Read on Twitter
Here& #39;s something which is going around Twitter-and I& #39;m going to break with my colleagues here.
This is not a difficult concept, it& #39;s a question which is worded in a way which makes it difficult to succeed. https://twitter.com/louftkissy/status/1262459759007010816">https://twitter.com/louftkiss...
This is not a difficult concept, it& #39;s a question which is worded in a way which makes it difficult to succeed. https://twitter.com/louftkissy/status/1262459759007010816">https://twitter.com/louftkiss...
She posted an email from her instructor, and it& #39;s all pretty basic protein biochemistry concepts.
What do the amino acids do?
What are the basic elements of protein structure?
How do these combine to give the protein function? https://twitter.com/louftkissy/status/1262599948333461504?s=09">https://twitter.com/louftkiss...
What do the amino acids do?
What are the basic elements of protein structure?
How do these combine to give the protein function? https://twitter.com/louftkissy/status/1262599948333461504?s=09">https://twitter.com/louftkiss...
These might SOUND difficult, but they& #39;re very simple in concept.
Acidic amino acids are proton donors. Basic amino acids accept electrons.
Proteins are alpha-helices or beta sheets separated by unstructured elements, all of which have their own unique interactions.
Acidic amino acids are proton donors. Basic amino acids accept electrons.
Proteins are alpha-helices or beta sheets separated by unstructured elements, all of which have their own unique interactions.
If you& #39;ve had a unit on biochemistry, I don& #39;t think it& #39;s unfair to ask these kinds of questions.
BUT...giving the student a specific enzyme, and asking them to describe minute biochem details from memory is unfair and inappropriate.
They wouldn& #39;t do this in a PhD level class
BUT...giving the student a specific enzyme, and asking them to describe minute biochem details from memory is unfair and inappropriate.
They wouldn& #39;t do this in a PhD level class
As someone who& #39;s doing plant physiology work, if I need to know this information, I& #39;m looking it up.
I know all the subunit/side chain stuff, and I can incorporate it when dissecting the structure.
I know all the subunit/side chain stuff, and I can incorporate it when dissecting the structure.
This is more or less my area of expertise, because understanding how a protein works is essential to determining whether it& #39;s related to the process you& #39;re trying to dissect.
I& #39;ve had to look at dozens-maybe hundreds-of these kinds of interactions over the years...
I& #39;ve had to look at dozens-maybe hundreds-of these kinds of interactions over the years...
...and I don& #39;t remember a single one in this kind of detail.
If I& #39;m a professional scientist, why should a high-schooler have to do this?
The concepts, sure. For a specific enzyme? Absolutely not.
Also, if the OP wants an explainer for this, I& #39;d be happy to do it.
If I& #39;m a professional scientist, why should a high-schooler have to do this?
The concepts, sure. For a specific enzyme? Absolutely not.
Also, if the OP wants an explainer for this, I& #39;d be happy to do it.
The reason this question is so bad is that it takes a concept which is intimidating, but can be made easy if the instructor is careful in how they teach it, and then makes this topic seem impossible.
Biochemistry isn& #39;t that hard*, it just seems like it if you& #39;re thrown in.
Biochemistry isn& #39;t that hard*, it just seems like it if you& #39;re thrown in.
*Except for X-ray crystallography, which might just be the most complex thing in all of science.
I don& #39;t really know any biochemists who would be able to hop into a crystallography lab and be immediately ready to rock.
I don& #39;t really know any biochemists who would be able to hop into a crystallography lab and be immediately ready to rock.
