Course: 115:412 Protein and Enzyme Chemistry (3 cr.)  This course is the same as 16:115:508 Proteins and Enzymes.

Normally Offered: (each) spring semester; Dr. Theodore Chase, Jr. (chase_c@aesop.rutgers.edu)

Prerequisites and other registration instructions: 115:403 General Biochemistry; a laboratory course in biochemistry (115:413, 313) or other significant laboratory experience in biochemistry.

Format: two 80 minutes lectures per week.

Description: This course goes into characteristics of enzymes and other proteins in  greater depth than possible in 115:403, with emphasis on ways of investigating relationships between protein structure and function, especially chemically based procedures (it does not cover X-ray crystallo­graphy, nuclear magnetic resonance and other physical techniques.)  It comprises six general sections:

1) Methods of measuring protein concentration and enzyme activity; purification of proteins.
2) Enzyme kinetics: what can be learned from the dependence on substrate and inhibitor concentra­tion of steady-state and pre-steady state rates of enzyme catalysis.  The emphasis is on Cleland’s graphical treatments rather than full rate equations.
3) Methods for determining participation of specific amino acids in biological activity of proteins.
4) Post-translational modification of proteins.
5) Theories of enzyme catalysis.
6) Mechanisms of selected enzymes.  Catalytic antibodies.

Examinations: Three ‘take-home’ exams, in which a paper from the scientific literature is given to students along with then questions to be answered, reflecting understanding of material taught up to that point.

Other requirements: A course paper, due at the last lecture.  Undergraduates may choose between a) a research proposal, for an experiment which could be done on an enzyme or other protein to gain greater understanding of its function, b) a review paper on a particular protein.  (Graduate students are required to do option a.)

The grades on the three successive examinations and the paper represent 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of the total course grade.

Additional information: The complete syllabus of the course as given in 2001 may be reached via the link below.  It gives further details concerning texts, other readings, examinations and the course paper.  The course given in 2002 is expected to be very similar.