Biomolecular Structure
Course Requirements (18 hours):
BIOL 3336 Protein and Nucleic Acid Structure (3 semester hours) Examines the different types of protein motifs, protein and DNA folding and stability, and the relation of structure to function. Circular dichroism, NMR, and crystallographic methods of structural determination are presented. Types of proteins considered include transcription factors, proteinases, membrane proteins, proteins in signal transduction, proteins of the immune system, and engineered proteins. Students also receive instruction in the viewing and manipulation of protein and DNA structures using various modeling programs and data from national web sites. Prerequisite: BIOL/CHEM 3361. (3-0) T
BIOL 4261 Biomolecular Modeling (2 semester hours) Designed to provide some of the computational tools needed to study the large number of biomolecular structures now available in databanks. Molecular Simulations Insight II software will be used to visualize and manipulate protein and nucleic acid structures. Students will build examples of small 3-dimensional molecules from amino acid, nucleotide, and sugar residues. Procedures for energy minimization will be studied. Homologous protein structures will be compared, and mutated structures will be modeled. Other modeling approaches such as Monte Carlo and molecular or Brownian dynamics may be included. (1-2) T
BIOL 4461 Biophysical Chemistry (4 semester hours) For students interested in the interface between biochemistry and structural biology. Provides an advanced treatment of the physical principles underlying modern molecular biology techniques. Topics include classical and statistical thermodynamics, biochemical kinetics, transport processes (e.g., diffusion, sedimentation, viscosity), chemical bonding, and spectroscopy. Prerequisites: MATH 2417 and 2419; PHYS 2325 and 2326 or equivalent; BIOL/CHEM 3361. (Same as CHEM 4461). (4-0) Y
CHEM 2323 Introductory Organic Chemistry I (3 semester hours) The covalent bond. Organic chemistry: aliphatic and aromatic compounds; covalent inorganic and organometallic compounds; a survey of the organic functional groups and their typical reactions; stereochemistry. The first course in organic chemistry. Satisfies the basic organic chemistry lecture requirements for pre-health profession students. Prerequisite: CHEM 1312 or 1316. (3-0) S
CHEM 2325 Introductory Organic Chemistry II (3 semester hours) Continuation of CHEM 2323. Methods of structure determination. Synthesis, degradation, spectroscopy. Naturally occurring compounds: carbohydrates, amino acids and proteins, lipids, alkaloids. Prerequisite: CHEM 2323. (3-0) S
PLUS one of two approved BIOL, CHEM, CS, EE, MATH or PHYS electives.
For additional information, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies
