Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education最新文献

Bacteria have developed a cell-to-cell communication system called quorum sensing (QS), allowing them to regulate group behavior and synchronize the expression of virulence factors, responsible for increasing their infection capacity and resistance to antimicrobials. Although the control of microbial infections through the inhibition of microbial growth has traditionally been the basis of antimicrobial chemotherapy, the emergence of antimicrobial resistance has led to the search for new microbial control strategies, namely through the inhibition of QS. Among the agents studied to inhibit this bacterial communication are essential oils (EO), which are considered very effective QS inhibitors. When searching for new QS inhibitor agents, it is essential to have a cheap and easy-to-perform method that allows the evaluation of this activity. Chromobacterium violaceum is a Gram-negative bacterium that has been widely used as a model organism in QS research laboratories because it produces the violet-colored pigment violacein, which is regulated by QS and is an easily observable and quantifiable characteristic marker. The objective of this work is to describe a method to evaluate the inhibition of the QS using Cymbopogon martinii EO as a potential inhibitory agent for violacein production by C. violaceum, which can be applied in the Microbiology laboratory course as a part of the programs of several science degrees. The proposed method is inexpensive and does not require specific equipment, enabling its easy implementation by the laboratory team and professors.

Perturbation of gene expression using RNA interference (RNAi) or CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) is a useful strategy to explore the function of essential genes. In the archaeon Haloferax volcanii, the CRISPR-Cas system has been adapted as a CRISPRi tool to silence the expression of specific genes. We developed a laboratory class (LC) to conceptualize gene silencing through inactivation of the H. volcanii LonB protease gene, a negative regulator of carotenoid pigments biosynthesis, using CRISPRi. This LC has been successfully applied in the Biology and Biochemistry of Microorganisms course for undergraduate students of Biology in 2022 and 2023. The following objectives were proposed: (a) generate H. volcanii mutant strains with reduced expression of the lonB gene using CRISPRi; (b) examine the effect of lonB gene silencing on cell pigmentation and growth rate; (c) assess lonB gene repression by Western blotting (WB). This LC allows students to obtain and screen CRISPRi silenced-mutants by means of simple procedures using a non-pathogenic organism as well as handle basic microbiology, biochemistry and molecular biology protocols. Additionally, the LC fosters social actions through collaborative work (experimental work), the interpretation and discussion of data and the ability to communicate outcomes orally and in a written format (scientific report).

Case-based learning (CBL) is a learner-centric educational approach that fosters independent learning and exploration through case analysis, guided by teachers' heuristic instruction. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CBL versus traditional teaching methods in advanced breast cancer education for residents. In this randomized controlled trial, 40 residents undergoing standardized training in the Department of Breast Oncology at Peking University Cancer Hospital were enrolled and were equally divided into CBL and traditional teaching groups. Their performance, self-assessment, and course satisfaction were evaluated through post-study examinations and questionnaires. Results showed that the CBL group achieved significantly higher overall scores than the traditional teaching group (88.10 ± 3.72 vs. 85.52 ± 3.27, p = 0.025), with a notable advantage in clinical practice scores (44.54 ± 2.25 vs. 41.83 ± 2.26, p < 0.001). However, theoretical knowledge scores did not differ significantly. Furthermore, the CBL group outperformed in clinical reasoning (p = 0.018), self-learning capabilities (p = 0.037), and problem-solving skills (p = 0.037). Satisfaction levels were higher in the CBL group (95%) compared to the traditional group (85%) without statistically significant difference. This study demonstrates the superiority of the CBL method in enhancing the education of residents in advanced breast cancer relative to traditional teaching approaches, supporting the broader application of CBL in medical oncology education.

This short paper presents an educational approach to teaching three popular methods for encoding DNA sequences: one-hot encoding, binary encoding, and integer encoding. Aimed at bioinformatics and computational biology students, our learning intervention focuses on developing practical skills in implementing these essential techniques for efficient representation and analysis of genetic data. The primary goal of this study is to enhance students' understanding and practical application of DNA encoding methods, which are crucial for various computational analyses in bioinformatics. Our intervention consists of three key components: (1) a conceptual framework that contextualizes these encoding methods within broader bioinformatics applications, (2) an interactive Jupyter Notebook with Python code examples (https://github.com/yashmgupta/Representing-DNA/tree/main), and (3) a user-friendly Streamlit application for visualizing encoded sequences (https://dnaencoding.streamlit.app/) that also enables students to input their own DNA sequences and visualize the different encoding methods, further enhancing their understanding and practical experience. By combining conceptual overview with practical coding and visualization tools, our approach provides a comprehensive foundation for students to leverage these key DNA sequence encoding methods in their future work. This study contributes to bioinformatics education by offering effective, hands-on learning resources that bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in DNA sequence analysis, preparing students for advanced research and data analysis projects in the field.

