Syllabus for Chemistry 333: Protein Structure and Function
Fall 2003

My intention is that this class will be a rigorous but fascinating exploration of proteins from both chemical and biochemical perspectives, going beyond what you have learned in earlier classes, and delving into the modern scientific literature and the world of protein research.

Office & Hours: My office is in Carr room G02-D. My email is menunez and my extension is 2449. Office hours will be Mon 4-5, Wed 11-12, Fri 9-10; other times by appointment, please.

Class Readings: The backbone required text for this class will be Introduction to Protein Structure by Carl Branden and John Tooze, 2nd edition (1999). Readings from other textbooks, review articles, and the primary scientific literature will be made available to you as reserve readings or class handouts. I expect you to do the assigned reading carefully before the relevant lecture; material from the readings will appear on the exams.

Class Structure: This class will meet four times a week, MTuWF from 10 to 10:50 am. In general, on Mondays and Wednesdays I will give lectures, on Tuesdays we will work on computer exercises, and on Fridays we will have student presentations.

Grading:

Presentations: All students will give a ~20 minute presentation about a paper from the primary scientific literature and be prepared to answer questions about that paper.

Participation: A portion of your grade will be based on your attendance and participation in the other students’ presentations. Each week, you will be expected to have read and thought about the paper that they are presenting and will turn in a short writing assignment based on the reading before the presentations begin.

Problem Sets: Problems based on the computer exercises will be assigned on Tuesdays and will be due the following Tuesdays at the beginning of class. Points will be taken from late problem sets in proportion to their lateness at the rate of one point per hour.

Exams: Two hour exams will be given during the semester, covering primarily lecture material. I will discuss the content and format in more detail as the examinations approach.

Final Take-Home Exam: The final exam will be a take-home assignment that you will be given approximately three weeks to prepare. On this exam you will be expected to synthesize all that you have learned during the semester about proteins, computer resources, and the biochemical literature to answer questions about several proteins you have never seen before. It will be hard, but it will also hopefully be fun.

Extensions: In general I do not approve of extensions; learning to plan ahead is part of the college experience. However, in the case of illness or family emergency, I will work with you to re-evaluate the due dates for your assignments. Please provide me with a note from the Dean or the health center.