Course Description: BIOL448(3) Protein Structure R.H. Kretsinger 7/Jan/07

                              S/07 T&R 8:00 - 9:15 Gilmer 227 (Satisfies the second writing requirement)

Click Here for Lecture Topics

The goals of 448 are:

1. To understand the basic concepts and characteristics of the structures of proteins and nucleic acids.

2. To prepare students to evaluate the literature of macromolecular structures critically and creatively.

To realize these goals:

1. Lectures in 448 will explore these concepts and the relevant techniques of structure determination.

2. Students will visualize and analyze structures in the Protein Data Bank and other online sources.

3. Each student will prepare a paper and will make an oral presentation describing one protein family. S/he assumes the responsibility
    to teach his classmates about his protein. Lectures by the faculty will address other proteins. For this reason no withdrawals will be
    accepted after ~4/Feb.

Prerequisites are introductory chemistry, introductory biology, and either Core I, or Biochemistry, or both semesters of Organic Chemistry.

Consistent with the guidelines of the second writing requirement each student will submit by ~10/Feb a two page outline of his paper.

Course grades will be based on:

Homework 40%

Brief outline 5%

Oral presentations        25% ~12/Apr to 1/May

Paper 30% due ~5/May

The 448 class WEB site will have:

1. Course outline, Lecture Topics

2. Lecture notes

3. References

4. Homework exercises (answers, later)

http://minerva.acc.virginia.edu/biology/Kretsinger_448_sprg07/outline_7jan07.htm
The format of the paper may vary slightly with the subject; please discuss with RHK,

double space, 12 font (30 lines/page * 10 words/line ~ 300 words/page)

total MS @ references ~ 13 pages (exclusive of four to eight illustrations).

(“Second writing requirement: two assignments totaling 4000 words”)

As a guideline:

Title page:

informative title

student name

BIOL 448

date

Summary:

(two pages maximum)

biological significance of the protein or nucleic acid (family, complex)

important aspects of the structure

relationship of the structure to the function of the protein

Introduction: biological context

(~three pages)

Methods: concise summary:

(~two pages)

preparation (expression) of proteins

structure determination(s) technique(s)

quality and resolution of the resulting structure

Description and Analysis of the Structure:

(~three pages)

gross anatomy

unique characteristics (relative to norms)

functional and/or important details

Relationship of Stucture to Function:

(~three pages)

relationship to biological context

unanticipated results or contradictions

outstanding issues and future directions

Literature Cited, one of the standard formats from a leading journal

(four to ten references)

citation in text (name et al., year)

include title in reference