Chemistry 446

INTRODUCTION TO Bioinorganic Chemistry

              Fall 2007                       

Fine Arts Building B108

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Instructor:            Dr. Keith M. Davies.

Office:                  361 Bull Run Hall (PW)

Hours:                   M 11:00-12:00, Th 1:30-2:30 (ST1 408A), or by appointment

kdavies@gmu.edu

Tel: 703-993-1075 

CHEM 446 Course Supplement. Bioinorganic Chemistry. Copy Shop

Recommended Reading: On reserve in Johnson Center Library:

Bioinorganic Chemistry: Inorganic Elements in the Chemistry of Life by W. Kaim and B. Schwederski.

Inorganic Biochemistry by J. A. Cowan 2nd edition

Biological Inorganic Chemistry. Structure and Reactivity by Bertini, Gray, Stiefel and Valentine

 

OVERHEAD MATERIALS

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Course Objectives

The application of principles of inorganic coordination chemistry and spectroscopic methods to understanding the structure and function of metal ion sites in biomolecules. Topics covered will include inorganic coordination chemistry, ligand field theory and metal ion bonding; transport and storage of metal ions in biology; dioxygen activation and toxicity of oxygen species; dioxygen transport in mammals and lower organisms; the use of metal complexes as drugs and metal-related disease; nitric oxide biochemistry; electron transfer in biology: iron cytochromes, iron-sulfur clusters, copper enzymes, electron transfer through proteins; redox cofactors in cobalamins, nitrogenases and hydrogenases; hydrolytic enzymes.

Examinations and Grading

 

Mid-Term Exam I

Sept. 18th

22%

Mid-Term Exam II

Oct. 25th

22%

Mid-Term Exam III

Nov. 27th

22%

Final Exam (10:30-1:15)

Dec. 11th

              34%
     
     

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Course Outline: 

Introduction  Occurrence, availability and biological roles of inorganic elements. Classification of metallobiomolecules. Fundamentals of metal ion coordination chemistry.  Review of protein structure and metal ion binding in biomolecules.  

Ligand Field Theory Magnetic and spectral properties of transition metal ions. Thermodynamic stability, redox potentials and Latimer diagrams. Electron transfer and metal ion substitution.  Π-unsaturated ligands, metal-metal bonds and metal clusters.  Physical methods: Electronic, Mossbauer and epr spectroscopy. 

Transport and Storage of Metal Ions in Biology (Fe, Zn, Cu).Iron transport by transferrin and bacterial siderophores. Iron storage in ferritin. Zn and Cu transport in metallothioneins and metallochaperones. Channels and carriers. 

Oxygen Metabolism: Dioxygen Activation Oxygen atom transfer. Cytochromes-P450, tyrosinase, methane monooxygenase.  

Dioxygen Reactivity and Toxicity Toxicity of oxygen species and detoxification enzymes. Superoxide dismutases, peroxidases and catalases.

Dioxygen Transport Systems:  Hemoglobin, hemerythrin and hemocyanin. Cooperativity, O2 and CO discrimination. Inorganic model compounds. 

Metals in Medicine, Metallotherapeutics. Cisplatin and 2nd generation Pt drugs. Metal toxicity and metal-related disease. Chelation therapy. 

Nitric Oxide Biochemistry Physiological roles of NO. Nitric oxide synthase enzymes.   

Electron Transfer in Biology Metal cofactors. Iron cytochromes and iron sulfur proteins, copper proteins, cytochrone-c oxidase.  Marcus theory. Electron transfer through proteins.  

Redox Cofactors Cobalamins, nitrogenases, hydrogenases. 

Hydrolytic Chemistry  Metal-dependant lyase and hydrolase enzymes. Zn enzymes, zinc structural binding domains. Aconitase, urease, Mg enzymes.