Bioinorganic Chemistry

Code:

Q206

Acronym:

Q206

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Chemistry

Instance: 2014/2015 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://moodle.up.pt/course/view.php?id=2441
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Chemistry

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:AST	0	Plano de Estudos a partir de 2008	3	-	7,5	-	202,5
L:B	0	Plano de estudos a partir de 2008	3	-	7,5	-	202,5
L:CC	0	Plano de estudos de 2008 até 2013/14	3	-	7,5	-	-
L:F	0	Plano de estudos a partir de 2008	3	-	7,5	-	202,5
L:G	2	P.E - estudantes com 1ª matricula anterior a 09/10	3	-	7,5	-	202,5
		P.E - estudantes com 1ª matricula em 09/10	3	-	7,5	-	202,5
L:M	0	Plano de estudos a partir de 2009	3	-	7,5	-	202,5
L:Q	19	Plano de estudos Oficial	2	-	7,5	-	202,5

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Understand the role of metal ions in biological systems at a molecular level and understanding the basic chemical principles that promote their reactivity. During all classes exemplas of the importance of bioinorganic chemistry in several fields (pharmacology, medicine, agriculture, metallurgy, veterinary, among others) will be given. This course is an introduction to bioinorganic chemistry, focusing on the role of metal ions in biological processes. The main goal of the course is to provide basic training in this interdisciplinary area by applying previous general knowledge in chemistry (coordination compounds, acid-base, redox, thermodynamics and kinetics) to selected cases in bioinorganic chemistry. The following topics will be studied: 1) Role of metals in biological systems: 2) Metalloenzymes with hydrolytic functions; 3) Metal proteins in electron transfer processes; 4) Role of metal ions in oxygen transport and activation; 5) Metals in free radical reactions; 6) Environmental bioinorganic chemistry; 7) Medical applications of inorganic compounds.  

Learning outcomes and competences

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

• Apply the basic principles in inorganic and general chemistry to interdisciplinary topics in the field of bioinorganic chemistry.
• Describe the main roles of metal ions in biological processes, and identify the chemical properties that are required to each particular function.
• Describe the role of metal ions in enzymes involved in acid-base reactions.
• Describe the role of metal ions that are involved in electron-transfer reactions in biological systems. 
• Describe how oxygen is transported in different species and identify the metal centers involved in this task.
• Describe the different metal-activation sites in enzymes that are involved in the activation of oxygen.
• Identify the main toxicological mechanisms of metals and the biological defenses against the toxic effects.
• List some medical applications of inorganic compounds. 
• Determine enzymatic activity using spectrophotometry and appropriate software to analyze experimental data (Excel).
• Use experimental data to obtain information on the molecular structure of the metal center in metal proteins.
• Extract some metal proteins from natural sources.
• Oral and written communicate using the specific language of bioinorganic chemistry and common software (Word, Powerpoint).
•  

Additionally, the student should have improve the following soft skills:

• Teamwork.
• Use of computers and common software for analysis and presentation of experimental data.
• Use of web tools to find scientific data.
• Written and oral communication.

Analysis and interpretation of data.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

The student should have attended (and preferably completed successfully) the following courses (or their equivalents): Fundamentos de Química (Q101), Química Inorgânica (Q212) Laboratórios de Química I (Q111), Laboratórios de Química II (Q122), Laboratórios de Química Inorgânica (Q213). The students should also attend (or have attended) one of the following courses (or their equivalents) Química Biológica (Q244), Química Biológica Computacional (Q254).

Program

1. Fundamental concepts in biochemistry and biology: biosphere; living organisms; cells and cell compartments; biomolecules; types of biochemical reactions; enzyme kinetics.

2. Distribution of elements: distribution of elements in the earth's cruts, seawater and organisms; biogeochemical cycling; inorganic elements in biological systems.

3. Coordination chemistry: coordination compounds; ligand field theory (revisions); ligand field stabilization energy; thermodynamics of complex formation; chelate effect; ligand substitution; redox reactions; organometallic compounds; 18-electron rules; reactions involving organometallic compounds.

