66194 - Advanced Inorganic Chemistry M

Learning outcomes

The Course is aimed at presenting fundamental knowledge on the role of metals in biological systems. In particular, the students will gain insights on: the role of group I and II metals, the role of transition metals in electron transfer, photosynthesis and oxygen transport; metal enzymes; biochemistry of iron; nitrogen fixation; essential elements in biological systems; metals in medicine.

Course contents

The Course is aimed at presenting fundamental knowledge on the role of metals in biological systems. In particular, the students will gain insights on: the role of group I and II metals, the role of transition metals in electron transfer, photosynthesis and oxygen transport; metal enzymes; biochemistry of iron; nitrogen fixation; essential elements in biological systems; metals in medicine

Course contents

Prerequisites

The prerequisites required for this course are:

a) General and inorganic chemistry;

b) Inorganic chemistry: atomic properties, chemical bond, properties of the main elements, coordination chemistry, transition metals and crystal field theory;

c) Fundamental of organic chemistry and biochemistry;

d) Spectroscopic techniques for molecular characterization;

e) Principles of Thermodynamics and Kynetics ;

Contents

Fundamental concepts in coordination chemistry: molecular geometry and isomerism. Introduction to bioinorganic chemistry and the role of metals in biological systems.

1) Bioinorganic chemistry: definition and basic principles;

2) Classification of essential elements; Main metals of biological interest and their roles;

4) Metalloproteins: structures and functions;

5) Biological role of alcali and earth metals: ionophores, ion channels, Na/K-ATPase; Calcium and magnesium: biominerals, chlorophyll, regulatory role of Ca, enzymes;

7) Biological role of Zn: properties, Zn-enzymes, structural role, Zn-fingers;

8) Biological ubiquitary role of Fe: classification of Fe-proteins; transferrin and ferritine; hemoglobin and myoglobin; cytochromes and electron transfer; cytochrome P450; Fe-S proteins; Diffusion and saturation principles.

9) Biological role of Cu: main Cu-proteins and their role; blu copper proteins; Cu-Zn-SOD; cytochrome c oxidases and respiratory chain;

10) Introduction of the biological role of Mn: Mn-proteins, properties and functions; Mo and nitrogen fixation; Biological role of Co: B12 vitamin; introduction to the biological role of Ni;

11) Metals in medicine.

Readings/Bibliography

J. E. Huheey, A. E. Keiter, R. L. Keiter “Chimica Inorganica” Casa Editrice Piccin Padova.

D. F. Shriver, P.W.Atkins, C.H.Langford, 'Chimica Inorganica '; Zanichelli.

R. M. Roat Malone “Bioinorganic Chemistry” Wiley.

I. Bertini, H. B. Gray, E. I. Stiefel, J. S. Valentine, “Biological Inorganic Chemistry, University Science Books.

W. Kaim, B. Schwedereski, A. Klein, "Bioinorganic chemistry: inorganic elements in the chemistry of life", Wiley.

Teaching methods

The course includes class lectures and tutorial activities. Lectures are supported by slide projection web-video and e-texts . Class discussion is encouraged.

Assessment methods

Students are asked to take an oral examination in one of the scheduled sessions at the end of the course. The exam is based on the topics of the course and is aimed at checking the understanding of the student and his/her capacity to apply the concepts of inorganic chemistry to biochemsitry.

The oral examination consists into two consecutive ppt presentations one subject discussed during the courseslides max.10 slides) and underlying the fundamental aspects of each topic and another subject by selecting a free-choice paper of recent pubblication describing it in a very concise way (10 slides ), pointing the essential of the results and discussion.

Teaching tools

Teaching supports include PowerPoint presentations, web-pesentations and slide projection. Documents and slides shown are made available to students through web-istitutional platform.

Office hours

See the website of Silvia Bordoni