CHEMISTRY 791A: Biomolecule Structure Syllabus
9/7/09 1:56 PM
CHEM 791A Fall 2009
BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE
TTh 9:30-10:45, LGRT 204
Schedule
This course is aimed at first and second year graduate students and
advanced undergraduates interested in acquiring the tools and
understanding to investigate macromolecular structures in biology. You will
learn about the physical basis for these structures, their folding,
stability, and interactions with other molecules, as well as the structural
basis of catalytic mechanisms. You will gain a working knowledge of
computer programs for manipulating and understanding macromolecular
structures and be introduced to X-ray crystallography and NMR
techniques used for structure determination. This is an important
foundation for students whose research focuses on understanding
proteins and nucleic acids, or synthesizing molecules to interact with them.
INSTRUCTOR: Lynmarie Thompson, LGRT 403E, 545-0827, mailbox LGRT 713C
REQUIRED TEXT: Protein Structure & Function, by Petsko & Ringe.
PREREQUISITE: One year of organic chemistry. Introductory biochemistry or permission of
instructor.
GRADING:
25%
25%
25%
25%
Exam I
Exam II
Presentation
Homework/quizzes
Grading cutoffs (minimal): A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F = below 60
Grading may also be curved upward later (eg a score of 89 may earn an A).
Images: Molecular machines involved in harnessing energy (top, proteins bound to
membrane) and self-replication (proteins bound to DNA, right side). Adapted from Protein
Data Bank poster (pdf 5MB).
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