CELLULAR MECHANISMS OF PROTEIN BIOGENESIS AND TRAFFICKING

BIOCHEM 719

Topics covered include protein structure and folding, protein dynamics, biological catalysis, membrane structure and assembly, nucleic acid structure and folding, and bioenergetics. Each topic includes discussion of the primary literature, hypothesis generation, experimental design, data, analysis and interpretation underlying the facts in the textbook. Supports transition from undergraduate consumers of knowledge to graduate students and future independent scientists who will discover and add new knowledge.

BIOCHEM 601

Protein structure and dynamics. Protein folding. Physical organic chemistry of enzymatic catalysis. Analysis of enzyme kinetics and receptor-ligand interactions. Enzymatic reaction mechanisms.

BIOCHEM 508

Biosynthesis of biological molecules, signal transduction mechanisms, chemistry and metabolism of nucleic acids, protein synthesis, and molecular and cellular biology.

BIOCHEM/CHEM 945

Presentations and discussions of recently published research in chemical biology and related areas.

BIOCHEM 924

Membrane proteins comprise over a fourth of proteins encoded in any given genome, providing many vital functions to all cells. For example, ion channels and pumps modulate the membrane potential and help conduct information via nerves and other long distance conducting tissue. Transporters mediate the uptake and secretion of molecules. Receptors, such as G protein coupled receptors and receptor protein kinases, transfer information about the environment to the inside of the cell. Membrane proteins also contribute to the shape of the cell, the structure of the membrane and a myriad of other functions. Structure/function relationships for this critical class of proteins are discussed, addressing questions such as "how do membrane proteins fold?", "how do certain important classes of membrane proteins work?", "what are the challenges in studying membrane proteins" and "what methods are available for studying their biophysical properties?"