BCMB 314: Membrane Biochemistry

Introduction: Membrane types and functions; chemical composition (lipids, proteins and carbohydrates); amphipatic nature of lipids (formation of monolayers, bilayers/liposomes, and micelles); Reactions of phospholipases.
Structure and properties: Models (Dawson and Danielli, Singer and Nicholson); integral (glycophorin A, anion channel ban 3, bacteriorhodopsin), lipid-anchored and peripheral (cytoskeleton of erythroid and non-erythroid cells) proteins; plasma membrane glycocalyx, antigenic properties (RBC M and N, blood group O, A and B); evidence for asymmetric, dynamic and fluid-like character of biomembranes; cell-cell recognition and fusion (eg flu virus and HIV infections); membrane biogenesis (synthesis and transport of membrane lipids).
Preparation and study: Physical, chemical and biochemical methods of study (lipid bilayer and vesicles of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells).
Transport: Thermodynamics; modes (uniport, symport and antiport systems) and types (simple diffusion, passive-mediated, active, Na/K pump, co-tranport – Na/glucose pump of kidney/intestine, galactose permease of E. coli, exocytosis and endocytosis); channels (ligand gated and voltage-gated) and pores; ionophores (valinomycin, gramicidin A and nigericin).