Biochem 704 - Chemical Biology

    

Spring 2007-2008

A 2-credit graduate-level course (30 sessions) on the use of ideas and methods of chemistry to solve problems in molecular and cell biology. The course is organized around the flow of information in biological systems, and emphasizes how chemists can intervene at each step, both to elucidate and control that flow. A major goal is to empower both chemists and biologists by providing chemists with relevant new targets and biologists with useful new tools.

 
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Course Description:

Section 001 (Class Number: 51364 )
Instructor(s): Kiessling,Laura Lee; Raines,Ronald T.; Weibel,Douglas B
TA(s):
Credits: 2
Day: TR   Time: 09:55 AM - 10:45 AM
Location: Rm 175 BCHM ADDN   Website: http://www.biochem.wisc.edu/courses/biochem704

Description:

Course Description
Biochemistry 704: “Chemical Biology” is a 2-credit graduate-level course (30 sessions) on the use of ideas and methods of chemistry to solve problems in molecular and cell biology. The course is organized around the flow of information in biological systems, and emphasizes how chemists can intervene at each step, both to elucidate and control that flow. A major goal is to empower both chemists and biologists by providing chemists with relevant new targets and biologists with useful new tools.

Prerequisites
Successful completion of courses in organic chemistry (e.g., Chemistry 343 and 345 at Wisconsin), biochemistry (e.g., Biochemistry 501), physical chemistry (Chemistry 561 or 565) is assumed. You should already be able to answer questions such as

a. Draw the mechanism (using curved arrows to indicate electron flow) for the reaction of acetone and ammonia to form
CH3–C(=NH)–CH3 (an imine or “Schiff base”) and water.

b. Write the expression for the rate of product formation (v = ∂[B]/∂t) during the chemical reaction:

                                               k1
A    →    B

c. Draw the molecular structure of each natural amino acid and nucleobase.

If you are not familiar with the above material (especially, question a), you should not register for this course.

Grades
Grades will be based on in-class participation (20%), problem sets and quizzes (20%), an original research proposal (50%), which will be assessed during in-class “study sections”, and reviews of two other research proposals during the in-class study sections (5% + 5%).

Texts
No text is required, but the following could be helpful references.
Copies are available in the Steenbock Library.

Alberts, B. et al. Molecular Biology of the Cell. Routledge (2007)
Blackburn, G. M. et al. Nucleic Acids in Chemistry and Biology. Royal Society of Chemistry (2006)
Frey, P. A. & Hegeman, A. D. Enzymatic Reaction Mechanisms. Oxford University (2006)
Grossman, R. B. The Art of Writing Reasonable Organic Reaction Mechanisms. Springer (2007)
Jencks, W. P. Catalysis in Chemistry and Enzymology. Dover (1987)
McMurry J. & Begley, T. The Organic Chemistry of Biological Pathways. Roberts & Co. (2005)
Voet, D. & Voet, J. G. Biochemistry. John Wiley & Sons (2004)

Website
www.biochem.wisc.edu/courses/biochem704/