After purification of lysozyme, our biochemistry students write a research proposal that outlines a strategy for studying this enzyme after alteration by site-directed mutagenesis. Despite a literature search that yielded a wealth of background information, students were often overwhelmed by the assignment because they were not familiar with advanced techniques of protein analysis. We therefore developed a series of journal clubs in which teams of students present methods and data found in papers dealing with lysozyme. The five topics for journal clubs include; substrate binding and mechanism; spectroscopic techniques; stability analysis; two-dimensional NMR; and X-ray crystallography. After the adoption of the group talks, the quality of the research proposals improved immensely and students found the assignment to be an educationally rewarding exercise.
{"title":"Journal club as a supplement to the undergraduate biochemistry laboratory.","authors":"Hall, Wolfson","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>After purification of lysozyme, our biochemistry students write a research proposal that outlines a strategy for studying this enzyme after alteration by site-directed mutagenesis. Despite a literature search that yielded a wealth of background information, students were often overwhelmed by the assignment because they were not familiar with advanced techniques of protein analysis. We therefore developed a series of journal clubs in which teams of students present methods and data found in papers dealing with lysozyme. The five topics for journal clubs include; substrate binding and mechanism; spectroscopic techniques; stability analysis; two-dimensional NMR; and X-ray crystallography. After the adoption of the group talks, the quality of the research proposals improved immensely and students found the assignment to be an educationally rewarding exercise.</p>","PeriodicalId":80258,"journal":{"name":"Biochemical education","volume":"28 2","pages":"71-73"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2000-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"21575530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2000-03-01DOI: 10.1016/S0307-4412(98)00276-3
Ivan G. Darvey
When authors of general biochemistry textbooks mention carrier proteins involved in the transport of oxaloacetate across the inner mitochondrial membrane for gluconeogenesis, they only make use of the two transporters involved in the malate–aspartate shuttle. As a result of only using the malate-2-oxoglutarate and the glutamate–aspartate carrier proteins, I show that the reaction describing the overall process is unsatisfactory since, in addition to oxaloacetate being transported from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol, 2-oxoglutarate is also transported in the reverse direction. I therefore point out that, if only oxaloacetate is to be transported from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol, then it is necessary to also make use of other carrier proteins in the inner mitochondrial membrane, namely, the dicarboxylate transporter and the phosphate transporter.
{"title":"Does the transport of oxaloacetate across the inner mitochondrial membrane during gluconeogenesis require carrier proteins other than those used in the malate–aspartate shuttle?","authors":"Ivan G. Darvey","doi":"10.1016/S0307-4412(98)00276-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/S0307-4412(98)00276-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>When authors of general biochemistry textbooks mention carrier proteins involved in the transport of oxaloacetate across the inner mitochondrial membrane for gluconeogenesis, they only make use of the two transporters involved in the malate–aspartate shuttle. As a result of only using the malate-2-oxoglutarate and the glutamate–aspartate carrier proteins, I show that the reaction describing the overall process is unsatisfactory since, in addition to oxaloacetate being transported from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol, 2-oxoglutarate is also transported in the reverse direction. I therefore point out that, if only oxaloacetate is to be transported from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol, then it is necessary to also make use of other carrier proteins in the inner mitochondrial membrane, namely, the dicarboxylate transporter and the phosphate transporter.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":80258,"journal":{"name":"Biochemical education","volume":"28 2","pages":"Pages 80-82"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2000-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/S0307-4412(98)00276-3","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90002195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2000-03-01DOI: 10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00119-3
Joaquim A.F. Vicente , Vı́tor M.C. Madeira
Several mitochondrial fractions were screened for suitability in practical experiments designed for students, with the following issues in mind: avoiding the use of animals; minimal expenditure of labour and time; high enzyme activities; accessible instruments and low-cost materials. Turnips and potato tubers were identified as the best materials from which to extract purified mitochondria according to these criteria, with high respiratory activities and integrity maintained during five consecutive days. Mitochondrial respiration was assayed for succinate, exogenous NADH, malate/pyruvate and α-ketoglutarate oxidations with excellent results. At the fifth day, the respiratory control was still about 3, the integrity of the outer mitochondrial membrane maintained at values higher than 80%, and the enzymes retained more than 55% of the initial activities.
