66626 - Protein Biochemistry

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students possess deep knowledge of protein structure, molecular motors in cells, cell cycle regulation and on the main signal transduction mechanisms.

Course contents

• Aminoacids: structure, chemical properties;
• Peptidic bond: Primary structure anddihedral angles (phi; psi; omega; chi) and their representation (Ramachandran plot).
  
• Secondary structure of proteins:
• Helical structures (alpha-helix; pi-helix; 3-10 helix);
• Beta-sheet; beta-hairpins; turns;
  
• Tertiary structure of proteins: motifs and doamins
• Quaternary structure of proteins: examples and classification.
• Molecular motor:
• Generalities: ATP and AAA
• ATP-Sinthase - Myosin
• Miosyn - Dynein - Kinesin - Actin
• Actin and microtubules
• Miosyn/Actin and muscolar contraction
• Dynein and microtubules - bacterial flagellum
  
• Signal trransuction
• G-Protein Coupled Receptors: Classification and structure of the heterotrimer
• G-proteins;receptor to ligaind nteraction; GTPase activity: molecular target o f subunits
• Protein Kinase C;  Adenilate cyclase
• Receptors with intrinsic tyrosin kinase activity: Sos-Ras-Raf
• Citokins and recpetros
  
• Steroid hormones and receptors
• Cell cycle
• CDK-cyclin (pRb) regulation acnd their interface with signal transduction mechanisms
• Structure of CDK-cyclin and interaction with E2F
• INK4 (p16, p15, p18 e p19)  and CIP/KIP (p21, p27 e p57) regulation
  
• Photophysical mechanisms of bioluminescence and GFP
• Protein turn-over
• Protease mechanisms (serine proteases; aspartate proteases and metal proteases);
• Ubiquitine-proteosome system; Calpains;

Readings/Bibliography

Biochimica di Jeremy M. Berg, John L. Tymoczko, Lubert Stryer - Zanichelli
Struttura e funzione delle proteine Gregory A Petsko, Dagmar Ringe - Zanichelli
Teaching notes available on-line

Teaching methods

Frontal lesson

Assessment methods

The principal learning outcomes that will be assessed are:

-  deep knowledge of protein structure

- knowledge of the processes:

of cellular motors

of cell cycle regulation

of cellular mechanisms of signal transduction

- ability to communicate preparing a power point presentation (10 slides max) to be followed by a discussion.

Links to further information

http://www.ambra.unibo.it/giorgio.sartor/index.html

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Sartor