Biomembranes

Code:

BIOL/Q3001

Acronym:

BIOL/Q3001

Level:

300

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Biology
OFICIAL	Chemistry

Instance: 2020/2021 - 1S

Active?	No
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Biochemistry

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:BQ	0	Official Study Plan	3	-	6	42	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

Knowledge:

 - Lipid structures and their biological importance, structure/activity relationships

- Lipid/protein and lipid/nucleic acid interactions

- Experimental techniques for this type of study/characterization

Learning outcomes and competences

Skills

- Recognition of the biological relevance of lipid structure and lipid/protein interactions

- Capacity to rationalize structure/activity relationships

- Capacity to read/understand papers and book chapters relevant to these subjects

- Ability to prepare short monographs on given subjects

- Capacity of oral exposition of the monographs and subsequent discussions

Working method

Presencial

Program

Syllabus:

1. Introduction to biomembranes.

Biomembranes as the basic architecture of the cell and mediator of its interaction with the surrounding media. Asymmetry and heterogeneity of biological membranes.

2. Lipids and structure-function relationship

Structure and biological function. Lipidomics, an emerging field. Molecular basis of lipid polymorphism - dependence on chemical and physical factors. Liquid-crystalline properties of biological membranes and dynamics of membrane components. Phase transitions and lateral phase separation (segregation). Role of cholesterol – rafts. Phase diagrams of lipid-based systems and structural characterization of different phases. Spontaneous curvature and curvature frustration.

3. Lipid/protein and lipid/nucleic acids interaction

Structure-activity relations. Role of lipids on the membrane proteins’ structure and vice-versa. Segregation on procariotes induced by antimicrobial peptides. Interactions between lipids/surfactants and nucleic acids in the context of non-viral gene delivery.

4. Membrane models and their applications

Importance, properties and limitations. Monolayers, supported lipid bilayers, synthetic liposomes and other membrane models. Easy modulation of properties for the differential analysis of effects

5. Experimental techniques for the study of membranes

Calorimetry (DSC and ITC), fluorescence, NMR, Microscopy, X-Ray, TEM, SEM, AFM, MD.

Mandatory literature

Bastos Margarida, 1959- 340; Biocalorimetry. ISBN: 9781482246650
E. F. Marques; Surfactant Vesicles: Formation, Properties and Stability”, pages 1-20, in Encyclopedia of Surface and Colloid Science, P. Somasundaran , 2010
Peter P. Privalov; Microcalorimetry of Macromolecules – the physical basis of biological structures
Ole Mouritsen; Life – as a matter of fat. The emerging science of lipidomics

Teaching methods and learning activities

METODOLOGY

 

Lectures and tutorials/labs.

In the lectures the main concepts, facts and models will be presented.

in the tutorials/labs there will be:
1. detailed discussion of the concepts introduced in the lectures, with presentation of case-studies;
2. presentation by the students of monographs that they have prepared at home, followed by discussion with the teacher and colleagues;
3. experimental demonstrations/works.

 

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	50,00
Participação presencial	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	8,00
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	5,00
Estudo autónomo	96,00
Frequência das aulas	42,00
Total:	151,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance of practical classes is mandatory. The student loses attendance if he/she exceeds a number of absences equal to 1/4 of the lessons foreseen.

Calculation formula of final grade

FG = 0.50 * (grade oral presentation + lab reports) + 0.50 * grade final exam

Grade (oral presentation + lab reports)  ≥ 10 

Grade exam ≥ 10

Classification improvement

Final exam on retake.