Prev. Article Next Article Table of Contents

Article

Applications of Inorganic Chemistry in Biology: An Interdisciplinary Graduate Course

Supporting Info

Your current credentials do not allow retrieval of the full text.

Purchase the full-text

PDF/HTML,
figures/images,
references and tables,
(where available)

Nicholas Farrell , Paul Ross and Rosette M. Roat

Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Chemistry, P. O. Box 842006, 1001 W. Main St., Richmond, VA 23284-2006

J. Chem. Educ., 1998, 75 (6), p 739

DOI: 10.1021/ed075p739

Publication Date (Web): June 1, 1998

Abstract

Inorganic chemistry faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) are offering an advanced, interdisciplinary, graduate course entitled "Applications of Inorganic Chemistry in Biology". The course utilizes examples from bioinorganic chemistry to introduce advanced topics in synthesis, structural analysis, and analytical methods that are practiced by inorganic chemists. Emphasis is placed on the structure and function of trace and ultratrace transition metals in biological systems and on the use of metals for medicinal purposes. Instrumental techniques such as electron paramagnetic resonance, MÃ¶ssbauer spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography are explained in the detail necessary to familiarize students with their use for analysis of bioinorganic systems and their models. Students have take-home examinations during the term and write a term paper describing a metalloprotein whose X-ray structure data is listed in Brookhaven protein data base. The paper follows the same course pattern of classroom discussion of a bioinorganic system, concentrating on the coordination geometry and nearest neighbor contacts of the metal-binding site in the protein, substrate binding site, and relevance to the metalloprotein or enzyme function, mechanism of action of the enzyme or protein, spectroscopic studies on the metal-binding site, and model studies for the protein's metal-binding site. The instructors conclude that their basic goals for the course - introduction to advanced inorganic chemistry topics using bioinorganic examples with emphasis on primary literature sources and computer-assisted displays - are being accomplished.