessed separately.

After successful completion of the course students will have:

1. A detailed understanding of the necessary elements of protein overexpression systems in bacteria,

2. Proficiency to design all the steps required to produce an expression system for a new protein,

3. Proficiency to make and purify proteins,

4. A thorough understanding of techniques for modifying proteins,

5. Experience with basic techniques for protein analysis,

6. A detailed knowledge of advanced biophysical techniques for protein analysis, including the capacity to discuss their relative merits and interpret data from those techniques,

7. The capacity to apply software for protein visualization, sequence alignment and modelling.

50% by written exam, 50% by weekly assessments of practicals and tutorials (10 in total, 5% each). Students have to pass the exam to pass the course

Note: Graduate students attend joint classes with later year undergraduate students but are assessed separately. The differences in assessment may include additional questions on the course material or a component assessed at a higher level. This difference will generally be at the 15% of assessment level or higher.

The course comprises 26 lectures (1 hour each), 6 practicals (3 hours each) and 8 tutorial/quiz sessions (1 hour each).

Practicals are 3-4 hours each. Each practical requires about 1 hour of preparation and 1 hour of reporting. Assessments require independent reading for about 1 hour per contact hour.

Students are assumed to have an understanding of the molecular aspects of modern biology. This includes knowledge of the molecules that play a key role in biology, in particular DNA and proteins and their functions in the cell, and some experience with bacterial cell cultures and plasmid DNA. Essential laboratory skills include aseptic technique, pipetting, weighing, pH measurement and UV spectroscopy.

Admission to the Master of Chemistry one-year program requires an undergraduate degree majoring in chemistry with 65% average in relevant courses.  Students enrolling in CHEM6008 must have studied biochemistry at the undergraduate level,

CHEM2208

Selected chapters from Biochemistry by Voet & Voet