Module CHEM2051: BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY

Department: CHEMISTRY

CHEM2051: BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY

Prerequisites

• Core Chemistry 1A (CHEM1012).

Corequisites

• (i) At least one from Chemistry of the Elements (CHEM2021), Ring Chemistry (CHEM2031), Properties of Molecules (CHEM2041), Inorganic Concepts and Application (CHEM3021), Advanced Organic Chemistry (CHEM3031), Molecules and their Interactions (CHEM3041) OR (ii) all biological sciences modules in the framework for level 2 of the programme leading to B.Sc. Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To emphasise and expand undergraduates' application of chemical knowledge and analytical method to biological systems.
• This will be pursued by presenting the interrelation of lecture material through project work that introduces computer-based searching of recent biochemical literature, particularly spectroscopic information.

Content

• Metals in biological systems: metalloproteins; ion channels and ion pumps, NMR studies.
• Amino acids and peptides: Structure and properties of natural amino-acids, resolution and racemisation.
• Sugars, nucleic acids and nucleosides: structure and reactions, synthesis, biological role, use of drugs.
• Constitution, conformation and role of nucleic acids.
• Biological spectrometry: optical rotation; circular dichroism; mass spectrometry, magnetic resonance spectrometry.

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the importance of metals in life processes.
• Identify biologically active substances from information about their composition and spectra.
• Design and plan methods for the synthesis of oligo-peptides, saccharides and nucleotides.
• Have a good understanding of the structure and reactivity of amino-acids, peptides, carbohydrates and nucleosides and their importance in biological chemistry.

• Use a range of spectroscopic techniques to investigate molecular structure.

• Analytical Scientific Writing Skills.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures are used to convey concepts and are examined by written papers. This is the best method to assess the knowledge of the students.
• Workshops are larger groups of students where problems are considered and common difficulties shared. This ensures that students have understood the work and can apply it to real life situations. These are formatively assessed.
• Following a demonstration lecture, and a computer workshop in the Epiphany Term, undergraduates work on gaining information about a particular protein by researching structural data obtained by X-ray diffraction, mass spectroscopy and NMR studies in the literature. This is followed by a project group discussion with undergraduates pooling results and then writing up their findings individually. The project is summatively assessed.
• The collection held in January is for students to assess their own learning and performance to improve their examination technique. It is an opportunity for them to assimilate the work completed in the first term. Papers are returned to students with model answers so that they can learn from the experience.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Collection (1 hour written examination in week 11). Set work, such as preparation for workshops.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University