In the classroom, metabolism is often approached and received as a mundane exercise in memorization. Teaching metabolism also faces the challenge of negative perceptions that can impede learning. We sought to improve the learning experience in an undergraduate lecture course on microbial metabolism by implementing an illustrated story that follows an Escherichia coli cell during a cholera outbreak. Feedback from students, compiled over four semesters of relatively minimal intervention, suggests that attitudes improved. Most students also thought that storytelling helped them learn. Exam scores suggested that the story could have had a positive performance impact for some questions that required students to apply correct details to specific situations. Our results suggest that a story could improve the learning experience in a course on a traditionally unpopular topic by both improving emotional responses to the subject matter and by providing a familiar framework upon which to contextualize details.

Cinemeducation is an effective tool to help students develop humanistic skills. However, there was a need for more studies to find out if this can also be utilized to improve the interest and satisfaction of students learning about rare diseases such as the inborn errors of metabolism. The aim was to introduce cinemeducation as part of early clinical exposure and teach first-year MBBS students in the Department of Biochemistry about inborn errors of metabolism. This was a quasi-experimental, cross-over study involving 100 MBBS students. Movie clips prepared from Lorenzo's Oil (for Lipid metabolism) and Extraordinary Measures (for Lysosomal Storage Disease) and corresponding paper-based cases; questionnaires and feedback forms were validated by expert group review. Students' academic performance was improved in the groups where the Extraordinary Measures movie was used for cinemeducation. Still, this effect was not observed when the movie Lorenzo's Oil was used. Both learners and facilitators were satisfied with cinemeducation. Cinemeducation was effectively introduced to teach inborn errors of metabolism in the Department of Biochemistry topic-dependent manner.

The rapid growth of online education has created opportunities to integrate multimedia learning tools into complex scientific disciplines like food biotechnology. This study aimed to develop and evaluate supplementary online course modules on gene expression analysis, protein engineering tools, and fermentation genomics for undergraduate food biotechnology education. Based on cognitive load theory and multimedia learning principles, the modules incorporated focused visual media and interactive knowledge checks. The study involved 85 students in an introductory food microbiology course and 25 students in an upper-level food biochemistry elective at a large public university. Module implementation included tracking student usage through learning management system analytics, collecting qualitative feedback, and assessing learning outcomes via exam performance. Results showed that 73%–76% of students voluntarily accessed the modules, with average engagement times of 5–8 min per module. Student feedback highlighted the modules' effectiveness in clarifying textbook content through replayable examples and real-world scenarios. Comparison of exam scores revealed a 6%–10% improvement in performance on module-related items compared to overall exam averages. Qualitative feedback indicated that students found the visual representations and interactive elements helpful for clarifying complex concepts. This study demonstrates the potential of well-designed multimedia modules to support student learning in food biotechnology education, providing a model for expanding such resources in food science curricula.

During COVID-19 pandemic, there was a change in the teaching mode from face-to-face to online teaching. It was especially challenging for teachers to motivate students to learn through distance learning. This shift in teaching mode also lowered student–student and student-teacher interactions. In this project, a biochemistry courseware, Metabolism Metro (Adventure Mode), was designed which aimed to motivate students learning metabolic pathways in a fun and interactive way. The Metabolism Metro (Adventure Mode) was based on a role-play game design and contained quizzes with questions covering the topics of carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and nucleotide metabolism. In order to enhance the courseware usage, and to encourage collaborative learning, the class teacher had organized a prize-winning competition. Students could join the competition either individually or in groups to complete the game. By including challenging quizzes in the courseware, some students tended to form groups to solve the problems together. They either discussed the problems over the phone, or sat together and answered the questions using one computer. Besides reading the lecture notes, the students also tried to read the textbook, found the answers from the internet, or sought help from the class teacher. Students were attracted to self-learn metabolic pathways to complete the quizzes.

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide students with valuable opportunities to engage in research in a classroom setting, expanding access to research opportunities for undergraduates, fostering inclusive research and learning environments, and bridging the gap between the research and education communities. While scientific practices, integral to the scientific discovery process, have been widely implemented in CUREs, there have been relatively few reports emphasizing the incorporation of core biology concepts into CURE curricula. In this study, we present a CURE that integrates core biology concepts, including genetic information flow, phenotype–genotype relationships, mutations and mutants, and structure–function relationships, within the context of mutant screening and gene loci identification. The design of this laboratory course aligns with key CURE criteria, as demonstrated by data collected through the laboratory course assessment survey (LCAS). The survey of undergraduate research experiences (SURE) demonstrates students' learning gains in both course-directed skills and transferrable skills following their participation in the CURE. Additionally, concept survey data reflect students' self-perceived understanding of the aforementioned core biological concepts. Given that genetic mutant screens are central to the study of gene function in biology, we anticipate that this CURE holds potential value for educators and researchers who are interested in designing and implementing a mutant screen CURE in their classrooms. This can be accomplished through independent research or by establishing partnerships between different units or institutions.