{"title":"The excellence of turnip mitochondrial fraction","authors":"Joaquim A.F. Vicente , Vı́tor M.C. Madeira","doi":"10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00119-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00119-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Several mitochondrial fractions were screened for suitability in practical experiments designed for students, with the following issues in mind: avoiding the use of animals; minimal expenditure of labour and time; high enzyme activities; accessible instruments and low-cost materials. Turnips and potato tubers were identified as the best materials from which to extract purified mitochondria according to these criteria, with high respiratory activities and integrity maintained during five consecutive days. Mitochondrial respiration was assayed for succinate, exogenous NADH, malate/pyruvate and α-ketoglutarate oxidations with excellent results. At the fifth day, the respiratory control was still about 3, the integrity of the outer mitochondrial membrane maintained at values higher than 80%, and the enzymes retained more than 55% of the initial activities.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":80258,"journal":{"name":"Biochemical education","volume":"28 2","pages":"Pages 104-106"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2000-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00119-3","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"137439793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A series of simple, low-cost experiments is described in this paper that allows students to be introduced to some basic kinetic laws relating to heterogeneous catalysis. Immobilized yeast cells are used as the example and therefore simultaneously offer the opportunity to acquaint the students with the theoretical and practical background of an important branch of biotechnology.
{"title":"Experimental treatment of the laws of heterogeneous catalysis with immobilized yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae).","authors":"Grunwald","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A series of simple, low-cost experiments is described in this paper that allows students to be introduced to some basic kinetic laws relating to heterogeneous catalysis. Immobilized yeast cells are used as the example and therefore simultaneously offer the opportunity to acquaint the students with the theoretical and practical background of an important branch of biotechnology.</p>","PeriodicalId":80258,"journal":{"name":"Biochemical education","volume":"28 2","pages":"96-99"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2000-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"21575435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article emphasizes the importance of getting students to understand the ways in which polypeptides fold to form protein molecules with complex higher-ordered structures. Modern views on how this folding occurs in vitro and in the cell are summarized and set within an appropriate biological context.
{"title":"How do proteins fold?","authors":"Smith","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article emphasizes the importance of getting students to understand the ways in which polypeptides fold to form protein molecules with complex higher-ordered structures. Modern views on how this folding occurs in vitro and in the cell are summarized and set within an appropriate biological context.</p>","PeriodicalId":80258,"journal":{"name":"Biochemical education","volume":"28 2","pages":"76-79"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2000-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"21575532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2000-03-01DOI: 10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00110-7
P.C. Huang
The intricate interplay of Biochemistry with well-established disciplines often blurs the identity of the subject. The issues are many. What is biochemical education? Who should be educated? What should be taught? What should the requirements be for Biochemistry major? What is a career in Biochemistry? The curriculum, course syllabus and application of Biochemistry are ever-evolving concerns. The challenges are particularly keen in the USA due to the diversity in its teaching modes, and in the composition of the student body. The constant changes in technologies also shift the needs of skill and knowledge of the graduates. This presentation is to examine the Biochemistry degree programs in the USA, particularly the curricula of private and public research universities, contrasting them with those of the liberal arts colleges. The goal is to sense the trends of changes, probing how the challenges are met, and to solicit and formulate recommendations as we approach a new millennium.
