Enzymes are often called ‘the workhorses of the cell’. They are involved in most of the important functions of biological cells: catalysing reactions; maintaining the structure; transport of molecules into or out of cells; cell division; DNA replication; and many others. This 20 credit module, compulsory for all Biochemistry level 2 students, examines how the amino acid sequence of a protein is related to its structure and hence its function and how the three dimensional structure of a protein can be determined. It then examines how enzymes function to enable reactions to proceed. Throughout the course we shall emphasise the experimental techniques, the evidence and the unifying concepts behind our current understanding of these processes.
The course consists of lectures, practical classes, a poster session and workshops, listed below. These complement the lectures and help illustrate the concepts taught. The lectures and classes define the course material but it is essential that you read the relevant sections of textbooks and make your own notes as the material is covered in the course. You will also be recommended further reading material and should make full use of the library.