Molecular Methods in Enzyme Analysis

3 units

Understanding enzyme structure and function is essential in many important drug design projects. This course focuses on methods used to investigate enzyme active sites to elucidate binding interactions between small molecules and enzymes. Students design and model modifications to an enzyme active site, then perform those modifications using site-directed mutagenesis. This course also introduces other commonly used methods to assay active-site metals, characterize inhibitors, overexpress and purify proteins, and use UV spectroscopy to analyze enzyme activity. This is an investigative course in which students perform collaborative research projects in small groups. Fulfills the upper-level laboratory requirement for the generic biology major and the biochemistry track. Check section description for latest lab enrollment link.