Entry requirements

Biochemistry, 15 credits or equivalent.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the students are expected to be able to :

• Experimenally determine the physico-chemical and functional properties of proteins
• Analyse and interpret protein sequences and structures and use such information to predict protein function
• Describe how the properties of proteins and studies of proteins can be used for production of drugs, for biotechnology and for other industrial and scientific purposes
• Write a report in the format of a scientific article.

Content

- Protein synthesis: Biological and recombinant protein synthesis. Peptide synthesis. Post-translational modifications, glycoproteins.

- Protein chemistry: Quantitative amino acid analysis (MS and chemical methods). Peptide sequencing. Chemical modification of proteins.

- Protein degradation: Biological (intra - and extracellular) and chemical protein degradation.

- Protein informatics: Databases for protein sequences, structure and function. Methods for protein informatics.

- Protein structure: Protein folding. Determination of the three-dimensional structure of proteins: X-ray diffraction of protein crystals, NMR spectroscopy, microscopy. Computer graphic modelling of proteins. Relationship between the different structural levels of proteins and their functional properties.

- Functional genomics and proteomics: Directed evolution of proteins

- Protein interactions: Protein ligand, protein-DNA and protein-protein interactions. Kinetic and thermodynamic characterisation of interactions, methods and interpretations.

- Examples of protein function and applications:

a. Enzymes. b. Receptors c. Protein-protein interactions, signal transduction d. Multiprotein complexes, viruses.

- Individual lab project: The results of an experimental project is to be presented in the form of a scientific publication.

Instruction

The course is given in form of lectures and to a large extent in the form of experimental and theoretical exercises and projects.

Exercises and projects are compulsory and are carried out individually.

Assessment

Experimental and theoretical exercises and projects (5 credits) are examined during the course. An overall examination (5 credits) is given at the end of the course. The final grade for the course is given as a weighted average grade for all compulsory parts.