Advanced Biochemistry Laboratory Course - BCH478H1

BCH478H is designed as an advanced successor in a progression of biochemistry laboratory experiences in BCH242Y1 and BCH377H1, which presents BCH Specialist Program students with a broad spectrum of techniques, approaches and concepts of contemporary biochemistry. As an example, in 2022, we used CRISPR/Cas to construct a heterologous metabolic pathway in budding yeast. We defined genes important for pathway assembly, and tested potential routes to pathway optimization. The synthetic biology was complemented by an investigation of anti-CRISPR protein structure and function. Using state-of-the-art interaction methodologies (SPR, BLI, MST) we analyzed anti-CRISPR binding affinities. Protein crystallization, crystallization optimization, structure solving, model building, and refinement were pursued.

Prerequisites:
Students must be enrolled in the BCH Specialist program
BCH340H1
BCH377H1
MGY311Y1

Coordinators:
Grant Brown, Trevor Moraes

Scheduling:
Tuesdays 3 to 5 pm and Fridays 10 am to ~5 pm 

Enrollment Cap: 
30

Textbook:
The laboratory manual will be provided to students on Quercus.  
There is no required textbook for this course.
Frequent reference is made to original papers and review articles.