{"title":"The integrative nature of biochemistry: challenges of biochemical education in the USA","authors":"P.C. Huang","doi":"10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00110-7","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00110-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The intricate interplay of Biochemistry with well-established disciplines often blurs the identity of the subject. The issues are many. What is biochemical education? Who should be educated? What should be taught? What should the requirements be for Biochemistry major? What is a career in Biochemistry? The curriculum, course syllabus and application of Biochemistry are ever-evolving concerns. The challenges are particularly keen in the USA due to the diversity in its teaching modes, and in the composition of the student body. The constant changes in technologies also shift the needs of skill and knowledge of the graduates. This presentation is to examine the Biochemistry degree programs in the USA, particularly the curricula of private and public research universities, contrasting them with those of the liberal arts colleges. The goal is to sense the trends of changes, probing how the challenges are met, and to solicit and formulate recommendations as we approach a new millennium.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":80258,"journal":{"name":"Biochemical education","volume":"28 2","pages":"Pages 64-70"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2000-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00110-7","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"56623771","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A two-session experiment is proposed to train students with an easy, economic and educative procedure to detect the typical DNA ladder produced in many apoptotic events. The procedure is accurate enough to provide an easy way to compare degrees of damage in DNA caused by different treatments.
{"title":"An experiment on apoptosis induced by polyamine adducts produced in the presence of serum amine oxidase.","authors":"Fajardo, Urdiales, Sánchez-Jiménez, Medina","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A two-session experiment is proposed to train students with an easy, economic and educative procedure to detect the typical DNA ladder produced in many apoptotic events. The procedure is accurate enough to provide an easy way to compare degrees of damage in DNA caused by different treatments.</p>","PeriodicalId":80258,"journal":{"name":"Biochemical education","volume":"28 2","pages":"110-112"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2000-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"21575439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
When authors of general biochemistry textbooks mention carrier proteins involved in the transport of oxaloacetate across the inner mitochondrial membrane for gluconeogenesis, they only make use of the two transporters involved in the malate-aspartate shuttle. As a result of only using the malate-2-oxoglutarate and the glutamate-aspartate carrier proteins, I show that the reaction describing the overall process is unsatisfactory since, in addition to oxaloacetate being transported from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol, 2-oxoglutarate is also transported in the reverse direction. I therefore point out that, if only oxaloacetate is to be transported from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol, then it is necessary to also make use of other carrier proteins in the inner mitochondrial membrane, namely, the dicarboxylate transporter and the phosphate transporter.
{"title":"Does the transport of oxaloacetate across the inner mitochondrial membrane during gluconeogenesis require carrier proteins other than those used in the malate-aspartate shuttle?","authors":"Darvey","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>When authors of general biochemistry textbooks mention carrier proteins involved in the transport of oxaloacetate across the inner mitochondrial membrane for gluconeogenesis, they only make use of the two transporters involved in the malate-aspartate shuttle. As a result of only using the malate-2-oxoglutarate and the glutamate-aspartate carrier proteins, I show that the reaction describing the overall process is unsatisfactory since, in addition to oxaloacetate being transported from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol, 2-oxoglutarate is also transported in the reverse direction. I therefore point out that, if only oxaloacetate is to be transported from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol, then it is necessary to also make use of other carrier proteins in the inner mitochondrial membrane, namely, the dicarboxylate transporter and the phosphate transporter.</p>","PeriodicalId":80258,"journal":{"name":"Biochemical education","volume":"28 2","pages":"80-82"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2000-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"21575533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2000-03-01DOI: 10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00129-6
Gary Walsh
A 26 lecture module is outlined which details the biochemistry and biotechnology of biopharmaceutical substances. It is designed to equip students undertaking programs in applied biochemistry/biochemistry with an understanding of concepts, both academic and applied, directly relevant to working in the biopharmaceutical sector. In addition to the syllabus, a bank of relevant resource material is provided.
{"title":"A suggested module detailing biopharmaceuticals suitable for inclusion in undergraduate applied biochemistry/biochemistry programs","authors":"Gary Walsh","doi":"10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00129-6","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00129-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A 26 lecture module is outlined which details the biochemistry and biotechnology of biopharmaceutical substances. It is designed to equip students undertaking programs in applied biochemistry/biochemistry with an understanding of concepts, both academic and applied, directly relevant to working in the biopharmaceutical sector. In addition to the syllabus, a bank of relevant resource material is provided.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":80258,"journal":{"name":"Biochemical education","volume":"28 2","pages":"Pages 89-92"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2000-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/S0307-4412(99)00129-6","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"21575535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}