Courses: MOL320 Advanced Methods in Biochemistry - Autumn 2017




Language of Instruction

English

Teaching semester

Spring. The course admits a limited number of students. The final admission to the course happens after the deadline for enrollment every semester. For more information: http://www.uib.no/en/matnat/53431/admission-courses-limited-capacityhttp://www.uib.no/en/matnat/53431/admission-courses-limited-capacity The course runs only if enough students enrol.

Objectives and Content

Objectives:

The course aims to provide students with adequate theoretical and practical knowledge sufficient to use a variety of biophysical methods on molecular biology systems. The course will provide an understanding of the physical principles underpinning the techniques, as well as describing their technology and their applications. As this is a practical course, an important goal is to give students practical training through demonstrations, laboratory exercises and data analyses, as well as providing training in presenting the data in the form of report writing.

 

Content:

The course will focus on CW domain, a protein domain which is actively researched at the Department of Molecular Biology and at other research institutes. The CW-domain is part of a larger enzyme that bind to histones and performs specific acetylation. It is an important protein within epigenetic studies. Four methods will be applied to the protein-domain. Thermal stability monitored by tryptophan fluorescence, Surface Plasmon Resonance for quantification of binding kinetics and binding constants, Isothermal Calorimetry for quantitating binding and solving thermodynamic parameters of the system, and finally high resolution NMR for tracking the specific amino acids involved in the binding of the ligand

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

 

Knowledge

The student can explain

 

Skills

The students can ...

 

General competence

The student is able to

Required Previous Knowledge

Basic knowledge in molecular biology (MOL100), organic chemistry (KJEM130), metabolism (MOL202 or MOL221 and MOL222) or equivalent.

Recommended Previous Knowledge

Structural Molecular Biology (MOL310).

MOL310 can be taken in parallel.

Compulsory Assignments and Attendance

Laboratory exercises and demonstrations.

Forms of Assessment

Reports from laboratory exercises and demonstrations (30%) and written exam, 4 hours (70%).

Examination support materials: Non- programmable calculator, according to model listed in faculty regulations

Grading Scale

The grading scale used is A to F. Grade A is the highest passing grade in the grading scale, grade F is a fail.

Subject Overlap

 KJEM233 (1sp), KJEM251 (1 sp)

Contact Information

Study advisor at the Department of Molecular Biology, advice@mbi.uib.no