93267 - Metollomics

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student knows the “what, where, when, how and why” of metal ions in biology, having familiarity with the identification, the distribution, the dynamics and the impact of inorganic elements in living systems. The student will be acquainted with the possible functions of metal ions in life and health, and of their interaction mechanisms with biological macromolecules, and how these are affected by the structure of the metal binding site and by the metal ion oxidation state. The student will understand the constant crosstalk between the cellular metal ion pool and other “omics” area, such as the proteome and the interactome, which influences key biological and cellular pathways and controls molecular mechanisms of metal-dependent life processes, determining, in many cases, the states of health or disease.

Course contents

Introduction (2 hours). Life goes beyond the organic chemistry. Why does life use inorganic elements? Importance of metal ions for life, selection, uptake, storage, toxicity.

Bioninorganic chemistry (20 hours). Principles of bio-coordination chemistry and metal speciation. Metal containing biomolecules and structure-function relationships for metal binding proteins, explored metal by metal. Functional role of metals in substrate binding and activation, electron transfer centers and biochemical functions triggers.

How to study “omics” for metal ions (8 hours). “omics” techniques for metal ions and relations between metallome, transcriptome and proteome. Metal dependent transcription factors.

Bacterial metallome (4 hours). How bacteria control the intracellular metal ion quota.

Metal ions and human health (6 hours). Metal homeostasis and metal toxicity in humans. Metals in medicine

Applications of metal ions in human activities (4 hours). Environmental, pharmaceutical and industrial biotechnologies

Prediction of metal binding sites in proteins (4 hours)

Readings/Bibliography

Scientific articles will be indicated by the teacher.

Teaching methods

The information provided by conventional lectures will be complemented by practical examples and case studies given in online lectures by Prof. Ray J. Turner (University of Calgary, Canada).The teaching methodology involves the use of flipped classroom and of a forum on Virtuale platform, which will help students to communicate with the teacher and with the external professor, and to share scientific literature.

Assessment methods

Each student will be asked to do a literature search on a specific biological function of a metal ion of choice, to write a brief essay and to expose it to the class in a flipped classroom lecture. This activity will be given a score of up to 10.

The active participation to the forum will count a score of 3.

The written final exam will consist of 2 questions to be answered on different topics of the course, with a score of 10 for each answer (20 in total).

The final grade will be the sum of all the scores obtained with the three activities. The laude will be given with a total grade of 32 or 33.

Teaching tools

The literature and teaching slides will be shared through the Virtuale platform.

Office hours

See the website of Barbara Zambelli