In this case study, information is presented to students in the form of a dialog between a physician and two parents who have just learned that their child has thalassemia (Cooley’s Anemia). The treatment for this disorder requires a lifetime commitment to whole blood transfusion and chelation therapy (both administered on a daily to weekly basis); the biggest obstacle to long term survival is patient non-compliance.
These slides describe the recent literature on the structure of the iron sulfur cluster of nitrogenase active site, FeMo-co. Included are: a comparison of industrial vs. biological ammonia production, several crystal structures from the literature including the unknown until recently hypervalent carbon atom in the center, and a brief mention of the troubling sterics of the active site as crystallized.
This suite of activities can be used as a unit exploring the use of small molecule models and biophysical techniques to illuminate complicated biomolecules. The Parent LO: Modeling the FeB center in bacterial Nitric Oxide reductase is a short, data-filled and well-written article that is approachable with an undergraduate's level of understanding.
This Five Slides About provides an overview of the concept of magnetic susceptibility for paramagnetic metal centers. Three methods are discussed, namely the Evans NMR Method, the magnetic balance and SQUID (Superconducting QUantum Interference Device). The availability of each method varies across institutions.
These Five Slides About examine the structure and function of the iron binding and transport protein transferrin. Students learn that transferrin also acts as an iron buffer and as a potential antimicrobial agent. The structure of the protein is explored in detail; it consists of a single polypeptide (80kDa) folded into two lobes, each of which can bind a single iron in a high affinity region. Changes in the protein as a result of iron uptake is discussed. The iron binding region and the requirement of a bidentate synergistic anion (carbonate) are examined.
This web resource is a TEDx talk about zinc and zinc's role in the early stages of the maturation of the egg. This would be a great introduction video for a gen chem, inorganic, or bioinorganic chemistry course. It introduces the idea that Zinc is stored in specific locations on the egg and then released all at the same time.
This is a problem set based on the article "Energetic Cuprous Azide Complex: Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Effection on the Thermal Decomposition of HMX" in the Journal of Chemical Crystallography. It has been used in a Chemistry Capstone course for both Chemistry and Biochemistry majors during the first semester senior year. Biochemistry majors are not required to take Inorganic Chemistry and Chemistry majors may be currently taking Inorganic chemistry.
This 5 slides about will introduce students to the concept of photoinduced electron transfer. These slides go over the energics of photoinduced electron transfer, which implements basic concepts of photochemistry and electrochemistry. The photoinduced electron transer properties of ris-(2,2'-bipyridine)-ruthenium(II) is used as an example.
In this literature discussion, students read a paper about a cobalt metallopeptide that imitates the active site of the enzyme nitrile hydratase. Specifically, the model complex is oxidized by air to produce a coordination sphere with both cysteine thiolate and sulfinic acid ligands, much like the post-translationally oxidized cysteine ligands in the biological system.
This is an in-class PDB exercise based on the paper "Mechanisms Controlling the Cellular Metal Economy" by Gilston and O'Halloran. Students are asked to visualize the metal binding sites of several proteins discussed in the paper, highlighting unusual metal geometries. After identifying the amino acid residues involved in metal binding, students will discuss the bond structure in terms of HSAB theory.