4. Acid-base reactions in biological systems and the functions of metal cations: types of acid-base reactions (revisions); acidity scale and acid character of metal ions; kinetic factors; enhancement of reaction by protein residues; magnesium-dependent enzymes; zinc-dependent enzymes; enzymes dependent on other metals.

5. Structural effects of metal ions: metal ions and polynucleotides; effect on structures; catalytic metal ions; gene regulation; ribozymes.

6. Redox reactions: types of reactions in biological systems; reduction potential; heme proteins and enzymes; iron-sulfur proteins; copper proteins; molybdenum and tungsten proteins; examples od proteins involved in redox processes in biological systems.

7. Oxygen transport and activation: bonding in dioxygen and related species; reversible binding of oxygen: monooxygenases; dioxygenases.

8. Metal-involving free radical reactions: biologically relevant free radicals; reactivity of free radicals; B12-coenzyme dependent enzymes; iron-dependent ribonucleotide reductases.

9. Other essential elements: nitrogen; phosphorus; sulfur; selenium; boron; silicon; vanadium; chromium; halogens.

10. Metal-related physiology: iron metabolism in mammals; iron metabolism in bacteria, fungi and plants; copper metabolism; zinc metabolism; sodium and calcium in physiological processes; zinc and neurons; sensors of small molecules; magnetic navigation; biological skeletons.

11. Environmental bioinorganic chemistry: toxicity of inorganic compounds; molecular mechanisms; examples; biological defense against toxicity; metals bioremediation.

12. Medical applications of inorganic compounds: examples of applications in therapy (cisplatin, bleomycin, vanadium compounds, lithium) and diagnostic (contrast agents for MRI, rapid diagnostic tests based on nanotechnology).

Mandatory literature

E. Ochiai; Bioinorganic Chemistry-a survey, Academic Press, 2008
Chris J.Jones; d- and f- block Chemistry, Tutorial Chemistry texts RS.C, 2001
Robert R. Crichton; Biological Inorganic Chemistry, Elsevier, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-444-53782-9
Glen E. Rodgers; Introduction to coordination, solid state and descriptive inorganic chemistry, McGraw-Hill, 1994

Complementary Bibliography

Wolfgang Kaim and Brigitte Schwederski; Bioinorganic Chemistry:Inorganic elements in the chemistry of life, John Wiley & Sons , 1994
Rosette M.Roat-Malone; Bioinorganic Chemistry- a short course, John Wiley & Sons , 2002
Robert R. Crichton; Biological Inorganic Chemistry – An Introduction, Elsevier, Amsterdão, 2008

Teaching methods and learning activities

Topics will be presented and discussed with the students, using case studies to reinforce and apply new concepts. The case studies will also be used to present some characterization techniques, and the students will practice analysis and interpretation of experimental data. In addition, the case studies will be used to train the student’s skills for web-based search, and oral/written communication. The course includes a laboratory part, where the students will learn how to extract, purify and characterize biomolecules.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	10,00
Teste	60,00
Trabalho escrito	10,00
Trabalho laboratorial	20,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	67,50
Frequência das aulas	135,00
Total:	202,50

Eligibility for exams

To be admited to evaluation, the students must attend more than 3/4 of the classes (independently of being theoretical, problem solving, or laboratory classes).

Calculation formula of final grade

The student will be approved if the final grade  (NF) is equal or higher than 9.5. The evaluation will be done by the following components:

- Five mini-tests during the semester.
- 4 laboratory work with report
- Participation in the class activities
- Essay/Oral presentation.

The final grade will be calculated using the following formula:

NF= 0,6 x T + 0,2 x L + P + 0,1 x M

where T is teh average of the grades obtained in the mini-tests (0-20);
L is the average of the grades obtained in the laboratory work (0-20)
P is the grade for participation in class activities (0; 0,5; 1; 1,5 ou 2).
M é the classification of the essay/oral presentation.

In case the student fails to deliver any of the evalution componentes, the grade used for the claculation is zero.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

The students that cannot go to the classes and that present a reasonable justification for it, can be evaluated by written essays and a final exam. The details of this alternative evaluation will be discussed with the professor.

Classification improvement

Students that have been approved in 2013/2014 can retry the theoretical exam to improve the final classification.
The students that are approved the current year can retry one or two of the mini-tests in the first week after the end of classes.