The 20th century made great strides in identifying protein structure and function, creating the field of structural biology. At the turn of the century, research began focusing on proteins without structure. Referred to as "intrinsically disordered," these proteins were linked to the physical phenomenon of liquid-liquid phase separation and biomolecular condensates. Like oil in water, they form dense liquid droplets of protein designed to carry out cellular functions. In this course we will focus on the nature of disorder, the science driving phase separation, and the roles of these proteins in relation to both disease and synthetic life. Course work will involve lectures to provide background information, reading and discussion of peer-reviewed research articles, collaborative learning activities, experimental design, and some hands-on lab activities. Applies to the Molecular/Cell requirement for the Biology major.
Biology 205 and Chemistry 245; or Biology 111 and Chemistry 246.