| Department of Natural Sciences
90 % Department of Plant Biology 10 % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Earliest Possible Year | BSc. 1 year | ||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | Two blocks | ||||||||||||||||||
| Credits | 15 (ECTS) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Course Level | BSc | ||||||||||||||||||
| Examination | Final Examination written examination Written Exam in Lecturehall All aids allowed Description of Examination: 3 timers skriftlig prøve Weight: 100% pass/fail, internal examiner Dates of Exam: 12 April 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Requirement For Attending Exam | 1) To carry out at least 7 of the 9 laboratory exercises. 2) To obtain 26 (out of 35) points from accepted hand-in exercises (1 pt), lab. reports (2 pts) and PBL presentations (3 pts). | ||||||||||||||||||
| Organisation of Teaching | Usually two double lectures per week, one theoretical exercise per week and one laboratory exercise per week. Some weeks with PBL instead of TE or TE instead of LE. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Block Placement | Block 2 Week Structure: B Block 3 Week Structure: B | ||||||||||||||||||
| Teaching Language | English | ||||||||||||||||||
| Areas of Competence the Course Will Address | |||||||||||||||||||
| Basic science: Knowledge of biochemically important aspects of organic chemistry and selected aspects of general chemistry. Understanding of central aspects of biochemistry (intermediary metabolism, genes, protein synthesis, structure and function of proteins and enzymes). Understanding of some connections from biochemistry to anatomy, physiology and molecular genetics (e.g. time- and size-scale, biochemical differences between leaves, roots and storage organs, primary vs. secondary metabolites, the genetic code.) Knowledge of theoretical and practical aspects of some experimental methods, with focus on analytical methods such as chromatography, gel electrophoresis, UV spectroscopy and enzyme assay. Knowledge of scientific papers, as medium of scientific communication. Basic knowledge of written and oral communication. Applied science: Knowledge of the role of biochemistry in plant breeding and quality assessment. Ethics: Awareness of scientific honesty | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Objectives | |||||||||||||||||||
| The course aims at giving a basic understanding of the biochemistry of plants, based on: 1) A minimal basis of general, analytical and organic chemistry. 2) A chemical and biochemical understanding of important plant components: Metabolites, polysaccharides, and proteins. 3) Description of plant physiological processes at the cell level: Respiration, photosynthesis, molecular genetics and an introduction to biosyntheses. 4) Introductory reading of original scientific papersl | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Contents | |||||||||||||||||||
| The Chemistry of Life covers the structures, properties, reactions and functions of plant metabolites and macromolecules, and describes the network of reactions which together constitutes plant biochemistry. After an introduction to organic chemistry, we focus on a chemical and biological understanding of primary metabolism, i.e. the part of metabolism that is common for all plants, and which includes the biosynthesis and degradation of biomolecules, and how plants obtain energy for the life processes. The curriculum includes: The reactivity of some important functional groups: alcohol, phenol, aldehyde, ketone, carboxylic acid, ester, amine and amide. An introduction to analytical chemistry (Titration, TLC, GC, LC, UV-vis.-spectroscopy, electrophoresis). The structures, properties, biochemical reactivities and functions of selected hydrocarbons, carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, proteins, coenzymes, nucleic acids and secondary metabolites. Properties of enzymes, including reaction mechanisms, basal kinetics and cofactors. Primary metabolism and respiration, including basal thermodynamic aspects, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, protein biosynthesis and photosynthesis. The 9 laboratory exercises comprise: Intro) Pipettes, pH determination, visible light spectroscopy and titration. A) Compound identification based on reactivity and solubility. B) Plant oils: Saponification and fatty acid profile. C) Identification of amino acids based on titration and TLC. Identification of aldehydes and ketones based on UV spectroscopy of derivatives. D) Plant pigments: Extraction of carotenoids and anthocyanins, TLC and visible light spectroscopy. E) Partial purification of horse radish peroxidase. F) Substrate specificity of alcohol dehydrogenase, enzymatic determination of ethanol in an alcoholic beverage. G) Kinetic constants of horse radish peroxidase. H) Extraction, reduction and alkylation of barley storage proteins, SDS PAGE. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Teaching And Learning Methods | |||||||||||||||||||
| The curriculum is presented in lectures. Problem solving is practiced in theoretical exercises. Laboratory exercises demonstrate experimental work and its interpretation. A PBL case integrates the competences obtained in the course, introduces scientific papers and demands written and oral communication of some sophistication. Intensive self study of curriculum and exercises is a vital part of the course. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Litterature | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ouellette, R. J. (1998) Organic Chemistry, a Brief Introduction, 2nd. ed., Prentice Hall. Horton, Moran, Scrimgeour, Perry, Rawn (2006) Principles of Biochemistry, 4th. ed. Prentice Hall. Agerbirk, N. (2006) Compendium for The Chemistry of Life, 2nd. ed., Samfundslitteratur. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Coordinator | |||||||||||||||||||
| Niels Agerbirk, nia@life.ku.dk, Department of Natural Sciences/Biochemistry & Natural Product Chemistry, Phone: 35332438 Poul Erik Jensen, peje@life.ku.dk, Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology/Laboratory for Molecular Plant Biology, Phone: 35333340 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Study Board | |||||||||||||||||||
| Study Committee NSN | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Scope | |||||||||||||||||||
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