Structure and Function of Proteins

Code:

CB4001

Acronym:

CB4001

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Biological Sciences

Instance: 2021/2022 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Molecular Biology
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Biochemistry

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
M:BQ	22	Plano de Estudos do MBIOQ_2013-2014	1	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The aim is to provide students advanced skills to analyze and solve problems centered on the functional/structural relationships in proteins. These relationships will be addressed using as examples proteins involved in central pathways of human biology, in health and disease contexts.

Learning outcomes and competences

Acquisition of advanced knowledge on the structural and functional relationships in proteins. Capacity to dissect and present a scientific paper to an audience, embedding the conclusions of that paper in the broader theme of the research topic.

Working method

Presencial

Program

- Characterizing the structure and function of a protein: the first steps
- Intrinsically disordered proteins
- Structure and fuction of nanomachines: the AAA ATPAses as a case study.
- Protein folding and misfolding in disease. Amyloidosis and modulators of amyloid formation. Transthyretin: structure and function
- ER-Associated degradation (ERAD) and the unfolded protein response (UPR)
- Autophagy: targets and mechanisms
- The molecular biology of lipid droplets
- Structure and function of Cholesterol-binding/transport proteins
- Prokaryotic secretion systems
- The structure/function of enzymes with bioremediation potential.

 

Mandatory literature

Alberts Bruce; Molecular biology of the cell. ISBN: 978-0-8153-4105-5

Comments from the literature

All of the topics addressed in this course have a very specific bibliography (scientific papers).

Any recent textbook on Molecular and Cellular Biology may also be used with the purpose of helping the student acquiring a general perspective on a given topic.

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures on each of the selected topics. Presentation and discussion of research articles by the students.

 

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	75,00
Prova oral	25,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	5,00
Estudo autónomo	28,00
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Total:	89,00

Eligibility for exams

As per the UP regulations

Calculation formula of final grade

Students are evaluated by
- Final written exam (15 points). A minimal grade of 9,5 points in 20 is required.
- Presentation and discussion of a scientific paper on a selected topic (5 points)