Les infos clés
En résumé
Protein is found in virtually every part of your body. At least 10,000 different proteins make you what you are and keep you that way.
In this biology course you will learn how proteins drive almost all living processes.
Proteins manufactured by cells perform a broad range of essential functions — the molecular workforce of living organisms.
You will learn how proteins are the cellular manifestation of genetic information. They are assembled into a polymeric structure from monomers derived in part from components in our diet. Proteins catalyze metabolic reactions, replicate DNA, respond to stimuli, provide movement, and much more. Using video lectures, articles, case studies, and molecular models, we will explore how proteins are constructed, how they fold into 3-dimensional shapes, the kinds of bonds that hold these folded structures together, and the immense range of roles that proteins assume ‑ from structural proteins found in muscle to catalysts for cellular chemical reactions.
Purification and characterization are essential to understand protein structure and function, and we will identify a variety of methods to uncover how these tiny machines drive almost all living processes.
- How proteins are structured and fold into functional forms
- The variety of functions that proteins perform, including enzyme catalysis
- How to purify, analyze, and characterize protein structure and function
Les prérequis
Secondary (high school) chemistry and biology
Le programme
Lecture 1: Protein Structure
Introduction tocentral concepts important for understanding biological molecules, components of proteins, and discovering how these components determine a protein's active, dynamic form.
Lecture 2: Protein Function
Examination of structure and function of the various classes of proteins, how shape determines function, how binding small molecules is important for function, and the nature of transport proteins that move materials
Lecture 3: Protein Function and Purification
Exploration of the dynamic nature and exquisite specificity of enzymes and the methods that can be used to purify a specific protein.
Lecture 4: Protein Characterization
Understanding methods that determine protein concentration, assess molecular weight, determine structure, and identify contribution to cell function.
Les intervenants
Elizabeth Eich
Professor of the Practice Department of Biosciences
Rice University
Daniel J. Catanese
Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Biosciences
Rice University
Le concepteur
Rice University est une université de recherche américaine privée, située à Houston (Texas). Elle se trouve dans le Museum District de la ville et est adjacente au Texas Medical Center. Elle a été fondée par William Marsh Rice (en) en 1891 sous le nom The William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Letters, Science, and Art, et a été inaugurée en 1912 avec Edgar Odell Lovett pour premier président.
La plateforme
EdX est une plateforme d'apprentissage en ligne (dite FLOT ou MOOC). Elle héberge et met gratuitement à disposition des cours en ligne de niveau universitaire à travers le monde entier. Elle mène également des recherches sur l'apprentissage en ligne et la façon dont les utilisateurs utilisent celle-ci. Elle est à but non lucratif et la plateforme utilise un logiciel open source.
EdX a été fondée par le Massachusetts Institute of Technology et par l'université Harvard en mai 2012. En 2014, environ 50 écoles, associations et organisations internationales offrent ou projettent d'offrir des cours sur EdX. En juillet 2014, elle avait plus de 2,5 millions d'utilisateurs suivant plus de 200 cours en ligne.
Les deux universités américaines qui financent la plateforme ont investi 60 millions USD dans son développement. La plateforme France Université Numérique utilise la technologie openedX, supportée par Google.
