Biochemistry Laboratory I
BCH377H
This is an introductory laboratory course for specialist students in Biochemistry, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics. Experiments in this course aim to illustrate and build upon some of the concepts described in BCH242Y, and serve as a foundation for more advanced training in subsequent biochemistry laboratory courses.
The topics covered include:
- Properties of buffers.
- Enzyme properties and kinetics (Michaelis-Menten analyses).
- Protein purification and analysis, including chromatography, spectrophotometric protein assays, enzyme assays, SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry analysis.
- Isolation of genomic DNA, PCR analysis, and agarose gel electrophoresis.
- Methods to study protein unfolding (chemical and thermal denaturation), and protein expression, stability and degradation (western blotting and enzyme assays).
Enrolled students can refer to the course Quercus page for more information.
Course Next Offered
September 2023
Course Time and Location
Tuesdays 9 am to 1 pm AND Thursdays 11 am to 12 noon.
Teaching Labs, Medical Sciences Building
Visit Quercus for detailed schedule and room locations.
Prerequisites
BCH242Y
Enrollment Limit
Yes —
This course is restricted at all times to students who are enrolled in:
Sp. Biochemistry
Sp. Immunology
Sp. Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Exclusions
BCH370H, CHM379H
Method of Student Evaluation
30% Assignments (4)
25% Journal-Style Report
15% Performance & Development
30% Final Exam
A more detailed description of each component will be provided in class and on Quercus.
Recommended Reading
The laboratory manual will be provided on Quercus for students to print out themselves. There is no textbook required for this course. Recommended (optional) resources are listed below.
Fundamental Laboratory Approaches for Biochemistry and Biotechnology, A.J. Ninfa and D.P. Ballou, Fitzgerald Scientific Press, 1998.
Biochemical Calculations, 2nd ed. Segel, I.H. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York (1976)