BCH3052 Protein biology: From sequence to structure and disease
Faculty of Science
BCH3052 Protein biology: From sequence to structure and disease is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Science, offered in 2023 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2023
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 45%
- and 3 other tasks
This is the 2023 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Overview
The course will give you an advanced understanding of protein structure-function in the context of human disease. Major themes relate the various levels of protein structure to their wide ranging functions, introduce modern techniques used in the analysis of structure and function, and explore the rapidly developing area of protein-related biotechnologies and drug design. Topics to be covered include examples of aberrations in protein structure that lead to alteration in function in a variety of biological contexts, emphasizing disease. Additionally the use of bioinformatics in aiding our understanding of protein sequence, structure and function will be highlighted.
Offerings in 2023
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Practical theory test10%
- PracticalsThreshold hurdle30%
- In-semester quizzes15%
- Examination (2 hours and 10 minutes)Threshold hurdle45%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Describe the relationship between protein sequence, structure and function and relate this to specific examples in human health and disease;
- 2
Explain how proteins fold to their correct three dimensional shape and how this process may go wrong and cause disease;
- 3
Illustrate how NMR and X-ray crystallography are used to determine the structure of a peptide or protein;
- 4
Critically analyse how our understanding of proteins contributes to biotechnology and medicine, in particular comment on the contribution of protein engineering and proteomics to these fields;
- 5
Describe the use of fluorescent proteins as tools for characterising the role of proteins in vivo;
- 6
Apply experimental techniques and methodologies to determine the structure and function of an unknown protein.
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials12 hours
- Practical activities33 hours
- Lectures24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Two hours of lectures
- Four hours of laboratory or tutorial sessions and
- Six hours of independent study per week
This unit will consist of two 1-hour lectures, and up to 4 hours of laboratory, online activities and tutorials per week. The theory and concepts provided through on-line material and lectures will be complimented by a wide range of hands-on practical activities that are designed to teach laboratory skills, techniques, data analysis and interpretation skills.
Where it fits
BCH3052 is part of 3 areas of study in the 2023 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Prof Mibel Aguilar
- Unit Coordinators
- Professor Martin Stone
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for BCH3052?
BCH3052 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is BCH3052 offered?
In 2023, BCH3052 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.
Does BCH3052 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 45% of the final mark, alongside 3 other tasks.
Which majors and minors include BCH3052?
BCH3052 is part of Biochemistry and Microbiology.