Course Details in

Module Title	Bio-Related Chemistry
School	Chemistry
Department	Chemistry
Module Code	03 20495
Module Lead	DR. Cox
Level	Masters Level
Credits	10
Semester	Semester 2
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	The module is available to all students on the above programmes and is offered to suitably qualified occasional students. For the latter, enrolment is determined on a case-by-case basis using academic transcripts.
Contact Hours	Lecture-25 hours Practical Classes and workshops-5 hours Total: 30 hours
Exclusions
Description	The first part of this module aims to highlight the importance of carbohydrates in biology. After introducing the subject with a general overview of carbohydrates and their structures, we will move on to look at how one class of enzymes, namely glycosidases, hydrolyse glycosidic bonds in vivo. We will look in detail at the mechanism of this reaction for both inverting and retaining glycosidases and discuss the methods that have been used to elucidate the mode of action of this class of enzymes. Having examined how Nature cleaves glycosidic bonds, we will move on to the reverse reaction and discuss how a different class of enzyme, namely glycosyl transferases, is used to form glycosidic bonds; in particular, we will focus on how these enzymes are used in the biosynthesis of the core oligosaccharide of all asparagine-linked glycoproteins. We will also compare how Nature elegantly solves the selectivity problems associated with glycosylation reactions by employing enzymes, with the rather laborious approaches that we have to use in the laboratory to synthesise glycosidic bonds selectively. In the second part of the module, we will look at some general approaches and concepts involved in drug design, including target selection, drugability, bioavailability and how a drug may be delivered to its site of action. We will consider the development of new anti-HIV treatments targeting viral entry into cells as and example of the drug discovery process. Students will be encouraged to support this part of the course with their own library research.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: recognise and draw the structures of the most important and commonly encountered carbohydrates; explain why monosaccharides exist in a range of forms and draw an arrow-pushing mechanism for their interconversion; rationalise the low-energy conformation of the pyranose form of monosaccharides; explain how glycosidases hydrolyse glycosidic bonds in vivo; use physical organic chemistry data to propose a mechanism of hydrolysis for different types of glycosidases (retaining and inverting); explain the importance of post-translational modifications of proteins in biology; explain the biosynthesis of the oligosaccharide donor that is used in the formation of N-linked glycoproteins and rationalise the site specificity for this type of protein glycosylation; propose selective syntheses of glycosidic bonds; discuss strategies for the design of novel antiviral agents and show an understanding of the issues that impact on choice of strategy; relate specific strategies for the design of antiviral agents to a more general process of drug discovery
Assessment	20495-01 : Exam : Exam (Centrally Timetabled) - Written Unseen (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessments: 100% Unseen Written Examination -The course is assessed through a single 2 hour written examination during the main university examination period which contributes 100 % to the module mark.
Other	None
Reading List